Report of a challenge to long term U.S. expats voting rights, etc.

[Jingthing]

http://cuencahighlife.com/some-countries-deny-expats-the-right-to-vote-while-others-are-considering-it-u-s-politicians-talk-of-restricting-other-benefits-as-well/

In the U.S., several politicians, both Republican and Democrat and as ideologically diverse as Texas Senator Ted Cruz and New York Senator Charles Schumer, have said they would consider restricting voting rights for long-time expats. There is even talk of restricting access to benefits that can currently be accessed overseas. Although Medicare cannot be used out of the country, expat retirees can collect Social Security payments.

According to Cruz, the issue is one of patriotism. “If someone turns their back on the United States, should he still be able to take advantage of the benefits of citizenship? I think this should be examined.”

I thought this was worth posting even though I haven't found another source as I consider the source generally reliable.

I suppose the challenge to voting rights may be more serious and notice the report mentions bipartisan interest in that issue.

As far as Medicare access, we already know expats aren't going to get it.

As far as Social Security benefits, I don't (yet) take that threat very seriously but I suppose it's good to know it's even being talked about.

I think the chance of Cruz becoming president are pretty remote, but if that happened, perhaps these threats would be elevated.

I'm assuming most of us expats are disgusted by Cruz's comments questioning the PATRIOTISM of U.S. expats! Ironic coming from him, born outside the U.S. of a Cuban father!

Edited April 3, 2015 by Jingthing

[55Jay]

Ted "McCarthy" Cruz is throwing handfuls of religious and patriotic mud around, hoping something will stick to the wall at Fox News.

However, this talk of new SSI conditions made me recall the banter in the UK a couple years ago (re: expats and foreign spouses) as well as an Aussie mate of mine here. He said he was on state pension but until he turned 65 (I believe it was 65, could be wrong), he could only remain out of OZ for 2 months at a time or else his pension would be reduced a certain amount. He and his wife have since moved to Oz but for the year or so I knew him here in LoS, he was jumping through the hoops, flying back and forth every couple months to avoid this financial penalty.

[Jingthing]

Not worried about Cruz. He's an extremist blowhard probably overcompensating for his Canadian problem. But Schumer is very mainstream. Face it expats aren't popular.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[NanLaew]

The Aussies get fined if they don't vote and get reduced benefits if they don't come home regularly.

The Brits gets kicked off the electoral register if they've been gone more than 15 years, even if they still pay their taxes and their pension is frozen too.

The Americans are taxed on every brass razzoo regardless if where it was earned and where they live but they can vote as long as they still have a pulse. For now anyway.

Strange old world.

Edited April 3, 2015 by NanLaew

[CaptHaddock]

The right wing is always hammering on SS and Medicare. If they can drive a wedge beginning with expats, their goal will be to dismantle the entire system eventually. It bears watching, particularly if a Republican wins in 2016.

Odd in a plutocracy like the US that someone like Schumer could consider revoking voting rights while presumably continuing to tax expats on their worldwide income.

[NeverSure]

The right wing is always hammering on SS and Medicare. If they can drive a wedge beginning with expats, their goal will be to dismantle the entire system eventually. It bears watching, particularly if a Republican wins in 2016.

Odd in a plutocracy like the US that someone like Schumer could consider revoking voting rights while presumably continuing to tax expats on their worldwide income.

Chuck Schumer is a long time Left Wing Democrat senator. He is actually the Senior Senator in the Senate. He's a hiso Democrat from New York.

I suppose anything you don't like is automatically right wing?

I paid for my SS and Medicare starting at age 14 with a union job in a bakery. Bakers start in the wee hours of the morning and I somehow managed to do that and still go to school. I have no idea what left wing Schumer and right wing Cruz have against expats, but those two idiots working together should be referred to as the idiot wing comprised of two extremes from both parties.

Cheers

[Rhys]

The right wing is always hammering on SS and Medicare. If they can drive a wedge beginning with expats, their goal will be to dismantle the entire system eventually. It bears watching, particularly if a Republican wins in 2016.

Odd in a plutocracy like the US that someone like Schumer could consider revoking voting rights while presumably continuing to tax expats on their worldwide income.

Chuck Schumer is a long time Left Wing Democrat senator. He is actually the Senior Senator in the Senate. He's a hiso Democrat from New York.

I suppose anything you don't like is automatically right wing?

I paid for my SS and Medicare starting at age 14 with a union job in a bakery. Bakers start in the wee hours of the morning and I somehow managed to do that and still go to school. I have no idea what left wing Schumer and right wing Cruz have against expats, but those two idiots working together should be referred to as the idiot wing comprised of two extremes from both parties.

Cheers

YES, we did pay into the system...thus the SSI needs to be returned...pay in pay out...

Give me a break, patriotism ...according to the lame CRUZ, is practiced only stateside.. ok.. and santa claus sings la bamba down the chimey cute..

With clowns like these two, many patriotic expats are proud to be away..

[Jingthing]

Schumer is a powerful liberal pro-business democrat. I would not call him left wing but republicans probably would. This isn't the place for the U.S. political debate per se, please. There are U.S. expats here who like Cruz in general and some that like Schumer in general, but I hope none of us support these kinds of potential attacks on expats!

If anyone harbored any hope that expats would someday be included in Medicare, such talk throws more cold water on that dream. (Personally, I had no hope for that.)

I just think this issue is worth watching.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Jingthing

[CaptHaddock]

The right wing is always hammering on SS and Medicare. If they can drive a wedge beginning with expats, their goal will be to dismantle the entire system eventually. It bears watching, particularly if a Republican wins in 2016.

Odd in a plutocracy like the US that someone like Schumer could consider revoking voting rights while presumably continuing to tax expats on their worldwide income.

Chuck Schumer is a long time Left Wing Democrat senator. He is actually the Senior Senator in the Senate. He's a hiso Democrat from New York.

I suppose anything you don't like is automatically right wing?

I paid for my SS and Medicare starting at age 14 with a union job in a bakery. Bakers start in the wee hours of the morning and I somehow managed to do that and still go to school. I have no idea what left wing Schumer and right wing Cruz have against expats, but those two idiots working together should be referred to as the idiot wing comprised of two extremes from both parties.

Cheers

The list of Republican attacks on and attempts to destroy SS is a long one. Bush II wanted to convert it to private accounts which would have eliminated the mortality credit, which is the basis of the system's ability to pay benefits. That would have ended SS as we know it while enabling Wall St. to collect fees on those private accounts. Paul Ryan still wants to privatize SS. Eric Cantor wanted to cut benefits and raise the Full Retirement Age to 70. The Koch brothers have been funding a campaign of disinformation against SS via right-wing think tanks. In 2013 the Republican leadership was willing to shutdown the government in order to force a reduction of benefits in SS and Medicare. Rick Perry has called SS a "Ponzi Scheme." The budget passed by the Republican House called for large cuts in SS and Medicare. And on and on.

You worked for and paid for your SS benefits and you'll get them. And that will be because of the Democrats, not the Republicans.

[fusion58]

Thank you, Ted Cruz, (and other extremist whack jobs) for reminding me why I chose to become an expat in the first place.

[Ricardo]

Shouldn't someone remind him, of a slogan which once gained considerable support in the then-colonies, "no taxation without representation" ?

Does he plan to stop taxing those US-citizens, whom he plans to deprive of their votes, it would seem only fair to do so !

[55Jay]

Shouldn't someone remind him, of a slogan which once gained considerable support in the then-colonies, "no taxation without representation" ?

Does he plan to stop taxing those US-citizens, whom he plans to deprive of their votes, it would seem only fair to do so !

I like it!