Edwynn
Posts: 4105
Joined: 10/26/2008 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: kdsub I also think you are missing an important component of this argument. Maybe... rather than a good portion of industry paying no or little tax at a high rate... a good portion paying all or most at a lower rate would increase over all tax income rather than lower it? Butch No, I'm not overlooking that factor at all but the post was lengthy enough as it was and I always anticipate that the majority here find charts and graphs and explanation of basic economic workings etc. to be quite boring (I can understand!), however much putative clarity it may contribute, so I self edit sometimes in favor of the salient point to the detriment of thoroughness. Of course, a lower rate with no loopholes that is actually enforced, and for all, not just some, would stand a good chance of bringing in more revenue than the current scheme. But therin lies the problem, and explanation of the difficulty in changing the situation. The TV reports and financial publications always, without fail, present the issue as corporations only fulfilling their duty to shareholders in maximizing after-tax profits, claiming that they would gladly keep it all aboveboard and at home but for the statutory tax rates. Would any thinking person fall for this line? Let's understand what is actually being said were they to word it properly; "Our company pays 11-12% per year now, on average, but we'd love to be properly domiciled where we actually manufacture and sell the products and pay 25% (approx. the lowest rate of non-Irish countries), like good responsible corporate citizens." Really now? But our reliable media, anywhere I've seen their presentation of it, trot this out as a credible argument, of course with all the obligatory 'left unsaid' misdirection and distraction-from-logical-conclusion that is their expertise. Make no mistake, these largest corporations have no interest whatsoever in changing the current situation. And it should be no surprise at all that Westinghouse/CBS, GE/NBC, etc. all make sure to have the best reporters and opinion writers set to the task of coming up with all these 'exposé' contrivances that in every case leaves the viewer/reader predictably with the same response; "these poor guys!" Ireland's tax rate is far lower than other European countries, yet The US takes advantage of the disparity far more than others, some few of them having rates within 2% of the US rate. The difference is that the majority of those countries have a much better handle on regulation overall than than does the US, of which they consider making the tax code meaningful to be an important element therein, hence companies cannot get away with a small office in Ireland as providing legitimate domicile for a multibillion euro company and they know it. And whichever companies found it to their advantage to actually pick up stakes and move operations elsewhere have done so, and those countries they left are the better for it. Here's another list (sorry) that I think is rather instructive; services sector as proportion of GDP: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_gdp_com_by_sec_ser-economy-gdp-composition-sector-services The thing to notice here is that of all the countries ahead of the US are quite small, and all but two or three of them are tax havens and/or provide offices for OFCs (offshore financial corporations), some of whom do not even require records or verification of the principle party, only some purpose-made agent having name on whatever documents. Look at all those British isles, former territories, etc. They also have an inordinate amount of p/c GDP; you think that's all from tourism? Didn't know Jersey was such a hot spot, did'ja? Ireland is the one currently getting all the attention, but these little islands are where the real action is for corporate tax evaders. Believe you me, minimal and non-representative 'record keeping,' such as it exists, is even far more valuable than an 11% corporate rate. Understand the red herring purpose in all this focus on Ireland now? I call it mission accomplished.
< Message edited by Edwynn -- 4/6/2011 1:03:42 PM >
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