4 ms·

To play devil's advocate: > Just force corporations to pay proper taxes, Considering that the USA is one of the few countries that taxes on overseas profits,

by ori_b 11y ago

To play devil's advocate: > Just force corporations to pay proper taxes, Considering that the USA is one of the few countries that taxes on overseas profits, and has a higher rate of tax than many countries, what exactly are 'proper taxes'? And considering that many countries have eliminated or reduced the cost of university without raising taxes excessively, why is it impossible to do the same in the USA?

coldtea 11y ago
Not to mention that $60 billion sounds like a small part of the military budget, which is already 4-10 times the size of the next country, and mostly used to abuse other places instead of defense.
- jedrek 11y ago
  The main roles of the US Armed Forces are currently the support of US business interests abroad, corporate subsidies for contractors and as a government jobs program.
cpursley 11y ago
Exactly. The Corporations™ don't pay taxes; their customers do. Plenty of lower-tax nations are able to provide free or nearly free university, healthcare and other benefits. It's not a collection problem; it's a spending one.
dragonwriter 11y ago
> Considering that the USA is one of the few countries that taxes on overseas profits, and has a higher rate of tax than many countries, what exactly are 'proper taxes'? The higher nominal corporate tax rate is misleading because of the structure of credits, deductions, etc.; the US collects a low level of corporate taxes compared to other developed countries (e.g., significantly below the OECD average.)
littletimmy 11y ago
US corporations should pay a global tax even if corporations abroad don't. That is because US corporations operate in a more beneficial corporate climate. In what other country does the government fight so hard for its corporations' profits that it imposes treaties like the TPP on other countries? In what other civilized country can a corporation operate without giving workers vacation, or even a maternity leave? Only the US! That level of government support and exploitation allowance should have a global tax because it is unique in the civilized world.

by ori_b 11y ago

coldtea 11y ago

Not to mention that $60 billion sounds like a small part of the military budget, which is already 4-10 times the size of the next country, and mostly used to abuse other places instead of defense.

jedrek 11y ago
The main roles of the US Armed Forces are currently the support of US business interests abroad, corporate subsidies for contractors and as a government jobs program.

cpursley 11y ago

Exactly. The Corporations™ don't pay taxes; their customers do. Plenty of lower-tax nations are able to provide free or nearly free university, healthcare and other benefits. It's not a collection problem; it's a spending one.

dragonwriter 11y ago

> Considering that the USA is one of the few countries that taxes on overseas profits, and has a higher rate of tax than many countries, what exactly are 'proper taxes'? The higher nominal corporate tax rate is misleading because of the structure of credits, deductions, etc.; the US collects a low level of corporate taxes compared to other developed countries (e.g., significantly below the OECD average.)

littletimmy 11y ago

US corporations should pay a global tax even if corporations abroad don't. That is because US corporations operate in a more beneficial corporate climate. In what other country does the government fight so hard for its corporations' profits that it imposes treaties like the TPP on other countries? In what other civilized country can a corporation operate without giving workers vacation, or even a maternity leave? Only the US! That level of government support and exploitation allowance should have a global tax because it is unique in the civilized world.