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Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

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Re: Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

#91

Post by TeMPOraL »

DoingIsLearning wrote: post #70
magicalist wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's not moral behavior. Getting a second citizenship?

FYI not just any citizenship. On top of the obvious tax benefits in Cyprus, the country is also member state of the EU since 2004. That means 'Citizenship of the European Union', that includes the ability to travel to anywhere in the EU (visa free), the Ability to reside anywhere in the EU, hell Schmidt could even run for public office in any EU local governments municipal elections if he so wishes.

> hell Schmidt could even run for public office in any EU local governments municipal elections if he so wishes.

Here's an idea for a short story: Schmidt does indeed wish so; he becomes a politician in the EU and places himself in a position that allows him to make the EU a much more friendly place for the adtech industry and surveillance capitalism.

Re: Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

#92

Post by ryanlol »

esarbe wrote: post #86
FDSGSG wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This feels like suggesting that it's immoral to buy a car because someone else might not be able to. >People like Schmidt purchase themselves [...] freedom of movement This is not immoral. >where ordinary people [...] are locked into their country This is

No. Buying a car is not necessarily parasitic behavior. Bailing on your taxes is.

It is not possible for Eric Schmidt to bail on his taxes by doing this.

Re: Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

#94

Post by threatofrain »

Barrin92 wrote: post #34
magicalist wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's not moral behavior. Getting a second citizenship?

Buying one. Citizenship is something that ought to be earned and given to people who show that they want to live in and contribute to a country. People like Schmidt purchase themselves a tax excemption or freedom of movement in a world where ordinary people right now lose their jobs and are locked into their country.

Why ought citizenship be earned? A nation may structure it’s politics however it wishes...

Re: Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

#95

Post by JAlexoid »

freehunter wrote: post #20
cblconfederate wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do people think this is a "bad thing"? It's no different than buying an expensive home anywhere in the world, except it comes with a citizenship. I doubt he can use the favorable taxation - he would have to renounce his US citizenship for that.

When a billionaire makes a move like this (getting citizenship in another country) it’s often criticized as an “escape plan”, or somewhere to run if any number of bad things happen to or in the USA. It’s viewed a little differently from most other ex-pats because these are the people who have the money and power to dramatically influence the government, so if they’re running from something here in the US, it’s either…

Ahem... He "owned YouTube"? That's a "bit of an exaggeration".

As an anarchist - most people love the state and love giving it power, rich people just use the power that the masses so eagerly give away.

If you want to know where the power of the SV billionaires comes from, just look in the mirror. Nothing, other than our compliance, makes them that powerful and wealthy.

Re: Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

#96

Post by Teknoman117 »

Can he even get a second citizenship? As far as I was aware (as a US citizen myself), the US doesn't allow you become a citizen of another country without renouncing your US citizenship except in the very specific dual-citizenship scenarios regarding birth or familial ties.

I know under the Obama administration the federal government had turned a blind eye to people not renouncing a prior citizenship when becoming a naturalized US citizen, but I'm curious about the reverse.

They were not too kind to Eduardo Saverin. (The Facebook cofounder who had to fight zuckerberg over diluted shares, when the case was resolved in his favor he took the money and ran to Singapore and renounced his US citizenship).

Re: Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

#97

Post by aaronbrethorst »

slg wrote: post #64
aaronbrethorst wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oppo dumps are a highly effective way to blow up someone's appointment in a new administration.

He is up for the head of a taskforce and not a cabinet position. That means this is neither a particularly powerful position or one that will require any congressional or other approval. I doubt there is any real political motivation to leak this info. If this was leaked nefariously, my money would be on the motivation being personal.

If this was leaked nefariously, my money would be on the motivation being personal.

Yep, me too. If there is any truth to some of the gossip out there about his personal life, that would explain both the source and motivation for blowing this up for him.

Re: Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

#99

Post by throwaways885 »

esarbe wrote: post #76
dheera wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> that has taken all the advantage of all the benefits a developed industrial country has to offer a. He has also given a lot more back to the said country. than he has taken from it, IMO. Imagine what life would be like without Google. b. Google is a global company, not just a US company c. I don't believe in the notion of nations or citizenship and don't blame him if he doesn't either and is switching citizenships…

You mean, you consider the creation of abusive monopolist as something positive? Interesting point of view!

Absolutely, Google has added to this world, not taken away from it. Being a potentially abusive company is a completely different matter, but it doesn't automatically invalidate the good things and I still consider it better off existing than not.

In any case, with Trump gone nobody will be around to fight Google if that's your desire.

Re: Eric Schmidt has applied to become a citizen of Cyprus

#100

Post by secretasiandan »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #6

I don't blame him for taking advantage of the system. What I blame him for is all of his supposed altruistic bloviating. No different than a Russian oligarch.

Honest question: what is the difference between taking advantage of the system and taking advantage of the people that comprise the system?
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