Hightower: The Absurd Lengths Corporations Will Go to in the Name of Saving a Pittance on Taxes

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/activism/hightower-absurd-lengths-corporations-will-go-name-saving-pittance-taxes



How would you react if one of your neighbors announced that while he obviously benefits from having clean water, highways, Medicare, police protection, parks, schools, and other public services, he was no longer going to pay his part of the taxes that make them available?

And what if this neighbor also said he was renouncing his American citizenship to become a citizen of Switzerland, because he could pay less taxes there? Not that he was actually moving to that cold country, mind you -- no, no, he'd still be living right here in the good ol' USA, still benefitting from all those public services that taxpayers like you and I provide.

Surely, you think, this has to be a joke. A person can't really do this, can they? No, of course a "real" person could not get away with this You see, corporations are funny creatures. For example, they don't want to pay their share of America's tax bill, but then they're first in line demanding subsidies, grants and other special handouts from America's government to pad their financial bottom line.

That's hilarious hypocrisy -- but it's no laughing matter, since it means you and I have to pay more to cover their tax avoidance, while also seeing our public money siphoned out of the programs that we need into the pockets of corporate elites, who most often use the funds against the public interest.

[n2doc]

1. It would be interesting to subject the execs of these corps to higher tax rates

To see just how far company loyalty goes. Offshore your corporation, fine, you get a 50% income tax rate, and personal capital gains are taxed like ordinary income.

[Enthusiast]

3. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

[WillyT]

4. K & R !!!