Google is clearly in the right here, unless somebody can actually point out a law they're breaking. Simplifying a lot, Google have 2 responsibilities here: Pay at least the amount of tax they owe, maximise stuff shareholders care about. It doesn't take much to work out the optimal solution to them two problems is to pay exactly the minimum amount of tax possible.
Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
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Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#12Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#13Lets see, politicians have created a system so complex they themselves cannot understand it. Then they act upset that someone else has to that others advantage and attempt to vilify them instead of acknowledging that the system is too complex.
Sounds about right. You would think that they would instead focus on making a system even they could understand.
Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#14Google is clearly in the right here, unless somebody can actually point out a law they're breaking. Simplifying a lot, Google have 2 responsibilities here: Pay at least the amount of tax they owe, maximise stuff shareholders care about. It doesn't take much to work out the optimal solution to them two problems is to pay exactly the minimum amount of tax possible.
Seriously, what's up with politicians recently, both in Europe and here in the States, hammering at successful companies for trying to minimize their tax liability? I specifically avoided saying "leftist" politicians because even the right is guilty (I'm looking particularly at that sniveling fool John McCain).
Expect the law to change, creating an even more complicated tax structure and destroying even more economic value while providing zero benefit to common citizens.
We should be looking in the opposite direction. Do away with large swaths of the tax code and ask less of the companies that support the global economy. Especially now that apparently the organizations that extract those taxes (specifically the IRS) have become political tools to harass those people whose politics our "leaders" disagree with.
Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#15Is "Don't be evil" just a joke or was it actually the motto of Google?
Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#16Google is clearly in the right here, unless somebody can actually point out a law they're breaking. Simplifying a lot, Google have 2 responsibilities here: Pay at least the amount of tax they owe, maximise stuff shareholders care about. It doesn't take much to work out the optimal solution to them two problems is to pay exactly the minimum amount of tax possible.
Seriously, what's up with politicians recently, both in Europe and here in the States, hammering at successful companies for trying to minimize their tax liability? I specifically avoided saying "leftist" politicians because even the right is guilty (I'm looking particularly at that sniveling fool John McCain). Expect the law to change, creating an even more complicated tax structure and destroying even more economic…
I agree with you about simplifying the tax code, but do not agree about reducing the tax-liability. Since these corporations benefit from society just like private individuals do, they should contribute to society (in the form of taxes) in kind.
Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#17Lets see, politicians have created a system so complex they themselves cannot understand it. Then they act upset that someone else has to that others advantage and attempt to vilify them instead of acknowledging that the system is too complex. Sounds about right. You would think that they would instead focus on making a system even they could understand.
Actually, if you look at the video from the Senate hearing, some of the senators are clearly fawning over, and pandering to, Tim Cook.
It's disgusting.
Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#18I think politicians are just upset that those tax law loopholes that were supposed to be just for their friends are now being exploited by those upstart interweb companies like "the google".
Our supporters paid good money for those exclusive exemptions, dammit. This is just making us look bad...
Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
Seriously, what's up with politicians recently, both in Europe and here in the States, hammering at successful companies for trying to minimize their tax liability? I specifically avoided saying "leftist" politicians because even the right is guilty (I'm looking particularly at that sniveling fool John McCain). Expect the law to change, creating an even more complicated tax structure and destroying even more economic…
I agree with you about simplifying the tax code, but do not agree about reducing the tax-liability. Since these corporations benefit from society just like private individuals do, they should contribute to society (in the form of taxes) in kind.
Why not reduce the tax liability as well for people like you and me then? It would be one thing if governments could be trusted to spend the money wisely, but so far as I've seen (other than obvious exceptions such as emergency services and libraries) that's rarely the case.
Re: Google Boss: We Follow The Law On Tax
#20If my accountant paid a penny more taxes than I owed I would fire them. That politicians are attacking successful companies for trying to pay as little in taxes as possible is offensive and embarrassing. If you're unhappy with the law then change it. Otherwise shut the hell up and stop wasting the tax money you're complaining about.
Now now, be fair. There IS a difference between "paying only the taxes that I am required to pay" and setting up a Double Irish with a Dutch Sandwich.
One is investing resources to minimize failure ("I want to make sure we don't pay more than we need to pay"), which I completely agree with - if your accountant fails to do that, it's not a good accountant. But the other is a proactive investment of even more money to pay even less taxes ("I want to pay even less than what would be normal by the intent of the tax law").