abriden

tallest skil said:

abriden said:

Amazing, not a single comment that actually condemns Apple for its morally reprehensible approach to taxation.

Let me offer you my definition of “social justice”: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well, then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you and why. I’ll wait.

The legalities may be contentious

So fix the law. That’s all that matters here.

Apple are not paying enough tax

You have absolutely no right or ability to say that.

so they do not have the moral high-ground here

“Paying more tax” ≠ moral. Holy fucking shit.

think how many more teachers, hospital beds, police and firemen, carers, etc your country could afford if these organisations paid their way properly and honestly.

You have no idea where taxes go or why. You have no idea how the global economy works and what is responsible for the complete destruction of the value of a dollar. This is why you are a communist.

xbit said:

Yes, we do. The last European elections were held in 2014.

Yes, apologies; I didn’t want to drag things too far off the topic. You don’t vote for your representation or your laws. The European Commission is unelected and unmonitored, making all the laws. The Parliament simply votes on the laws (if you can call blind acceptance ‘voting’). You do vote for the Parliament.

abriden said:

unspecified fees that are completely unsubstantiated.

This is what modern taxes are. How about you stop whining about wealth redistribution (marxism) and campaign for taxation equality and economic reorganization instead? You know, something that would actually fix the problems you have.

foregoneconclusion said:

Look at China. They didn't tax cut their way to growth.

Correct; genocide isn’t taxation.

 They committed gigantic amounts of money to infrastructure spending for multiple decades.

And when that motherfucker of a bubble comes crashing down (just like the ghost cities and their buildings made of sand, garbage, and styrofoam made during this bubble), every surviving nation will pass a law that prevents such a thing from ever being implemented again under penalty of death. If your goal is a short period of unsustainable success, laud China!

Infrastructure spending delivers far more bang for the buck than tax cuts.

Is this statement based on your understanding of, say, the New Deal, or of some other event somewhere else that actually gives evidence to that point?

abriden said:

I’m not a socialist. …there’s no end to the potential good that could be done if everyone paid tax on the basis of moral obligation…

Ah, enforcing, at gunpoint, your own brand of morality–based on moral relativism–for the purpose of funding a government. Socialism, in other words. Heteronomous culture.

Blunt said:

Apple, Google and other compagnies need to step up. In the Netherlands for example Google made a construction which allowed them to pay millions of dollars less with no benifit for our country at all. Apple is using similar methods which is a shame.

Yeah, it sure is Apple’s fault that THE NETHERLANDS has a law which allows someone to do something. Fuck’s sake…

mike1 said:

abriden said:

Amazing, not a single comment that actually condemns Apple for its morally reprehensible approach to taxation. The legalities may be contentious, but damn it, the ethics that Apple and other global companies, super-rich individuals and organised crime (what great bedfellows) use are beneath contempt.

Bshank ...suggesting that Apple should cut and run is missing the point. Firstly, Apple are not paying enough tax so they do not have the moral high-ground here, even over the rightly despised EU; Secondly, you clearly have no idea of what the EU market is worth to Apple. 

For those who defend the likes of Apple, think how many more teachers, hospital beds, police and firemen, carers, etc your country could afford if these organisations paid their way properly and honestly.

So, you're a socialist arguing for yet more government employees paid for by taxpayers.

beowulfschmidt said:

abriden said:

Amazing, not a single comment that actually condemns Apple for its morally reprehensible approach to taxation. The legalities may be contentious, but damn it, the ethics that Apple and other global companies, super-rich individuals and organised crime (what great bedfellows) use are beneath contempt.

That's because they have a moral and legal obligation to their shareholders which supersedes any imaginary obligation to pay taxes that they aren't required to pay.

If you want to blame someone, blame your lawmakers.  They're the ones who created the loopholes, mostly for the benefit of their friends and cronies.  Now, when someone they don't like takes advantage of those same loopholes, they get all high horsed.

randominternetperson said:

abriden said:

Amazing, not a single comment that actually condemns Apple for its morally reprehensible approach to taxation. The legalities may be contentious, but damn it, the ethics that Apple and other global companies, super-rich individuals and organised crime (what great bedfellows) use are beneath contempt.

Bshank ...suggesting that Apple should cut and run is missing the point. Firstly, Apple are not paying enough tax so they do not have the moral high-ground here, even over the rightly despised EU; Secondly, you clearly have no idea of what the EU market is worth to Apple. 

For those who defend the likes of Apple, think how many more teachers, hospital beds, police and firemen, carers, etc your country could afford if these organisations paid their way properly and honestly.

Amazing. Someone who registered and made their first post just to assert that Apple is “morally reprehensible” because they are organizing their finances to reduce the taxes they are obliged to pay.  If you’re in the US, I hope you are morally consistent and don’t put any money in tax-favored investments or take advantage of tax deductions.