Bad cases make bad law

[jhetley]

Hey, the AIG situation sucks, to put it mildly.  But somebody really, really needs to whap a congresscritter or two with the concept of "ex post facto" before they start loudmouthing retroactive taxes . . .

Comments

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Would taxes be considered administrative law? If so, they could be exempt from the ex post facto prohibition.

Other laws can get around it as well, at least according to that all-knowing oracle Wikipedia.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Well, one of the national embarrassments was talking about legislation, which doesn't sound administrative to me. And I have a bias against the government seizing personal assets that were acquired in a legal fashion . . .

Then there is the question of taxing foreigners on income earned outside the US. I don't know what percentage of the bonuses that can of worms covers. Some, at least, from the reports and speculation I've seen.