REINING IN CORPORATE TAX DODGERS – by Jim Hightower

 The British Virgin Islands – the very name conjures up a Caribbean paradise of soft sand beaches, tropical breezes, and the leisurely island lifestyle. Surprisingly, though, this tiny spot is home to more than 400,000 major corporations! 

Not that you’d find any factories, corporate headquarters, or even employees on the islands. Indeed, all 400,000 companies are located in one gray, two-story building in the town of Tortola. This is where the global giants register incorporation papers for their very special subsidiaries. You see, the place is a tax haven. By registering there, corporations can claim they are based on the islands – even though they do no business there – letting them dodge paying taxes back home. 

This is the kind of scam that President Barack Obama intends to stop. He has recently proposed to close loopholes that allow such giants a Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Citigroup, Pfizer and Procter & Gamble to hide income in order to shirk their tax responsibilities to America. 

Corporate America, whose lobbyists and political lapdogs plugged these loopholes into our tax code, has been frequent fliers to tax havens all over the world. Of the 100 largest U.S. corporations, 83 have created subsidiaries to stash profits abroad, located in such places as the Caribbean, Liechtenstein, the Philippines, Uruguay, and Labuan – wherever that is. 

Citigroup, for example, has created 427 of these tax-avoidance subsidiaries! In the past six years, it has more than quadrupled the amount of profits it tucks into the havens, presently stashing nearly $23 billion there. Of course, this same Citigroup has taken a $45 billion bailout from us taxpayers. 

To support the crackdown on this shameful corporate shell game, contact the Public Interest Research Group at www.uspirg.org.

—————————————————-

This is damned unAmerican. Dodging taxes while taking bailouts. And what about supporting our troops? I’m sure these companies have PR ready showing how they support the war effort, give to charity, etc.  WHY NOT JUST PAY THE TAXES?  ~sekanblogger

Why Do People Add One to Their FaceBook Page?

There was a guy whom I really liked from my General Psych class this semester, who did not get as good a grade as I would have hoped for – who none-the-less added me as a friend to his FaceBook page.

What is the general criteria for this honor [i.e., facebook addition]?

I am middle-aged, and don’t always get these things…

Will George W. add me to his face book page?

I hope not, life is hard enough already…

iggy donnelly

Saturday, 05/23/09 Public Square

If a person is a ‘leftist,’ does that mean they’re controlled by the right or left side of the brain?  How does that work?  Most of the time I think my brain doesn’t know which side to choose from and just gives up!  😉

What’s everyone up to this long weekend?

fnord