Re: CryptoAnarchy: What's wrong with this picture?

[Sandy Sandfort <sandfort@crl.com>]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                          SANDY SANDFORT
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C'punks,

On Sun, 28 Apr 1996 s1113645@tesla.cc.uottawa.ca wrote:

> I don't think the rich are really the issue. From what Sandy, Black 
> Unicorn and others write, it looks like those of the rich who are 
> self-employed already play these shell games to a certain extent and a 
> certain amount competition and thumb-screwing already happens.
> 
> What is interesting is how it applies to the middle-class, where most of 
> the tax-base is.  

[He/She then goes on to write a very well thought out analysis of 
the ramifications of crypto-anarchy.]

It used to be that only the rich owned cars, went on cruises or
flew in airplanes.  Now almost every person of moderate or even
modest means can do all three.  The same tread can also be seen
in the use of offshore techniques.

A couple of generations ago, only multinationals and the super
rich could avail themselves of offshore banks, asset protection
trust, foreign incorporation, etc.  Fifteen years ago, I was 
helping members of the upper middle class do the same think.

Today, virtually anyone on this list can afford these techniques.
Non-US people have been using them for years.  The reason middle
class Americans aren't savvy that yet are ignorance and inertia.  
Everyday, Americans are becoming less parochial (due in part,
ironically, to government hysteria about money laundering) about
such possibilities.  As the Clintons and Doles turn up the tax
and regulatory heat, they will also overcome their inertia.  

Another irony in America is that the lower class seems to be
way ahead of the middle class in keeping more of what they earn.
Do you think ANY waiter/waitress in the U.S. reports all his/her
tips?  Do you really think the neighbor who helped you tune up 
your car last week will pay taxes on what you paid him?  Watch
where the money goes when you pay for an item in a mom and pop 
grocery.  Sometimes it goes in the till, other times, in the 
owner's pocket. 


 S a n d y

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~