Congressional Criticism of Apple’s Taxes

[CuteOldGuy]

This is so funny, and so true. Why isn't GE hauled before Congress? I promise to only buy Apple electronics from now on. They are pissing off the right people. And besides, Bill Gates is the Anti-Christ. We all know that.

I was mildly amused, and somewhat amazed, at last week’s Congressional hearings on Apple Computer’s corporate tax avoidance. Here is an article from the New York Times critical of Apple.

While Apple has sheltered substantial amounts of income from taxation via offshore corporations, all sides agree that Apple was in compliance with US and overseas tax laws in its activities, and last year Apple paid $6 billion in US federal income taxes. Still, Congressional critics called the company’s tax avoidance “egregious” and “outrageous.” In the last sentence of the Times article, Michigan Senator Carl Levin says, “I’ve never seen anything like this and we don’t know anybody who’s seen anything like this.”

What amazes me about this is that members of Congress are criticizing Apple for following the laws that Congress has mandated. If, in fact, Apple’s activities were egregious and outrageous, Congress deserves the criticism, not Apple. This is the first time I can recall anybody (let alone members of Congress) arguing that taxpayers should choose to pay more in taxes than the law requires.

http://blog.independent.org/2013/05/...-apples-taxes/

[Sidewinder]

"Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. Over and over again the Courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everyone does it, rich and poor alike and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands."

--Judge Learned Hand (1872-1961), US Court of Appeals, writing in Gregory v. Helvering 69 F.2d 809, 810 (2d Cir. 1934), affirmed, 293 U.S. 465, 55 S.Ct. 266, 79 L.Ed. 596 (1935)

[i'va biggen]

It just pisses them off Apple was able to hide 78 billion that the corrupt ass holes could not get their hands on.

[Jewish Lawyer]

Originally Posted by i'va biggen

It just pisses them off Apple was able to hide 78 billion that the corrupt ass holes could not get their hands on.

Pisses me off, too. That's money I would rather some one else pay, other than me.

[CuteOldGuy]

[Ripmany]

Why is texes a head of everything.