I would first off like to congratulate the newly elected DA France leadership and DPCA voting representatives. I wish you all the best for the coming two years.
I hope that over the next two years you will focus on the issues that we as Americans abroad uniquely face. Such as restrictions on banking services in our home countries linked to FATCA, arduous requirements when we file our US taxes, that often mean we have to pay a professional just to show we don’t own any US taxes, and government services not adapted to those outside of the US.
For me there is a bias against Americans outside America. From what I understand less than 10% of Americans aboard vote, this is understandable when the issues we face outside the US take a backseat to homeland issues. If we want to tap into the 90% who don’t vote we need to address the issues faced by Americans aboard.
For me this means endorsing repeal of FACTA and being more vocal in our support of Residency Based Taxation, to name just two important issues that would speak to Americans abroad. There is a large untapped voting block that can only be reached if we listen to them and speak about the issues that are important to them.
Thank you for your time and again good luck,