[T]ax evasion is not a crime under Liechtenstein laws.
~ Hans-Adam II, Fürst von und zu Liechtenstein
I was passing through Germany’s Munich Airport last Saturday on my way home from Brazil. I did some business in a tax and duty free store. I was asked to give information on whether I lived in the EU and what city I lived in. It was obvious that some bureaucrats had done some "work" since the previous time I had had business to do in a tax and duty free store at a German airport, for this "innovation" was definitely not there then. Not the scanning of my passport either, for that matter.
I reluctantly put some information on this piece of paper which was for "our tax office," but this incident was only to be a warm-up, for shortly after I picked up some newspapers and learnt about the news involving Liechtenstein as a tax haven.
The connection is clear. Germany certainly needs a heavy tax burden to pay people to record information on where customers of tax and duty free stores live and other meaningless tasks. When the government pokes its nose in all sorts of things in our lives, homes, and businesses, it certainly "needs" to protect itself against protection against the government.
Prince-Regent Alois of Liechtenstein said on Tuesday February 19, according to the Financial Times, that German tax evasion is not the principality’s problem, and that Germany is an "overpowering state." Indeed! All hail the Prince-Regent!
According to the International Herald Tribune, reforms have been announced by the principality, but fortunately they are in the opposite direction of what Germany wants. Let’s hope reports of Liechtenstein wanting to "work more closely with Germany" do not mean that the principality is backing down to German requests to increase "transparency." Liechtenstein must stand up against this German muscling.
Frau Merkel is reportedly very much involved in this affair. She was supposed to be the alternative to social democracy, right? Yet, instead of doing something seriously about the heavy tax burden and the system that "needs" this heavy tax burden, she chooses to protect the system.
Could it be that worrying about losing votes could be part of the problem? Reports say the "German left" is benefiting from the affair — as if Frau Merkel is not on the left.
Oh, how I wish there were a Kaiser in Berlin who could simply fire her!
Frau Merkel is also reportedly to meet with Monsieur Sarkozy, who has been pushing the Principality of Monaco similarly. And the French President is also on the "right," right?
Several other tax authorities are also reportedly getting involved. The vultures are not being shy.
That the federal government of those United States is getting involved should surprise no one. It’s the land of the free, right? This actually reminded me of the question on the application form for a U.S. visa about renunciation of U.S. citizenship for the purpose of avoiding taxes. Oh, yes! The land of the free!
Tax evasion is not the problem. The overpowering states are the problem. Get rid of them.
I’ll take the small and beautiful principalities any day over the oversized, overpowering mass democracies.
And, Frau Merkel and Monsieur Sarkozy, you are on the right and you oppose social democracy? Please! Don’t make me laugh.
And those United States are the land of the free, right?
Again, please don’t make me laugh.
Governments of Germany and those United States, keep your filthy, sticky, statist hands off the principality. Go pick on someone your own size!
All hail the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Fürst, and the Prince-Regent!
