What a BOIR from the Feds

It's enough to make me a Libertarian. 

After having filed papers dutifully for years with our State Corporation Commission, I now understand that the Federal Crimes Enforcement Network, under threat of fines, will make LLC owners file even more paperwork. It's a free process but a tedious one, and the online interface is predictably awful in a manner only the Federal Government could design. It did not let me file because the portal would not let me click the final "I agree" button. With some efforts, I used method B and sent them a PDF filing.

Yes, it makes one wish--almost--for the giant axe coming in January for lots of Federal agencies. I just wish I could pick which ones to cut.

The madness for small farmers and other businesses comes from something called The Corporate Transparency Act. Sounds good on paper; we don't want firms hiding illegally obtained money. That said, large corporations can give unlimited campaign funds to candidates, anonymously, since the People United decision by our Supreme Court. I suppose that legal largesse does not extend to little LLCs.

A Texas court blocked implementation of the plan, noting that "The CTA, by its very language, does not regulate any issue of foreign affairs. It regulates a domestic issue: anonymous existence of companies registered to do business in a U.S. state and their potential conduct." I sighed in relief.

 But then our extension agency noted that the stay had been lifted, and we had to file. Yet on the Federal site, it said, essentially "oh, don't file yet until the court case gets decided. But you can file."

Then, my tax guy's office said it's been halted again!

So I filed anyhow and I got an official-looking certificate from Uncle Sam. Our little LLC is honest and not laundering money. We have nothing to hide from any state or Federal agency.

I'm hoping that one day the horrible People United decision will be reversed, and laws like the CTA struck down as unconstitutional blocks on interstate commerce.

Governments build good infrastructure. They protect us from foreign and (we'll see in 2025) domestic enemies. They protect, in theory, our natural spaces.They assure minimum common standards. I like the green cash money they print, too.

But making little farms like ours file above and beyond what the State of Virginia asks seems burdensome and meddling. Here's to The CTA getting struck down for good and little folks, not just huge corporations and billionaires, having some say again.