When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend
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Protestors target Apple for alleged tax cheating
PROTESTORS HAVE TARGETED Apple for alleged tax cheating in its support for the Win America Campaign.
The campaign is an attempt at repatriating $1tn in foreign revenues at an extremely low tax rate of just five per cent. Apple is one of a number of major corporations that have lent their support for the campaign, which will save it $4bn in taxes, while the average Joe is forced to pay the full tax rate on his pay.
The protest group US Uncut organised a 'dance-in' protest through social media at Apple retail stores across the US on 4 June, which sought to shame Apple by calling it a "tax cheat".
Protests were held in Madison, Washington, Boston, Montery, San Francisco, and Chicago, where people danced, carried banners, chanted and sang. Many of the banners played on Apple's naming conventions, with one saying "Idodge", while another said "Ipay. Upay. Why doesn't Apple pay?"
The protesters were greeted by police and security staff that Apple brought in ahead of the disruption. The events were mostly peaceful, though some protesters were escorted out of Apple stores after creating a scene.
The estimated $4bn that Apple would save in tax equates to 90,000 teaching jobs, which are under threat due to government cuts. While the $1tn would be injected into the US economy, it would primarily go to the major companies, with the government getting a tiny fraction in tax that could have otherwise funded services that are being cut.
Other supporters of the Win American Campaign include Microsoft, Google, Adobe, Cisco, Oracle, Qualcomm, Broadcom, EMC and Kodak. It's not surprising given the fortunes they can save on taxes, but it raises questions about how technology companies approach the issue of corporate ethics.
"When this 'Win America' tax cheat coalition wins, we all lose as Americans," said Ana Corrie, San Francisco organiser for US Uncut. "We are all disappointed to see a great company like Apple participate in such a deceitful campaign that violates their commitment to operate in a socially responsible manner."
Meanwhile, a German Apple store that was under construction was defaced with a sign carrying the Microsoft Windows logo. The sign was put up by two men posing as construction workers, who calmly walked away from the scene afterwards. It's not clear if that was simply meant as a prank or if it was referring to a growing view by many people that Apple is replacing Microsoft as the most 'evil' technology company. µ
Tags: Apple
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@Hucklebuck
(Assuming that you were serious in your response...)
I'm simply astounded when I run across people -- such as yourself -- who have absolutely no idea of how businesses work. It only makes sense if you also believe that Cuba represents the pinnacle of human economic evolution.
@aki009 - you are SO wrong. Corporate taxes are not high enough, they are not paying their FAIR share.
You are obviously someone who needs the govt to tell them what to do, and how to live, because you are not smart enough to handle the daily issues that come up.
I love it when I read about induhviduals who just don't get how corporate taxation works.
The US has one of the highest (if not _the_ highest) corporate tax rates on this planet. Hence companies are motivated to keep foreign earnings in foreign subsidiaries, and invest in other countries. These short-term tax reductions to corporations exist to motivate companies to bring the funds home, so that they are either invested here, or paid out as dividends (which is taxed as personal income tax).
These protestors are against repatriating corporate funds that are sitting idle in other countries, so that they could be used for investment in the US, or for dividend payments (from which the government will receive income tax)???
Tools. If anything, we should protest high corporate tax rates that motivate investment in other countries.
The working class of America must throw off the shackles of corporate capitalism. The revolution will come!
apple microsoft and intel... what wierd kind of market are you talking about?
The Sardware market? The hoftware market?
And sorry, when you try sue your own hardware supplier you are downright evil :D
The protesters are missing the point of the rule of law in the USA completely. The idea that one group on induhviduals can be made to cough up more $$$ so that another group can get something for nothing is called PROGRESS.
If you cannot comprehend why this is a good thing, then you are obviously not smart enough to make any decisions about anything. Just sit back and let those enlightened class of rulers tell you what to do and how to do it. It is for the better of society as a whole, of course. Dissent will NOT be tolerated.
What growing view that Apple is the most eveil techonology company?
How can a company with only 8% of the market which is dominated and Intel and Microsoft be the most evil?
Have they been convicted of Anti trust violations?
Have they paid to ensure that competitiors cannot compete against them?
How can a company with such a small market share , be the most eveil? surely its just a perveyor of fads and will fade into history soon enough?
Unlike some other companies it has never forced you to pay for its software on hardware you ave bought your self.
Most evil my backside, its as if you have never heard of Rambus!!!