Drudge Retort: Red Meat for Yellow Dogs
Thursday, June 04, 2009

Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steven Ballmer said the world's largest software company would move some employees offshore if Congress enacts President Barack Obama's plans to impose higher taxes on U.S. companies' foreign profits. Typically, he said, a company like Microsoft develops a product like Windows in the United States and deducts those costs against U.S. income. It then transfers the technology to a subsidiary in Ireland, where corporate tax rates are lower, without charging licensing fees. The company then assigns its foreign sales to the Irish subsidiary so it doesn't have to claim the income in the United States.

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I have always thought Obama's take on ending deferral of taxation on foreign earnings is archaic considering the global economy. Instead of raising taxes on multi-nationals we should be making the US a more attractive place to set up an industry. Of course, our laws are one attraction, but a low tax rate and the deferral of foreign taxes would also be a major attraction. A territorial tax regime, one much like the one Great Britain will be imposing, would be even better.

Obama could just tell Microsoft that if they want to sell their product in America they need to pay our taxes. I have a Linux based mini notebook that kicks ass. So I know we could all use Linux and be perfectly fine.

Microsoft will stay pay taxes in the US, they will just move a big portion of their operations overseas which will reduce the amount the Government will be taking from Microsoft.

What if we imposed some type of import tariff on Microsoft that would make it cost prohibitive for Microsoft to move operations overseas? A punitive tax for taking jobs overseas. You either employ Americans here or you pay this import tax.
we need to create taxes that benefit workers more. Other countries protect their workers we should too.

If we start imposing punative taxes or penalities (criminal or civil) because we want more money for that business then we risk business leaving for good and not imposing themselves to any form of US jurisdiction. Russia tries to pull stunts like that, and I am amazed any entity, other than oil and gas entity, chooses to do business there.

Obama could just tell Microsoft that if they want to sell their product in America they need to pay our taxes. I have a Linux based mini notebook that kicks ass. So I know we could all use Linux and be perfectly fine.

LOL...you're an asshole.

Hey everybody, Rasta can surf the web on linux so we don't need windows anymore!

Microsoft won't ignore the US Market. They will operate here or at least sell here. Too much money to be made even with high taxes.

Hey everybody, Rasta can surf the web on linux so we don't need windows anymore!

#6 | Posted by IraqiBukkake

Linux is capable of running any program that windows can. Programs like open office kick ass and are free.

Windows is bulky and slow.

Microsoft won't ignore the US Market. They will operate here or at least sell here. Too much money to be made even with high taxes.

Not if you make doing business here too costly.

This isn't even about windows though. It's about American Jobs. We can make Microsoft keep jobs here by threatening to tax the shit out of their products if they move operations out of the country. Computer manufacturers would opt for different operating systems if windows became too expensive to load on American systems. Microsoft would start losing tons of money. they would buckle bring jobs back and pay their taxes in order to stop paying the huge import tariff.

Not if you make doing business here too costly.

#9 | Posted by taxman

You honestly think Microsoft would ignore the entire US Market?? We would all be running Macs then I guess. That's what we run at work so I'm fine with that then.

Linux is capable of running any program that windows can. Programs like open office kick ass and are free.

You have no idea what you are talking about. There are few more work applications out there than Microsoft Office.

Again if cost of doing business in a certain market is > doing business in said market -> no business in said market

You have no idea what you are talking about. There are few more work applications out there than Microsoft Office.

#12 | Posted by IraqiBukkake

I am saying that you can create anything to run on Linux. AutoCad to basically anything you can imagine. Where I work the office computers run on Mac but the computers that drive the robotics in the plant are all linux based.

Again if cost of doing business in a certain market is > doing business in said market -> no business in said market

#13 | Posted by taxman

Like I said only if they choose to pull jobs out of certain market would this occur. Microsoft could keep jobs here and pay the taxes and still turn a profit just not as big as they would like.

Seems to me you think we as a country should always side with big business and not with the worker. You see where that has gotten us right?

I am saying that you can create anything to run on Linux. AutoCad to basically anything you can imagine. Where I work the office computers run on Mac but the computers that drive the robotics in the plant are all linux based.

Theoretically...sure. I have a spectrum analyzer application that I currently use that is built in a modular fashion that will not work with SP3, let alone through linux emulation.

I suppose we could throw a tax on all software and create a Software Compatability Czar? The RIAA would love that idea.

Too much free market and free trade has begun to kill this country. We need to change strategies and go back to protectionism. Keeping Jobs in America and collecting a fair amount of taxes should be priority one in America.

You see where that has gotten us right?

Yes. Cheaper goods and services for everyone admittedly at the cost of jobs

Americans can't have their cake and eat it too. They've got to decide if they want cheaper goods and services or domestic jobs. Apparently the choice is cheaper goods and services.

Just like HDDVD and BlueRay whoever made the best product would become the industry standard. It would take a few years but their are several platforms capable of filling a void that occur if Windows ceased to exist.

Apparently the choice is cheaper goods and services.

#18 | Posted by goatman

I would prefer to pay a little more for Made in America product. Whenever I have the choice I usually always do make that choice. You usually get what you pay for. Whenever I buy cheap shit it just falls apart.

We need to change strategies and go back to protectionism.

And we'll watch the rest of the world pass us by. We can't stick our heads and the sand and pretend we are not becoming a global society.

taxman I'm so glad you support the race to the bottom. We can either become more like Europe or more like Guatemala. I can tell what you choose.

We can either become more like Europe or more like Guatemala

Please provide more detail.

When people say Global economy they mean outsourcing jobs. The government needs to protect jobs here otherwise more jobs will continue to be lost to the 3rd world. If this happens the only way for companies to remain competitive is to lower wages to a substandard level. European laws protect their workers by making it harder for companies to outsource jobs and their citizens continue to make good wages and enjoy a higher quality of life.

When people say Global economy they mean outsourcing jobs.

That is not entirely true. It means goods are manufactured and sold all over the globe. Just because you are global does not mean you are shipping jobs overseas. I have no problem with a company manufacturing goods overseas, selling those goods overseas, and not paying taxes in the US.

Are you a supporter of Ayn Rand? It sounds like you support the free market over protecting the American worker.

Are you a supporter of Ayn Rand?

The lady's dead. She doesn't much support. Then again your all about supporting dead meat.

Linux is capable of running any program that windows can. Programs like open office kick ass and are free.
Posted by rastaninja

Don't believe everything you hear while handing out meals at the drive thru window. You are sooooo wrong.

It's corporate blackmail of course, but perfectly legal and ethical under capitalism.

Gotta make that stock go up a tenth of a percent.
Pray at the Church of the Almighty Dollar!
Bottom Line ueber Alles!

You are wrong. Windows isn't the be all end all. There are operating systems like ubuntu that could compete with windows very easily if windows pulled out of the American market. Programmers would begin to write for the new operating system. People would end up loving a smaller operating system that wasn't a resource hog like windows.

I actually think Mac provides a better operating system than windows. Far more stable.

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