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Corporations already pay most of the taxes


Saturday, May 16, 2009 6:46 AM PDT

Taxing the large or small corporations prevents them from expanding and employing more people.

They also pass this expense on to the product, so you are going to be paying more for whatever they produce.

These are the big bad guys — the way the media writes, they should be put out of business. So, who will you work for? No General Mills, no Ford Motor Company, no GMC, no Pacific Bell, no cell phone companies, no Shell Gas Company, no KFC, no PG&E. Where do you think you are going to work? Who will pay for your insurance? Who will give you paid vacations?

Low-income people do not pay any taxes. They get a renters credit, when they pay nothing in taxes.

Ninety percent of the taxes are paid by the bad corporations and the upper income people already. I don't see how they can pay much more without our country becoming a socialist country where the government controls everything, including your mind.

Pauline Meyer
Acampo

Reader Feedback

Rhodie wrote on May 22, 2009 12:37 PM:

" voter wrote " Rhodie, that report was produced by a government agency, the Bush Administration's GAO--are you calling them "anti business demos"???

From my link:

"The report, commissioned by several labor-friendly Democratic Senators who pretty much knew based on previous studies what it would say"

From your (voter's) link:
"according to Democratic Sens. Carl Levin of Michigan and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, who requested the GAO study."

The report was produced at the request of the anti-business demo's during the Bush years. The article cited was a year old (august 2008). "

dyan wrote on May 22, 2009 8:28 AM:

" Cogito: Right on, right on, right on! The "sheeple" are constantly having the wool pulled over their eyes! Just wait until the debt monster comes home to roost. These wooly lambs will still be blaming Bush! "

Cogito wrote on May 18, 2009 4:27 PM:

" Sounds like voter is a fan of the WalMart corporation. "

voter wrote on May 18, 2009 3:10 PM:

" Rhodie, that report was produced by a government agency, the Bush Administration's GAO--are you calling them "anti business demos"???

Rhodie, A LOT of corporations are shifting profits off shore and many others (including several locals) are using tax credits earned for the most ridiculous things to avoid paying taxes on huge incomes. Yes, there will be some that earned no profit for one year, including some formed only as a means to avoid taxation. In a healthy economy with a healthy and fair tax structure, it should not amount to 2/3 of the corporate world.

Many corporations are very good citizens of the American and global economies. They pay their fair share of taxes, contribute to charitable causes, and compensate their employees well. This is the model we need to protect and support. Unfortunately, I think, it has become the exception rather than the rule. "

Rhodie wrote on May 18, 2009 7:22 AM:

" "It's ridiculous to think that two thirds of the corporations in America were operating at a loss in 2005. Get real."

No Voter, I don't think that 2/3 of the corporations rana loss in 2005. But what your report says is that 2/3 didn't pay taxes "for at least one year between 1998 and 2005." In seven years I can believe that many businesses had at least one bad year. Take into account corp. where the individual pays the taxes not the business, non profits and the high number of small corps that go out of business every year then the 2/3 number is easily understandable.

Are there SOME evading taxes, I'm sure. Are 2/3 evading taxes no.

How come left-wing liberal sites are accaptable to you as truthful but rightwing are not? The report was sponsored by anti-business demos so what do you think the report was going to say? It could have found business were growing all over and the sponsors would have declared that corporations were eliminating the possibilities of competition. "

danielh wrote on May 18, 2009 12:38 AM:

" Cogito: I saw something pretty good from you just a couple days ago, also. "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 9:44 PM:

" Sounds like a lot when trumpeted on the MSM; while 10% of 60,000 is "only" 6,000 but I can guarantee that the piddly 6,000 hurts this person a lot more than the 1,000,000 hurts the mega corporations.

The mega wealthy had their day in the sun with Reagan's "trickle down" economics and look at the mess we're in now.

Still say Ron Paul had it right:

Tax NO ONE - that includes rich and poor alike. "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 9:43 PM:

" Cogito wrote: "How can Obama stand there with a straight face saying he's going after tax cheats, and then puts one in charge. What a joke!"

Have to agree with you on that one. LOL! I can't remember them all; but there were more tax scofflaws than the two you listed...it was getting to the point that anyone nominated was nixed due to "tax issues"

Regarding who pays what....basically, it's all relative. This isn't exact, just an example:

10% of 10,000,000 is 1,000,000 "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 9:00 PM:

" As far as evading taxes goes voter, you don't have to go any farther than Obama's nominee for HHS, Tom Daschle, or his current Treasury Secretary, Timmy Geithner. How can Obama stand there with a straight face saying he's going after tax cheats, and then puts one in charge. What a joke! "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 8:53 PM:

" In 2008, corporations paid 275 billion in income taxes. That's a little over 10% of federal revenues for that year. If you factor in all the personal income taxes paid by their employees, plus SS taxes, excise taxes, import taxes, and myriad other federal, state, and local taxes, it winds up being a huge chunk. Whether or not it makes up more than half is up for debate, but I'm not interested in doing the research. The left likes to paint corporate America as evil, but Democrat politicians are as far in their pockets as Republicans. At least Republicans have the smarts enough to not bite the hand that feeds them, and us for that matter. "

voter wrote on May 17, 2009 8:41 PM:

" Rhodie, Real Clear Markets is a pro-corporate right wing web site. I'm sticking with the GAO report. You can't possibly believe that no corporations are evading taxes by shifting profits off shore or that tax credits are only awarded for losses. It's ridiculous to think that two thirds of the corporations in America were operating at a loss in 2005. Get real. "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 8:27 PM:

" Wtf, Bechtel is a privately held corporation, and one of the largest in the world. So is Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Koch Industries, and Ernst&Young. According to Forbes, there are 394 privately held companies who generate over 1 Billion in annual revenues. Incorporation is available to the smallest of businesses, not just the largest. Being publicly held and traded is mainly for outside revenue generation. Some corporations just don't need outside money, or want the ability of the general public to look into their books. But the IRS still can. My fathers business was an "S corporation". One of the owners of the property we looked into was a Lawyer, he set up ownership under a corporate umbrella. We didn't buy in (Truckee, too far away), so I don't remember the fine details. All I know, is that it kept the property taxes from being assessed after every sale of a partnership. But, property taxes were not deductible as a result. As best I remember, but I'm 50! "

Rhodie wrote on May 17, 2009 8:09 PM:

" From Voter's Article:

"The Government Accountability Office said 72 percent of all foreign corporations and about 57 percent of U.S. companies doing business in the United States paid no federal income taxes for at least one year between 1998 and 2005."

If you read the actual report those most of those coprporations who did not pay taxes had tax credits due them for loses posted the previous year, small mom and pop Corps. who, while the corporation didn't pay taxes the owners did through the legally established Corporation tax laws. Also Not-for profits are included in the study.

A counter argument to the corporations pay no taxes is found at http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2008/08/do_corporations_really_pay_no.html "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 8:01 PM:

" What you list in your example of "corporations" Cogito, aren't corporations for the purposes of which we're all writing.

It seems like the corporations you're referring to are tax loopholes for ***personal*** income tax; not to mention they sound like "private" corporations rather than the "public" corporations we've been discussing.

BIG difference. "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 5:45 PM:

" Cogito, you sure these were corporations (as we're speaking of in the blogs) and not LLCs (Limited Liability Companies or Partnerships)?

Regardless, it must be pointed out that nowhere are corporations mentioned in The Constitution of the United States of America; so I have to wonder if "corporations" since they're treated as "persons" are even technically legal.

Good article here:

http://lastfreevoice.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/the-corporate-person/ "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 3:59 PM:

" cont...The next example was a vacation property my wife and I considered buying into. It was a property with 4 shareholders. When you sold, you sold your 25% interest in the corporation that owned the property. The corporation also happened to be the owners. What this corporate umbrella offered was personal liability limitations, and ease of transfer of partial ownership. All the rules of ownership were written into the bylaws of the corporation, which would be agreed to upon purchase of your share. This corporation made no profits, therefore paid no corporate taxes. So when someone throws out a number like "2/3rds of all corporations don't pay taxes", they're either ignorant as to what a corporation may entail, or they're using statistics to vilify something for an invalid reason. Because the other 1/3 of the completion of their statistical example could be EXXON, who paid 30 billion in taxes in 2007. The criteria has been met. "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 3:47 PM:

" OK, So I'm here to explain the tale of "2/3 corporations". I used to be on the board of directors of a small corporation. That corporation was owned by my father and 2 of his friends. They had a total of 3 employees, that was themselves. All profits were divided up between the partners. There was no corporate profit at the end of the year. All monies paid out were taxed as personal income. So they were a "corporation" who paid no taxes. They incorporated for liability reasons, not to save on taxes. "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 3:36 PM:

" Leonard, other governments see no difference between protective tariffs and leveling the playing field. They only look at as the cost their countries businesses incur in order to do business with us. They usually react in kind. "

Ivan Dixon wrote on May 17, 2009 2:01 PM:

" Estonia is the Uruguay of Europe. "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 12:19 PM:

" No surprise here....like I said: Take the money and run; just what the GM execs are doing.

GM shares fall to 76-year low after execs dump stock

http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Find-Freedom.htm?At=0056895&From=News "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 11:29 AM:

" Leonard said, "An ironic charge from a supporter of the Estonian Ron Paul."

Why, thank you, Leonard. What a nice compliment!

Estonia regained its independence on 20 August 1991. It has since embarked on a rapid program of social and economic reform. Today, the country has gained recognition for its economic freedom, its adaptation of new technologies and it used to be one of the world's fastest growing economies for several years. "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 11:24 AM:

" "Recently we discovered that $101.4 billion was originally secretly funneled through AIG to AIG counterparties - parties that were owed these sums by AIG, which had not collateralized derivative contracts. That is like writing insurance and having no collateral reserves set aside for losing events. The Federal Reserve in their wisdom paid off AIG’s debt with what eventually will be taxpayer debt. This is wrong and it should not have been done secretly. When demanded by a Federal Judge to reveal to whom these monies were paid and under what circumstances, the Fed said it would harm their reputations and it was a “state secret”...Legislation should be passed to abolish the Fed and that the OMB, the Office of Management and Budget liquidate Fed assets to insure a quick transfer of their functions to the Treasury."

http://www.theinternationalforecaster.com/International_Forecaster_Weekly/Get_Rid_of_The_Fed_And_Purge_The_System "

Leonard wrote on May 17, 2009 11:23 AM:

" Cog, there is a great difference between instituting protective tariffs and mandating that foreign companies be subject to the same playing field as American companies. "

Leonard wrote on May 17, 2009 11:13 AM:

" wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 11:02 AM:

And now he’s hoping to get help from a President(MADE IN KENYA)


An ironic charge from a supporter of the Estonian Ron Paul. "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 11:02 AM:

" At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day, Checking his computer
(MADE IN MALASIA) John decided to relax for awhile.

He put on his sandals, (MADE IN BRAZIL)

poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE)

and turned on his T.V.(MADE IN INDONESIA)

And then wondered why he can’t find a good job in AMERICA.

And now he’s hoping to get help from a President(MADE IN KENYA) "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 11:02 AM:

" What some on the blog are referring to is the outdated idea of Reagan's "trickle down" economics...which we already know does not work. This is closer to the reality.

John Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 A.M.

While his coffeepot(MADE IN CHINA) was perking,

he shaved with his Electric Razor(MADE IN HONG KONG)

He put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA), and designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE)and Tennis Shoes (MADE IN KOREA)

After cooking breakfast in his new electric skillet(MADE IN INDIA)

He sat down with his calculator(MADE IN MEXICO)

to see how much he could spend that day.

After setting his watch(MADE IN TAIWAN)

to the radio(MADE IN INDIA)

He got into his car(MADE IN GERMANY)

Filled it with gas(FROM SAUDI ARABIA)

And continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB

(cont) "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 10:59 AM:

" Good posts WTF, I'm going to a birthday party now, but when get back, I'll give you 2 examples of Corporations that I've been involved with who pay no taxes. You be the judge if they are bad apples. "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 10:40 AM:

" GREAT link, voter! Put it in my file. ;0 "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 10:39 AM:

" Talk about taking the money and running...

"The letters sent by GM didn't say the company would be declaring bankruptcy, but the move indicates it probably will be the end of the month...."

http://www.reuters.com/article/bigMoney/idUS197637279320090516 "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 10:37 AM:

" Here you go, Cogito; and this, by the way, was very prophetic:

American tax payers to bail out GM's Brazil Operations.

Nov 28, 2008

Why does this not surprise me? The American tax payer is being asked to bail out the American Auto makers just so they can beef up their plants in other countries. And you know what? Our Congressmen are going to give them the money! Then of course since the money will be spent outside of Detroit the Big 3 will have to come back to Washington with their hand out saying they need more money to keep the plants in Detroit open and save American jobs.

http://greensboring.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=9513

GM gets more bailout money

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/business&id=6778752 "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 10:27 AM:

" Voter, do you think a corporation, like GM, should pay taxes when they have billions in losses? Because they're one of the corporations your referring to. Corporations pay 35% taxes on any profits over $358,000. That's the law. Corporations, like S corporations, are allowed to adjust compensation to avoid double taxation. The majority of corporations in the US are very small. It's just not intellectually honest to lump them similarly with EXXON. "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 10:24 AM:

" Regarding subsidies and corporate welfare, look here.

The $150 billion for corporate subsidies and tax benefits eclipses the annual budget deficit of $130 billion...After World War II, the nation's tax bill was roughly split between corporations and individuals. But after years of changes in the federal tax code and international economy, the corporate share of taxes has declined to a fourth the amount individuals pay, according to the US Office of Management and Budget." --Boston Globe series on Corporate Welfare"

http://www.corporations.org/welfare/

http://www.corporations.org/welfare/#globe

And prices rise because corporations have to pay taxes? Maybe a little bit; but overall, we **all** pay higher prices due to inflation.

"A so-called "mild" rate of inflation of 3% per year leads to a 56% rise in prices over a 15-year period. Even a "low" rate of inflation of 2% per year leads to a 35% rise over that same period. How is that conducive to long-term growth?"

http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/15/audit-the-fed-opinions-contributors-ron-paul.html "

wtf wrote on May 17, 2009 10:23 AM:

" Some interesting posts since yesterday; but they don't quite seem to hit the mark. Cogito said, "History has shown that slapping a tariff on goods brought in from other countries usually results on a tariff slapped on our goods going there."

OK. But what if they're an **American** corporation outsourcing for cheap labor? Would the tariff apply? American workers don't get the jobs, the corporations pay starvation wages to third-worlders; but aren't these businesses considered "American"? "

voter wrote on May 17, 2009 10:15 AM:

" http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1249465620080812 "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 9:48 AM:

" ( sorry I hit the wrong button) And how much was paid in corporate taxes by those companies who employ the UAW? My guess is zero. So Obama is writing them a big fat check to protect union jobs. That's where your gripe should be. "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 9:44 AM:

" In 2007 the EXXON Corporation paid 30 billion in corporate income taxes. That's Billion with a B. That's just one corporation. That's a lot of taxes. Isn't that one of those businesses supposedly shown favor by Bush and Co.? And how muc "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 9:36 AM:

" By the way, since all monies paid out by corporations in salaries are taxed. I would like to see perks like company cars taxed for personal use, Jets taxed for personal use, corporate owned retreats taxed, etc., then all other taxes eliminated. A small percentage of corporate taxation results in huge revenue due to the huge profits they make. "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 9:28 AM:

" Oh and Ken H, G.W.Bush isn't president anymore. In 8 years we didn't come anywhere close to being "Communist", if you have even the slightest idea of what your talking about. "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 9:25 AM:

" Yes Voter, I want what Rhodie wants. And comparing S Corporations to GM doesn't count. Try comparing apples to apples Ms. scientist. "

Cogito wrote on May 17, 2009 9:23 AM:

" Leonard, a tax on imports is known as a tariff. History has shown that slapping a tariff on goods brought in from other countries usually results on a tariff slapped on our goods going there. "Libertarian economic theories hold that tariffs are a harmful interference with the individual freedom and laws of the free market" according to Wiki. Government interference in markets is rarely a positive for the consumer and the economy. To do what other governments do, would be to subsidize American business abroad to make our goods cheaper in their markets. France does it with their wines. Creating a market for our goods abroad produces jobs, and jobs are taxpaying citizens. "

Rhodie wrote on May 17, 2009 9:13 AM:

" Voter, please cite the report that supports your claim of 2/3 corporations pay not taxes. "

Mazie wrote on May 17, 2009 7:58 AM:

" Lodian: the Messiah? You have got to be kidding. He would not make a pimple on the real Messiah's you know what LOL. But if he was a pimple, we could squeeze him and be done with it. "

Leonard wrote on May 17, 2009 6:59 AM:

" Cogito wrote on May 16, 2009 7:44 PM:
" Leonard, "before we turn to their corporate competitors", exactly. And those competitors are highly likely to be foreign.


Call me crazy, but why not extend the tax that American companies pay to do business in America to all companies that do business in America? As Voter pointed out, their are many companies in America that pay no corporate tax.

Why not level the playing field, so to speak. "

KenH wrote on May 17, 2009 5:54 AM:

" I'll simplify since I'm feeling ornery...I'd rather live in Obama's socialist country than in G.W. Bush's communist country. "

KenH wrote on May 17, 2009 5:52 AM:

" Pauline Meyer my dear, Mr. Schwarzenegger got rid of the renters rebate program this past year, the "low-income" people didn't get *expletive* from the state this year. At times, the renters rebate came in very handy for the low-income citizens of California, especially when it comes to keeping a City of Lodi bill caught up. "

Lodian wrote on May 16, 2009 9:19 PM:

" Mazie wrote "Obama is turning our country into a socialist country. I still say he is the anti christ."

Mazie: I thought you said Obama is the messiah. Make up your mind. "

Cogito wrote on May 16, 2009 7:44 PM:

" Leonard, "before we turn to their corporate competitors", exactly. And those competitors are highly likely to be foreign. Putting American taxpayers out of work, and making them government unemployment recipients. Is it making any sense yet? "

Leonard wrote on May 16, 2009 7:23 PM:

" Mazie wrote on May 16, 2009 9:33 AM:

" Leave Pauline alone. She is correct.


This from a woman who thinks that Obama is literally Satan.

Mazie, the forum for the mentally ill is over at Fox News. "

Leonard wrote on May 16, 2009 7:21 PM:

" Cogito wrote on May 16, 2009 8:01 AM:
" Leonard, if the government raises taxes on Microsoft, or any other corporation, they pass the increases on to the consumer, so we pay it.


Prices are determined by what the market will bear. Microshaft can only charge so much before people turn to their corporate competitors or (shudder), LINUX. "

Cogito wrote on May 16, 2009 6:38 PM:

" By the way Daniel, the conciseness of your post says it all, you nailed it. "

Cogito wrote on May 16, 2009 6:33 PM:

" The only way for a corporation to "pay no taxes" would be for it to make no profits. Any deductions from profits were given to them by the government. If we raise the cost for a corporation to do business, they pass the cost on to the consumer. All salaries paid to individuals, are taxed after deductions. Corporate expenditures, like paying lobbyists to schmooze politicians, are tax deductible. All political contributions, like the 6 figure contribution given to Obama by AIG, are tax deductible. (but you must admit, it payed off quite well). If corporations cannot sell their products at a competitive price point, they go out of business and jobs are lost, along with the taxes those workers and executives pay. Money given to government is the Achilles heel of commerce. Many European companies are actually subsidized by their governments to compete in the American marketplace. How are our corporations to compete with that if we raise their taxes? "

danielh wrote on May 16, 2009 12:47 PM:

" corporations don't pay taxes. Consumers do.

In a corporation, taxes are estimated and figured right into the expense column. "

wtf wrote on May 16, 2009 10:00 AM:

" Ron Paul wanted to eliminate taxes for EVERYONE...but no-o-o-o, the "usual suspects" like it just the way it is: YOU pay for THEM!

Subsidies = Corporate Welfare.

Result? Taxes: 0 "

wtf wrote on May 16, 2009 9:58 AM:

" Excellent post at 9:14 AM, voter; but you forgot to add the subsidies corporations get that come from the middle class taxes as well. Talk about win/win for corporations! They get the subsidies and, recently, bailouts, paid for by middle class taxpayers for "help" pay their tax "burden" plus they raise prices to consumers to help cover this alleged cost. Saying corporations and the rich pay the highest tax burden is more MSM BS. Everything is relative...sure tax on several million dollars is going to be higher than on 50,000...duh! "

Mazie wrote on May 16, 2009 9:33 AM:

" Leave Pauline alone. She is correct. Obama is turning our country into a socialist country. I still say he is the anti christ. We are going to lose all our freedoms while he is in office, wait and see. He can't even fix his hair and he is trying to fix our country? They need to cut illegals off all free services, think how much money that would save. Then for the jobs that they say Americans won't do, get the welfare recipients out there to do that work. That would be a win/win situation. Secure the borders and keep illegals out for good. "

voter wrote on May 16, 2009 9:14 AM:

" According to the GAO, two thirds of American corporations pay NO taxes and 68% of foreign companies doing business here don't either. These companies collectively recorded TRILLIONS in profits. Stop spewing sound bites from right wing news, Pauline. Do some research first. "

yeah you wrote on May 16, 2009 9:03 AM:

" Glad to see Pauline woke up from her 50 year coma. Corporate taxes in the US are at historic lows. There is no Pacific Bell. I will give her credit for her excellent parroting skills. "

Cogito wrote on May 16, 2009 8:01 AM:

" Leonard, if the government raises taxes on Microsoft, or any other corporation, they pass the increases on to the consumer, so we pay it. If some people stop buying their products due to the higher costs, people lose jobs. It's a lose-lose situation. "

Cogito wrote on May 16, 2009 7:57 AM:

" Leonard, the recovery of our economy hinges on consumer spending. Consumer spending is where the jobs are created. Pelosi is about to announce a new health plan. Part of that plan will be a new tax on health benefits as income. I don't know about your house, but that will be about a $200 per month new tax at our house. How will we increase spending if we're giving it to the government in taxes? Obama promised lower taxes for me, but I knew he was lying. "

Leonard wrote on May 16, 2009 6:21 AM:

" I wonder Pauline, how much more would you be willing to pay in order to decrease the tax burden of Microsoft? "

Leonard wrote on May 16, 2009 6:18 AM:

" Sure, we could eliminate tax credits for the poor but that wouldn't make much of a difference in the tax rate for corporations like Halliburton or individuals like Charles Prince.

To truly lower their tax rate we would have to institute a plan that would include some of the following. Slashing defense spending, converting all federal roads including freeways to toll roads, slashing funding for veterans, closing national parks, eliminating federal disaster relief and greatly raising the taxes on Pauline Meyer.

These cuts would still be necessary even after you had eliminated entirely the pet peeves of the far rights such as NPR, the NEA and pre school for poor kids since these programs only make up a tiny portion of discretionary federal spending. "

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