Event at Nelson Mandela: Dr Roberts' talk

Mariannick tends bar at the event

Jessica, Dr Brad Roberts, Jane

Attendees representing Anglophone groups in Montpellier, as well as the Mairie

Dalene: US expat orgs combine to reform FATCA

Dear Democrats Abroad France,

The ongoing efforts of the Democrats Abroad FBAR/FATCA Task Force along with other American citizens groups are reported here by Carmelan Polce, the Chair of our Task Force.  We are sending you her last report of their most recent visit to Washington , DC.  If you would like more information on the Democrats Abroad FATCA Research Project, please consult democratsabroad.org, or contact Carmelan herself (email below).  This team has worked tirelessly for several years on turning around tax laws that have an unjust impact on millions of hardworking American citizens who live abroad.

Connie Borde, Chair, DAF

Dear Colleagues,

Last week members of the DemsAbroad FBAR/FATCA Task Force joined representatives from American Citizens Abroad (ACA), Association of Americans Residing Overseas (AARO), Federation of American Womens Clubs Overseas (FAWCO) and FAWCO Alumni USA (FAUSA) for a week of meetings in Washington DC to discuss the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

Please join us in thanking Jim Black formerly of DA Germany, DeeDee Gierow of DA Sweden, Stanley Grossmany of DA UK and International Chair Katie Solon for their excellent work last week advocating to reform FATCA in a bitterly cold and snowy Washington DC.

The delegation met with Congress members in both houses and on both side of the aisle, targeting specifically members of the Senate Finance Committee, House Ways & Means Committee and American Abroad Caucus, plus others involved with legislative initiatives related to FATCA.

The messaging was simple and consistent with what we have been saying for a few years now:

• FATCA is having unintended, grave impacts on Americans abroad
• Reforms are required urgently to relieve the burden FATCA places on those who it was never intended to affect
• The FATCA Safe Harbor Exemption for Americans abroad (also known as the Same Country Exception) will relieve the FATCA burden for Americans abroad 
• Help us persuade the IRS and Treasury to amend the FATCA implementation rules by adding the FATCA Safe Harbor Exemption for America abroad

We also had our highest level discussion yet about FATCA with an official in the Treasury department - someone in a position to progress our recommended reform.  We had some very encouraging advice - and we were also sent away with further questions.   We took an important step forward with the Safe Harbour Exemption, but our work is not finished yet.

We have received varied and useful advice last week that will help us in the next phase of our advocacy work.  We are still sorting through the many pages of notes taken during meetings last week to distill the key learnings that we can work with.

And, we will continue to coordinate with the other organisations representing Americans abroad in our work advocating for the Safe Harbor Exemption.

For further information about the substance of our discussions, please do not hesitate to contact the Task Force with further questions or advice.

Still Seeking FATCA-related Account Closure Letters

In our June/July 2014 FATCA Survey we invited Americans abroad to send us letters, redacted to conceal accountholder identity, received from banks or brokerage houses advising of the closure of accounts due to FATCA compliance requirements.  In July 2014 FATCA became fully operational for foreign banks and brokerage houses and we suspect many Americans abroad will have had accounts closed in the months following the survey.

We are still collecting redacted letters notifying accountholders of account closures due to FATCA.  Please do pass along this request to members in your up-coming AGMs or other communications.

Please contact us at any time with questions.

DEMOCRATS ABROAD FBAR/FATCA TASK FORCE
Jim Black (USA - formerly Germany)
DeeDee Gierow (Sweden)
Joe Green - Co-Chair (Canada)
Stanley Grossman (UK)
Carmelan Polce (Singapore)
Joe Smallhoover (France)
Katie Solon (Germany)


Ms Carmelan Polce
Singapore
M:  +65 9380 1084
E:  cpolce@tpg.com.au
Skype:  carmelan.polce

This message is paid for by the Democratic Party Committee Abroad

Democrats Abroad

PO Box 15130
Washington, DC 20003
United States

Telephone: +1-202-621-2085 +1-202-621-2085

It is being sent to you because you are a member of one or more of these Democrats Abroad group(s): DA International and France.

I have moved back to the US and want to be moved to the DA US Alumni group.
I have moved back to the US and want to be removed from the DA membership list.
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Katharine: how safe are we in today's world?

 
At the instigation of Jane, we were honored by the visit of the distinguished National Security expert Dr Brad Roberts,  who recently completed a Fellowship at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.  Dr Roberts spoke at the Nelson Mandela Center (formerly MRI),  to a group of Anglophones (representing various Montpellier-based groups, including AWG, FOAL, BCA, and others) about the five key threats that may undermine world stability in the twenty-first century.

He told us that the goal of ISIS is to restore a Caliphate;  they have defined strategy for their sphere of influence in both 2035 and 2135, at which time their revolutionary thinkers intend to have the largest standing in the world,  along with nuclear weapons.   Next up is Mr Putin of Russia;  the West made a grave mistake in ignoring Russian interests within their sphere of influence (Kosovo) in the '90s and Mr Putin has neither forgotten nor forgiven, nor will he allow the West another chance at rapprochement.

Iran, Iraq and North Korea are small regional powers who have nuclear weapons -  termed by Dr Roberts "porcupine" states - i.e. small animals whose sharp spines protect them from predators.

China has developed a middle class of 650million people in 10 years.  They regard themselves as having exited a century of ignominy;  Brad told us that Tsing Tao beer was manufactured in China to supply the requirements of the German navy base.  Tsing Tao beer carries the sting of humiliation to the Chinese to this day.

What does "The West" now signify?  The term lost its meaning in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed,  peace broke out, and nations were inclined against militarism.  We adopted The Freedom Agenda. It didn't last. 

Dr Roberts made reference in his talk to a 2007 book entitled "Savage Century: Back to Barbarism," by Thérèse Delpech, (translated by George Holoch), in which the author poses the question:  What are the worldwide parallels between 1905 and 2005, and do these similarities suggest that we may be on the brink of another period of savage world wars.

The presentation was followed by a Q&A session from the floor.  Dr Roberts had been asked to end our discussion on a positive note.  Did we?  

Maggie: Join me on the Bridge 2015

Photo credits:  Serge Palu

Here are the Join Me on the Bridge photos.

I decided to go beyond the AWG-LR club membership in search of ladies to join me on the bridge in Montpellier on Sunday, March 8. While waiting for other members to join me, I stopped women who were walking along the designated bridge, and asked them if they had a few minutes to help celebrate International Women's Day and show solidarity with women worldwide. I took the opportunity to tell them about the bridge between Rwanda and the DRC, and shared with them the belief that it is women who will do the most to work for world peace. Only one woman refused to be in the photo, and the others took my AWG card with the FAWCO website address so they can get more info about us. The two young joggers in pink seemed the most interested.

Katharine: as the Policeman said "Words fail me"

End Tampon Tax: 'Oi George Osborne, stop taxing our bloody periods’

More than 200,000 people want the Government to ditch a five per cent tax on sanitary products for women. Radhika Sanghani went to Downing Street to see the petition handed in (not to mention a few tampon ballons and bemused police)

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Women protested tampon tax outside Downing Street 

By Radhika Sanghani, Daily Telegraph, UK

7:30AM GMT 12 Mar 2015

“One two three four, don’t you tax me anymore. Five six seven eight, tampon tax is out of date.”

Not what you'd necessarily expect to hear 60 women (and two men) chant outside Downing Street.

Their words were directed at chancellor George Osborne. Their mission was written across tampon balloons and sanitary pads: “Stop taxing our bloody tampons.”

The group of student protesters were there to hand in a petition to ‘#EndTamponTax’, which has more than 200,775 signatures calling for the UK Government to stop classifying sanitary products as a 'luxuries.’

Ever since 1973, women have been paying tax on sanitary products because the Government deemed them 'non-essential' items. At the time the tax rate for these goods was 17.5 per cent, but in 2001 – after a lot of campaigning – it dropped to five percent.

But now women are calling for Osborne to finally reduce the UK’s “outdated, damaging” sanitary tax from five per cent to zero.
Laura Coryton, a 22-year-old student at Goldsmiths University, started the petition and dropped it off to number 11 Downing Street on Wednesday. She’s now awaiting a response.
“I can’t wait to see what they have to say about it,” she told me. “It’s so important to get rid of tampon tax. It was introduced by a male-dominated Government in 1973 and it has sexist undertones.
“It’s really important we oppose it. Especially when other luxury items such as helicopters aren’t taxed. Nor are edible sugar flowers, marshmallow teacakes and medical products.”

The dozens of students outside Downing Street agreed with her.
“Tampons are considered a luxury item but they’re something 50 per cent of the world have to deal with,” explained 19-year-old English student Daisy Catterall. “It’s just sexist. Condoms are free on the NHS, so why are tampons taxed?”
Saran Morgan, a Queen Mary’s University student, held a sign that read: “I would throw tampons but they’re too expensive.”
She said: “I came today because it’s something I feel strongly about and gender equality is something we’re striving towards.
“I don’t want my children to grow up worrying about the same things I worried about.”

The rest of the women spoke about the impact that ‘tampon tax’ had on them.
But there were also two lone male supporters who – though not directly affected by the tax – were there to show solidarity.
“There’s not a lot of guys involved, which I feel is a shame,” said 21-year-old student Paul Hawkins.
“It’s because men feel they might get teased for supporting women’s rights. But it’s more of a human issue rather than a gender issue. I want guys to understand it’s not just for women.

_{Paul Hawkins} “For [periods] to be seen as a luxury is absolutely ridiculous. It’s less to do with the Government deliberately taxing it - it's more that they’ve looked over it and not found it all that important.”
Chester Rolink, 21, the other man present, only found out about tampon tax that morning. His reaction? He thought it was “absolutely mental.”
“Yeah, it’s absolutely shocking,” he said, as he rolled a cigarette. “I’m always up for an opportunity to voice concern.”
And voiced the protesters' concerns were.
They chanted “towels and tampons should be free – not subject to VAT” to the point that a Downing Street police officer shook his head saying: “Words fail me. ‘End tampon tax’ are words you never think you’ll say together.
“I’ve said them about 15 times today.”

His response was exactly what the protesters wanted to hear.
“That’s what it all about,” said one woman. “Getting people to talk about something they’re never thought about before. Let’s hope it makes a difference.”

Editor comment:  only a male government would regard tampons as a luxury (and to be fair, those
men are long gone from office).   

Sylvia: Stella and Dot at Kim's

Photo credits:  Sylvia D

Fun and fashion at the Accessories coffee morning at Kim's.

Rachel is a stylist for Stella & Dot

Some of the attractive jewelry Rachel brought

Susan R, Cerese and Kim

Jane: Le Mas Neuf walk

Hats off to Mariannick for organising such a great walk on Saturday (March 7).   In fact, we needed to keep the hats on because the sun shone as we followed our leader for three hours across the Plateau de l'Hortus.  The AWG joined forces with FOAL  and BCA which made for a good group of eager hikers.  A terrific afternoon had by all.

ps  my dog Sammy was the happiest doggie ever. 

  Intrepid hikers all

Spectacular mulberry tree - look at its face!  Ayayay - scary!

Katharine: Toute la Vie: the generational gap

Editor:  a song recorded for charity - Restos du Coeur - causes a furore.  I hope it won't hurt the fundraising and charitable activities as a result.

Europe

‘Toute La Vie,’ Song for French Charity, Strikes Discordant Note

By ALISSA J. RUBIN and AURELIEN BREEDEN 

MARCH 3, 2015

An image from a video on YouTube showed French singers and celebrities performing the song “Toute La Vie,” recorded to aid a charity.

PARIS — The song was supposed to raise money, not a ruckus. But because it features a group of young singers whining and another group of older singer-celebrities reproaching them, the recording, made for a French charity, has provoked a storm of anger and laid bare a generational divide in French society.

“You had everything — peace, freedom, full employment,” the younger side sings. “We have joblessness, violence and AIDS.”

“Everything we have, we had to earn it,” the more senior celebrities respond. “It’s your turn now — but you need to get going!”

The song, “Toute La Vie” (“All Life Long”), was written by a music star from the 1980s, Jean-Jacques Goldman, to raise money for a well-known organization, Les Restaurants du Coeur, that runs food banks. A video featuring the song was posted last week on YouTube, and it took off on social media, with more than 2.6 million views since then. But along the way, it garnered more than a thousand critical comments on Facebook and tens of thousands of messages on Twitter, setting off a tense and startlingly bitter debate in France.

It was the younger generation that took offense, feeling that in the song, they were characterized as lazy and unwilling to make an effort in life by adults who seemed dismissive of the obstacles young people face.

The song is “paternalistic,” “reactionary” and “anti-young,” Marc-Aurèle Baly, a music critic in his 20s who writes for Les Inrocks, a music magazine, said on Friday in a televised debate about the song on BFM TV.

The group of older singers and other celebrities, known as Les Enfoirés, roughly translated as The Bastards, records a song each year for the charity. They have never been known for breaking musical ground, and this year’s song, while it has a catchy beat, was no exception. Neither, though, do people take their efforts as serious commentary on French society.

Laura Slimani, who heads a youth branch of the governing Socialist Party, said she thought Mr. Goldman probably just chose his lyrics poorly. Still, she said, it came across as an insult to young people.

“It’s a little complicated to reproach young people for not ‘getting going’ when there is 25 percent unemployment among people under 25, and 22 percent fall below the poverty line,” she said.

She also noted that young adults do not have the same right to the welfare payments that older French people receive if they have little or no income.

At first glance, the French generational tensions appear somewhat reminiscent of those in the United States surrounding the “millennials,” people born in the 1980s and 1990s who are delaying marriage, extending their educational years and still have a hard time finding jobs.

But the comparison is not an apt one, French sociologists and social critics say.

The income gap between generations is even more severe in France than in the United States, said Louis Chauvel, a French sociologist who has also worked in America on income inequality and other issues. On top of that, Mr. Chauvel added, the United States economy has been rebounding, while unemployment in France has been rising since 2008 and has hovered around 10 percent for the last two years.

“In the U.S., the young 25-year-olds have lots of opportunities,” he said. “It’s generally much better to be relatively young in the United States than to be aging.

“In France, we face a completely different trend: We have more and more educated young French citizens, and they face economic scarcity, even though they have more education than their parents.”

Young adults in France see their taxes going to finance social benefits for retirees that they believe they will never receive, Mr. Chauvel added. The most energetic and smartest among them do find jobs, he said, but often they can do it only by leaving France for Britain, Australia or the United States.

Compounding the problem, said Olivier Galland, a sociologist at the state-financed National Center for Scientific Research, is the tendency in France to attach great importance to status. Low workplace turnover means there are frustratingly few openings for young people to break in, achieve and move ahead.

Put it all together, Mr. Chauvel said, and the young in France feel not just anger but wrath — and little patience with musical lectures from their elders, especially when those elders include musicians who have made it and are seen as financially flush.

Reactions on Twitter suggest that people of all ages took exception to the song. “My daughter sent out 200 resumes without getting a single response ... Ah yes but she has #TouteLaVie! Shameful!” one clearly irate parent wrote.

“Baby boomers who lecture the unemployed youth that they are so lucky, ‘you are going to pay for our retirement,’ ” said another facetious Twitter message.

Some of Les Enfoirés have distanced themselves from the song, while others have publicly defended it. Mr. Goldman, evidently surprised by the outcry, posted a statement on the group’s website that tried to strike a conciliatory note, suggesting that the song’s lyrics reflect wider social attitudes and not the singers’ own feelings.

Les Enfoirés are “playing the role of adults who answer, as they too often do, by shirking their responsibility and acting in bad faith, but hoping that youth will do better,” it said.

So far, though, young listeners have not been buying that explanation. All they hear in it, they say, is an attempt to evade responsibility for the song’s patronizing tone.