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Are the Swiss the next target of American bombs?
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For vowing to prevent UBS from turning over to the FBI data on more than 52,000 Americans who hold Swiss bank accounts?
The Swiss Justice Ministry said on Wednesday that Swiss law prevents UBS from handing over client information and the government would seize UBS client data, if necessary, to stop that happening.
The case, which comes amid a global fight against tax cheats supported by the U.S. administration, has damaged the UBS brand and could result in an expensive settlement for the bank at a time when the bank needs to focus on restructuring.
"Switzerland will use its legal authority to ensure that the bank cannot be pressured to transmit the information illegally, including if necessary by issuing an order taking effective control of the data at UBS," the Swiss government said in a response to U.S. authorities filed in Miami on Tuesday.
To be sure, there's nothing especially noble about Swiss seizure of private bank accounts as an act in and of itself, even if it would ironically result in greater protection of American interests than the U.S. state is willing to provide. (After all, we all know Barack and Friends only have what's best for us at heart.) But given the opportunity to choose whose actions are less immoral, I'll side with the Swiss on this one -- they're retaliating against an initiation of violence by the American state.
Although Reuters blithely refers to the U.S. government's targets as "tax cheats," there is no such thing as a tax cheat. A cheat is someone who uses manipulative or dishonest measures to tilt an otherwise level playing field in his favor. Thus, the term "tax cheat" implies that people have an obligation to follow certain rules (or laws) when it comes to surrendering their income to the state. No idea could be more absurd.
The U.S. government is not engaged in some "game" with taxpayers, whereby both sides participate willingly in a contest with the intent to emerge victorious. Just the opposite, the state has rigged the relationship so it always wins -- it merely points its guns at us and extorts whatever amount of our property it sees fit.
The state is a criminal gang, differing from private hooligans only to the extent that it cannot be held accountable for its transgressions against the innocent. To argue that Americans have an obligation to "pay" taxes is to argue that we likewise would have an obligation to submit to the robber at our doorstep as he demanded our money or our life.
Taxation is theft, period. It is not based on some voluntary arrangement; it is based on coercion and violence.
Surrendering taxes to avoid the ultimately penalty of death is hardly shameful; it is the act of the tyrant that is shameful. But how unfortunate that swaths of Americans believe the tax-avoider is the real criminal.
Au contraire. Having the balls to look the bastards in the eyes and tell them they'll get your money over your dead body is nothing short of heroic.
