just don't get caught breaking the law since nobody consents to you're doing that
mostly that's what everybody does without all the mumbo jumbo
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Apple Targeted by EU Probe into Irish Tax Policies as U.S. Considers Tax Holiday for Cash Repatriation
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just don't get caught breaking the law since nobody consents to you're doing that
mostly that's what everybody does without all the mumbo jumbo
Governments main objective is to look like they're doing the right thing in front of the voting public.
Channel islands and the UK is a good example - how many voters understand how their clampdown on Jersey's LVCR was an utterly ridiculous failure (but perceived successful by the public)?
I find it sad that as a two-man company I have to pay close to 42% corporate tax yet Apple with hundreds of billions in profit pays 3.75%.
This has come up again and again, but it didn't produce the desired consequences last time. I doubt we'll have another tax holiday unless it can be shown how it would turn out differently or it is preceded by general policy changes. Otherwise it happens. It doesn't turn out as expected, and then the focus goes away because these companies no longer have large sums of money allocated to their subsidiaries.
So I'm assuming then when you pay taxes you make sure to pay the maximum amount possible without taking ant deductions or credits? I'm all for closing tax loopholes or getting rid of deductions so long as tax rates are reduced in concert. And corporations just pass taxes on to consumers anyway so I'm not sure why we'd want them being taxed even more.
The question where the wealth is created is seen quite differently depending on the particular case at hand. In the US, everybody thinks the wealth is created in Cupertino because that is were value is created. Europe thinks, the wealth is created where a company sells its products.
This is an excellent point that seems to have been shamefully ignored by everyone else commenting in this thread. Individuals can't legally evade taxes, but corporations are not only given permission to evade taxes, but will often ask for amnesty from tax evasion with a straight face. Remarkably, sometimes they can even get it.
Also, nobody seems to have pointed out the fantasy of the 35% U.S. corporate tax rate. The fact is, hardly anyone pays it, or anything close to it on domestic or foreign earnings. For one thing, corporations get full credit for foreign taxes paid. A corporation running as much income as possible through offshore tax havens means that they've paid very little foreign tax and therefore get very little credit. They then have to rely on other methods for reducing their effective tax rate to far below the 35% maximum.
This sort of stuff really angers me. While I believe tax rates are way too high, I firmly believe no matter how big the company. If you do business in the UK you pay your taxes in the UK. It's not just Apple but the likes of Starbucks and Amazon. The UK is a very important market to them and it would hurt them far more if they weren't allowed to continue doing business here than to cough up!
But arguing over this is futile. They have all our politicians in their pockets (thanks America for leading the way with government lobbying).
I don't like the EU, infact I despise that corrupt institution and it's ridiculously out of touch political dogma but I welcome any attempt at dealing with tax avoidance and evasion.
Russia has the right idea with a flat 13% tax rate.
But arguing over this is futile. They have all our politicians in their pockets (thanks America for leading the way with government lobbying).
I don't like the EU, infact I despise that corrupt institution and it's ridiculously out of touch political dogma but I welcome any attempt at dealing with tax avoidance and evasion.
Russia has the right idea with a flat 13% tax rate.
I fully agree. If Apple is following the laws they are fine. Going after them after writing shoddy complex tax laws is the fault of the governments involved -- not Apple. If Apple failed to use the same tax loopholes that every other company used then they would be failing to meet their obligation to their investors.
The same goes for individuals. I don't see any individual going out of their way to pay more taxes. People take advantage of every tax deduction or credit that the law affords them. My brother's wife received a cash gift from a Japanese relative. As it turns out, Japanese law said the receiver of the gift was responsible for the taxes. So the relative who was a Japanese citizen was not liable for taxes on it. However, US law said the giver of the gift was responsible for the taxes. So my brother's wife, who is a US citizen, was not liable for any taxes either. I would not fault anybody for walking away from a situation like that without paying taxes -- they are following the law.
Why should Apple do otherwise? I fully agree with you.
I beg your pardon!
How can you possibly equate personal responsibility with mass theft?
sorry, we don't consent to your making up definitions of theft that deviate from accepted definitions.....that's not showing personal responsibility.....nor is the idea that you don't have to follow the flaw because you "don't consent"
seriously, the whole bit about how most everybody wants socialism to pay for their life style is just empty posturing
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sorry, we don't consent to your making up definitions of theft that deviate from accepted definitions.....that's not showing personal responsibility.....nor is the idea that you don't have to follow the flaw because you "don't consent"
seriously, the whole bit about how most everybody wants socialism to pay for their life style is just empty posturing
The very definition of theft is the taking of a person's property without the express permission of said person. I do not consent to paying for the lifestyles of others, therefore it is theft.
As for following the law, again, that is the herd speaking, seeking ever more of my assets.
no no you're confused.....nobody comes around and "steals" your tax payment. There's no "theft" involved. It simply doesn't meet the accepted definition.
The whole idea that it's theft is just a fabrication......yes, it's may be annoying, but that doesn't transform it into theft
If I were the US government, I would wait. Let the EU probe go on and when they say Apple has to pay them 25%, we can say Hey Apple, we'll let you bring it back at 20%. They'll obviously take our deal.
I love Apple, but using tactics like this... they really don't need to. They have so much money, even if they paid the taxes, I mean come on. You know how much money they still have left?
Be Patriotic Apple, bring the money back and pay the full 35% and then point to other companies and say we put our money where our mouth is, we are patriotic, love our country, and set a good example. Now that would be something. But they won't.
I love Apple, but using tactics like this... they really don't need to. They have so much money, even if they paid the taxes, I mean come on. You know how much money they still have left?
Be Patriotic Apple, bring the money back and pay the full 35% and then point to other companies and say we put our money where our mouth is, we are patriotic, love our country, and set a good example. Now that would be something. But they won't.
But those people are voters
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Apple's is a business and their main concern is their shareholders (not being patriotic). If they did as you suggested, a lawsuit by their investors would be the least of their problems.
Nowhere in the definition of theft does it say that the thief must come to my place, in order to steal.
You may not like the definition of theft, because it invalidates your preferred politics, but it's still theft.
Ochlocracy, the very worst of bands.
Congrats, you proved his point.
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Strange how nobody pushing this "pay up" meme ever acknowledges that Apple has contributed far more than that amount (plus all other taxes paid) by creating jobs and increasing national GDP etc without the government having to do a thing (nay, despite the government's best efforts to interfere there with).
you lose your argument about taxes meeting the definition of "theft" when you sign your tax form declaring the amount of taxes you owe, write your check and mail it off.....it's all done by your own hand under your own volition......in any event the argument about taxes being illegal has been litigated over and over; never are they deemed "theft".......sorry if the definition invalidates your preferred politics
Should we assume you never pay your taxes? After all, wouldn't that make you a co-conspirator in the "crime" if you did?
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Exactly. They're only liberal when it's convenient. They support the folks that want to raise everyone else's taxes, as long as they can use loopholes and "tax holidays" (LOL at this concept) to keep their company's tax bills as low as possible.
It pays to be a shameless prop at the State of the Union speech.
you lose your argument about taxes meeting the definition of "theft" when you sign your tax form declaring the amount of taxes you owe, write your check and mail it off.....it's all done by your own hand under your own volition......in any event the argument about taxes being illegal has been litigated over and over; never are they deemed "theft".......sorry if the definition invalidates your preferred politics
Should we assume you never pay your taxes? After all, wouldn't that make you a co-conspirator in the "crime" if you did?
First, as my nom should indicate, I'm not American, where judges are political appointees, and I sign nothing!
Second, something being "legal' has nothing to do with being right and proper - except by coincidence.
Theft is still theft.