Senate Democrats just introduced the "No Federal Contracts for Corporate Deserters Act"

[Savannahmann]

21. But now you see the questions I have.

Companies are relocating, buying smaller competitors in foreign countries, to get a tax cut. Now, on the surface, this seems like a good business move. They still have American operations, and American plants, and employ American workers. Fine and dandy and all of that. But what I can't figure out is why we aren't learning from those countries that are getting our companies?

Instead of punishing companies that are doing this, why is it we can't learn from Britain and the other nations that are doing this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025244691

That company relocated to the Netherlands. Another "socialist" European country. I put Socialist in quotes because that is what the RW is usually saying about European benefits and all that for the people. So we're not talking about companies moving to the Third World to make profit on the sweat shops of the desperately poor in Malaysia or the political refugees of China. We're talking about companies moving to foreign countries, but countries that have for decades had much higher taxes than we did. In fact, we have heard arguments that if we tried to provide the services that Europe does for their citizens we would have to raise taxes too much. I'm not saying those arguments are true, I'm just saying that something is going on here, and it takes a lot more to get it than some asinine bill that addresses the surface.

Britain has a Navy, including carriers, small ones to be sure, but carriers with airplanes. OK, not with airplanes right now because the F-35 isn't flying anywhere. They have submarines, nuclear missile submarines and attack boats. They have an army, some of the best Paratroopers in the world. A very active manufacturing base. This is just the things that have wheels that have some of all of their components made in the UK.

OK, they have a Royal Family. Two boys, William and Harry, both served in the Armed Forces, and both risked their lives to serve their nation. How many political kids do that in the US?

But seriously for a moment. How can Europe be attracting our Companies, providing social services that we only dream of here. I point out that when our Political Leaders talk about those social programs, the second paragraph always includes more taxes, when we are apparently taxing more than the civilized nations that do provide those services. WTF?

I'm honestly torn here. Because I want to be the beacon to the rest of the world, but there are so many fleeing. Two drug companies in one week, and God knows how many others are doing the same thing. Looking at our Military, I feel like it's the 1980's. Just how much high tech crap do we need? In the 1980's the question was how many times do we have to be able to destroy all life on earth? How many times over do we need the capability to wipe out the population? Now, it's how much stealthy techno crap do the soldiers and spies need? How many billion dollar data centers can the NSA reasonably need?

Something is seriously wrong and the companies flying the coop to head for greener pastures (please forgive the mixing of metaphors) are the warning signal. If you will forgive another metaphor, they are the canary in the coal mine. I think the very first thing we need to do is examine our spending priorities, and figure out what is really needed. Not what the various alphabet soup agencies claim is absolutely required to have any semblance of security, but required.

I remember watching another episode of that show, Top Gear. They were driving from Florida to New Orleans a couple years after Katrina. They were shocked that the richest country on earth hadn't fixed the damage yet. The repairs had barely begun. The deal was they were supposed to sell the cars for what they could get for them. Instead, these Brits gave the cars away to needy families. I was ashamed to be American watching that.

I am not saying we should be England. Far from it, I like the idea of a Bill of Rights, I just wish it was more absolute than it is.

We spend tons of money, and get nothing for it but a more intrusive Government. We spend trillions of dollars, and what do we get for it? Tons of money poured into asinine projects and agencies that do little but violate our Constitution. The CIA is admitting to spying on Congress in an effort to manipulate the investigation. Some are calling on the CIA director to be fired. Really? Why not throw those who participated in the illegal spying in jail? Why haven't we named those who were involved and let the Press have at them? Oh well, the people in the trenches are somehow sacred and shall not be mocked or otherwise belittled.

I am very uncomfortable with what is going on. Everything I believed to be right all my life, is apparently wrong. The people responsible aren't. The figureheads fall on their swords, every now and then. But those who ordered the break in are not punished. Those who carried out the illegal activity are never held accountable. Fire the director is the battlecry. But does that change the nature of the agency? Does that punish those who did it? Someone ordered it, and someone carried it out. Why aren't they paying?

I know, I rambled a bit here, and I apologize. I'm just kind of free forming today. Letting my thoughts wander and they are headed in disturbing directions as you can tell. I know I am deeply disturbed that we somehow collect more in taxes from businesses but can't seem to offer half the services that Britain does for it's citizens.

I don't understand the need to spend trillions of dollars on "stealth" planes that can't do as much as the planes they are supposed to replace. I don't understand the need for all of the Defense Spending that is apparently making the socialist leaning countries with the historically high taxes look attractive as tax havens. I mean, these companies are not dashing to the Cayman Islands here. They're going to Europe.