InsideTech

I didn't realize this was a political site. I for one agree with the White House's Tax Plan here. We need to invest in our technological growth at home and in our people first. These monopolies should pay taxes along just like any other. Shelter should not be provided to the giants. Even the playing field

Many of my friends and I have just lost their jobs at IBM for one and only one reason, and we were told this "... because we have to send the jobs to India". It is one thing if a business does this to survive but completely another if our government encourages it through their tax policy. I am a dye-in the wool" conservative, but if Bush and our congress has allowed this then shame on them. My problem is I can't believe that Obama's policy is nothing more than self-serving. This is easy. STOP ALL TAX BREAKS FOR SENDING JOBS TO INDIA, and THE US GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO NO WORK WITH COMPANIES THAT ARE SENDING WORK TO OTHER COUNTRIES. ANY WORK DONE FOR THE US SHOULD BE DONE IN THE US. If other businesses that do not do work for the government want to ship their work out to other countries - fine but as consumers we need to vote against those companies by not buying their products and services. One is a government issue the other is a consumer issue.

I'm glad Obama is doing something about these companies trying to escape the law. If I put all my money in another country so I would pay less taxes, I'd probably be thrown in jail. US companies shouldn't be treated any different. I don't know what Guardino is talking about when he says stashing money outside the country allows US companies to hire more US workers. My company is not hiring any more IT workers in the US and is instead hiring new workers in India. My co worker lost out on a transfer into a position he really wanted because my boss said he cannot hire anyone else in the US and they are going to be hired in India. Obama needs to also fix the loophole that give takes breaks for companies that do that.

jytheitguy hit the nail on its head. Until the government learns to control its spending, companies will continue to look overseas for their manufacturing bases. When the government can be responsible in their spending habits and there is a reasonable flat tax rate without any loopholes, then businesses will be HAPPY to remain in this country. Until the government adopts these principles, this will never happen. And I won't be holding my breath.

"Look... taxing large corporations like Google like this is absurd. Eliminate their profits, capital, revenue and you take away their expansion and force them to "downsize" which means less jobs. These corporations that you hate are the source of jobs and money for millions upon millions of people. What is the point of working hard if the government is just going to tax you into oblivion. Look at California... They are losing business left and right because they tax their businesses to death. All of their businesses, even a lot of Hollywood production, is based in Utah, Arizona, and even Texas because they dont get taxed 50% for running their business. Now California is in a budget crisis because they ran off business. The same thing will happen here. What company wants to open an office in the U.S. if they just get taxed like hell. Our competitive edge will be smashed. Corporations are taxed all over the place between building taxes, energy, trade taxes. Some are taxed on their products, their materials, the medium over which information is transmitted. If you dont think they are taxed, you have never run a business in your life and have never really thought about how business works. Get over yourselves and look at what will really happen instead of looking with your ideological blinders on. They do pay taxes... 27% is plenty. Between that and the jobs they create, you should be sending them a hallmark card that says "thank you for being what makes our country great".

Uh, actually, corporations DON'T pay taxes and NEVER will pay taxes. Taxes are actually paid by employees and shareholders in the form of lower wages and returns. Get used to it - this is the change we can believe in. The thugs from Chicago have EVERYONE in their sights, not just the rich. This is what's coming everywhere.

Exxon-Mobile got slammed in the press for Windfall profits of over $40B a couple years ago, when gas prices were high. Few in the press reported that they also paid $118B in corporate taxes, plus individual income tax. This was over 25% of the GROSS income. The problem is far more complicated that can be depicted in a short article. Instead of complicated tax code for everyone, it should be a flat percentage of income, based on where the income was generated. No loopholes, no tax havens, just pay for what is due for benefit received. AND, no graduated scales that are negative incentives to performance. Everyone pays the same percentage. Then you have 90% of the IRS looking for productive jobs, instead of being the tax police.

Having worked for one of these "major" companies and seen how they are diverting resources and workforce out of the US just to make even bigger profits - and avoid accounting for those profits - I can't say I'm sympathetic to their argument. It is well established that corporations for some time now have been paying a much smaller share of the total tax burden than they used to (leaving a much greater share of the total left to be paid by those who are now losing their jobs and wages to overseas cheap labor) all the while reaping the benefits of being here and using the very infrastructure that shared burden pays for. The burden hasn't gone away, just their participation has. The tax code has been manipulated into the mess we're in now and needs to be made whole once again if we're ever going to change course toward a more stable future for everyone. I am glad that our industries are participating in the new global economy - all I ask is that they participate in ALL aspects of the global economy and not avoid the responsibilities that come with participation.