Thus, IMO, the only reasonable approach is for companies to NOT pay taxes. Let individuals pay everything directly. We're paying it anyway... just in a hidden form. If we really saw the impact of taxes on our income I suspect that a vast majority of people would quickly revolt!
The word "fair" is not relevant and I seriously wish Tim (and other super-rich people) would stop using it. There is no such thing as a "Fair" tax! Taxation is about confiscation of wealth. Regardless of which country you live in, such confiscation is both necessary and proper to fund programs required for society at large such as Infrastructure, Defense, etc.
I would also suggest that there is no such thing as a corporation paying taxes. Again, regardless of the industry or location, when a company sells a widget, part of those proceeds are used to pay taxes. Where does that money come from? The CONSUMER of the widget. When individual citizens pay taxes it comes out of their pocket. I have no mechanism to pass on taxes to someone else.
Corporate taxes, like VAT, fuel tax, permits, etc. are nothing more than ways to hide the true cost of government from the governed.
Thus, IMO, the only reasonable approach is for companies to NOT pay taxes. Let individuals pay everything directly. We're paying it anyway... just in a hidden form. If we really saw the impact of taxes on our income I suspect that a vast majority of people would quickly revolt!
Tim Cook visited Ireland today to collect an award from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for Apple's 40 years of investment in the country. Apple's CEO also met with Irish musician Hozier and Dublin-based game studio WarDucks.
In 2016, the European Commission found that Apple received illegal state aid from Ireland and forced the company to repay 13 billion euros in back taxes. Apple and Ireland are both appealing the ruling. Apple has previously expressed confidence that the ruling "will be overturned" by European courts.
![]()
In that regard, Cook today called for global corporate tax reform, telling Reuters and others that Apple "desperately" wants the system to be fair. "It's very complex to know how to tax a multinational," he added.
"I think logically everybody knows it needs to be rehauled, I would certainly be the last person to say that the current system or the past system was the perfect system. I'm hopeful and optimistic that they will find something," said Cook, referring to the intergovernmental economic organization OECD.
Update: IDA Ireland has issued a press release about Apple's award that includes a statement from Cook:Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Article Link: Tim Cook Visits Ireland, Calls for Global Corporate Tax Reform [Updated]
Well, people could boycott apple but they won’t, they will all complain but do nothing about it because they want they’re macs...kind of sad when people are addicted to a product.Notice how Cook never says he wants Apple to pay more tax, because of course he doesn’t!
Also, why would Ireland not want more tax revenue? It’s not like Apple can go anywhere else in the EU and pay less. Maybe they’ll go to a tax haven somewhere, but that would only invite further investigation and attention.
I really liked your first three paragraphs, especially the first paragraph, spot on. I don't like the conclusion though. The biggest way the ultra rich pay tax at all is via the companies they own, or own shares in, paying taxes.The word "fair" is not relevant and I seriously wish Tim (and other super-rich people) would stop using it. There is no such thing as a "Fair" tax! Taxation is about confiscation of wealth. Regardless of which country you live in, such confiscation is both necessary and proper to fund programs required for society at large such as Infrastructure, Defense, etc.
I would also suggest that there is no such thing as a corporation paying taxes. Again, regardless of the industry or location, when a company sells a widget, part of those proceeds are used to pay taxes. Where does that money come from? The CONSUMER of the widget. When individual citizens pay taxes it comes out of their pocket. I have no mechanism to pass on taxes to someone else.
Corporate taxes, like VAT, fuel tax, permits, etc. are nothing more than ways to hide the true cost of government from the governed.
Thus, IMO, the only reasonable approach is for companies to NOT pay taxes. Let individuals pay everything directly. We're paying it anyway... just in a hidden form. If we really saw the impact of taxes on our income I suspect that a vast majority of people would quickly revolt!
Hard to feel sorry for Apple here. I live in Canada and we pay between 60-70% in taxes:
Income, hidden, carbon, HST.
with how lopsided voting and electoral districts are in Canada not really depending on his location.You indirectly voted for those taxes to be implemented by voting in the government that created the taxes.
I take it you are not aware how much tax EU employees pay then?
Apple became one of the richest companies by dodging tax.
Now they want to make sure no one else can do the same.
The word "fair" is not relevant and I seriously wish Tim (and other super-rich people) would stop using it. There is no such thing as a "Fair" tax! Taxation is about confiscation of wealth. Regardless of which country you live in, such confiscation is both necessary and proper to fund programs required for society at large such as Infrastructure, Defense, etc.
I would also suggest that there is no such thing as a corporation paying taxes. Again, regardless of the industry or location, when a company sells a widget, part of those proceeds are used to pay taxes. Where does that money come from? The CONSUMER of the widget. When individual citizens pay taxes it comes out of their pocket. I have no mechanism to pass on taxes to someone else.
Corporate taxes, like VAT, fuel tax, permits, etc. are nothing more than ways to hide the true cost of government from the governed.
Thus, IMO, the only reasonable approach is for companies to NOT pay taxes. Let individuals pay everything directly. We're paying it anyway... just in a hidden form. If we really saw the impact of taxes on our income I suspect that a vast majority of people would quickly revolt!
Stop with this. They paid everything they were required to. EU *changes* the rules, and wants Apple to retroactively pay according to new rules. Would you?
Set the example and perhaps others will follow.
Then tell the corporations...