TheMightyEthan Posted June 21, 2012 Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 Yeah, if the referendum succeeds I really doubt congress would deny their petition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted June 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 As I commented on Twitter yesterday it's a bit of silly affairs than an Australian citizen is currently hiding out in the Ecuador Embassy in London, after an unsuccessful appeal in the UK to block extradition to Sweden, because he fears the US will nab him n execute him. Bit of a balls up all around that this situation could arise. And yeah there was an equal issue of affairs with the aspergers guy last year, how did that one turn out? Didn't Tories come into power n put a block on that in the end? US have some very nasty laws n some very nasty places if they think you've broken their "national security" or in these two cases, made an ass of them. Isn't that Bradley Manning dude now like locked up in isolation for ever n ever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted June 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 So anyone up for explaining the significance of the queens handshake in Ireland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thursday Next Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 In as non-controversial terms as possible... The hand that she will be shaking is attached to a former commander of the IRA. The IRA often referred to the royal family as the enemy and were responsible for a bomb attack that killed the Queen's cousin, Lord Mountbatten (sp?). The handshake signifies a commitment to put old differences behind us and move forward in peace and cooperation. The former IRA agreeing to forgive the deaths of their members (and in some cases family), the Queen (and by extension the UK, RUC, British Army etc etc etc) doing the same. It's a water under the bridge/reconcilliation thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted June 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Has it still been an issue even of late? IRA stuff is like something from even before my childhood it seems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Tensions aren't nearly as bad as they used to be but they're still there. The handshake says a lot about how far we've come but Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams aren't the only players on the republican side so it boils down to little more than a symbological gesture - weakened even more by recent calls from Gerry Adams for a united Ireland if Sinn Féin were elected into leadership here in the south. Then you've got the Orange boys, the Provos, the RIRA, loyalists, catholics and protestants and all the other factions that still hold grudges over ideals and past grievances. In other words, it's still all a bit of a mess, it's just quietened down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thursday Next Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Totally agree that it's a symbolic gesture. It's a milestone, something that 15 years ago would have been utterly unthinkable, but it certainly isn't a stand on an aircraft carrier "Mission Accomplished" moment. It's a step along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Totally agree that it's a symbolic gesture. It's a milestone, something that 15 years ago would have been utterly unthinkable, but it certainly isn't a stand on an aircraft carrier "Mission Accomplished" moment. It's a step along the way. For sure. Since the topic was brought up, I will say that I'd support a peaceful reunification of Ireland, I just don't know if any Irish government could a) achieve such a feat or b) make something of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuchikoma Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 I don't know much of anything about Irish politics, but I've been reading that Sinn Féin seems to be fairly popular in Northern Ireland and ROI... Do you suppose there's any chance of a unification under them? I've also read that there are still a number of holdouts, so I don't know how likely that would be anytime soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Sinn Féin has certainly increased in popularity over the last couple of years. Now that Fianna Fail, the party that got us into the mess we're in, lost public favour, it shifted temporarily to Fine Gael and Labour - and their bullshit manifestos - who won the general election and came into power. Since then, they've dropped in popularity as our Taoiseach (Prime Minister) showed himself for the yes man that he is and our Tánaiste (deputy PM) showed the popular Labour manifesto as nothing more than political pandering to get into office. So now Sinn Féin are on the rise. I highly doubt their day will come any time soon however as a lot of Irish are still firmly against them ever getting into power because of the trouble "they" caused in Northern Ireland. Honestly though, I'll probably vote for them in the next election because Gerry Adams seems to be the only party leader with the balls to stand up for Ireland, while the rest throw away the sovereignty our forebearers fought so hard for away. Can he unify Ireland? I don't think so, but he's probably got the best chance of achieving it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Tengential: Are those words Gaelic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 They are indeed. They're as old as the hills, just about. Taoiseach (Tea-Shock) literally means chieften or leader and Tánaiste (Tawn-Ish-Te) comes from the tanistry system of government, essentially just heir apparent/second-in-command. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 The comments from this article from the Irish Independent highlights very well the sound on the ground here at the moment. I used to feel proud to be Irish, that's starting to fade away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted July 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jul/21/global-elite-tax-offshore-economy And to think jimmy carr got a bit of grief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted July 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 Kim Jong-Un and Ri Sol-Ju up a tree, Making this tune as hard as can be. First comes love, then comes marriage, Then comes...I'm so ronery, ever so ronery.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 (edited) In Irish news, there's been a healthy payload of oil found of the west coast. Initial reactions were "Great! Money!" but thanks to the changes in law, etc that were made by some of our incompetent politicians, the chances that we'll see much of anything from this find is slim to nil. In other news, Ireland has re-entered the bond market proper, raising 5.7 billion over the last few weeks. Also, Obama claimed Ireland was a tax haven then made a "sort-of" rebuttal. .12.5% corporation tax and relatively fair tax credits, etc hardly makes for a tax haven, does it? Even Bono avoids paying tax here by paying it in the Netherlands. Is this a general reflection of the thoughts of foreigners? I'd say our tax rates and laws reflect the size of our nation and our need to encourage investment, etc to remain competitive. Edited July 27, 2012 by MasterDex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 Well really any country with lower taxes than the person's home country could arguably be a tax haven for that person. US federal corporate tax rates are nominally 15-35% depending on income (15% is for less than $50,000/year of income, gradually rising to 35% on incomes over $18,333,333/year), though due to deductions/incentives/loopholes large corporations often end up paying far less than that. But if you compare our nominal 35% rate to your 12.5% it sure could look like a tax haven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 So too could a whole host of other countries - most of the EU in fact. You make a good point though, it does depend on where the person who's making the comment comes from. I guess the problem I have is with how he made the comment. Tax avoidance is an inevitability of business. Corporations are going to seek out the largest gain and if they can do that by reducing their tax burden, they'll do it. Using it as ammo to smear Mitt Romney, I believe, is hypocritical when I haven't seen any mention of change for Delaware or Florida, which by the open definition of 'Tax Haven', they could both be labelled as such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 Florida and Delaware aren't tax havens from the point of view of the US federal government though. State taxes you pay are deductible from your income for federal tax purposes, so for the feds it's actually better for you to be in a low-tax US state because then your income is higher for federal tax purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 (edited) Is that for domestic corporations though? It was my understanding that foreign companies don't have to pay federal tax on income earned outside the US in these states, allowing foreign companies to use areas like Delaware and Florida to set up shell companies, essentially using those states as tax havens. Isn't there also less transparency required from these states for the earnings of foreign companies? That's a pretty good indicator of somewhere being a tax haven. I found this in relation to Florida, I don't know how up to date it is but if still true, I believe Florida could be seen as as much of a tax haven as Ireland. No personal income tax No inventory tax No corporate franchise tax on capital stock No state-level ad valorem taxes No ad valorem taxes on goods-in-transit No sales tax on food, medicine, or most services No tax on foreign source dividends, as defined by federal law. Aren't Wyoming and Nevada similar in regards to taxation? Personally, I don't really have a problem with tax havens. Most places could be considered tax havens depending on the beholder of the eye. Talking big about the tax havens of Europe while remaining tight-lipped about US states that could and have been labelled as tax havens strikes me as the pot calling the kettle black. If it's in our interest, it's a low-tax area to encourage and sustain growth. If not, it's a tax haven that should be admonished. Edited July 27, 2012 by MasterDex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 State tax laws don't affect federal tax laws except that state taxes are deductible from your income for federal tax purposes (as I believe foreign taxes are as well). Florida may not have a state income tax, but people living in Florida still have to pay federal income tax. Federal tax laws are uniform throughout the US, so while you can move from one state to another to affect your state taxes you still have to pay the federal taxes no matter where in the US you are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 So for illustration, let's say you're a corporation with taxable income of $20 million which (for the sake of making the math easy) takes no deductions. If you're based in Washington, which has a 0% corporate income tax rate, you pay $0 to the state of Washington and $7 million to the federal government (35% of $20 million), for a total tax liability of $7 million or 35% of your income. If you're based in Kansas, otoh, which has a 3% flat corporate income tax rate, you pay $600,000 to Kansas (3% of $20 million) and $6.79 million to the federal government (35% of $19,400,000), for a total tax liability of $7.39 million. But either way you're still paying the federal taxes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 (edited) Ahhhh, I see what you're saying now. So would you say the labelling of other countries, like Ireland, as tax havens be more of a reaction to the taxation systems of the rest of the world as a consequence of having the state/federal system where most other countries don't? I imagine if/when the EU transforms into a federation that we'll have a similar system. For example, Ireland would have its own tax rate as it does now but there'll then be an EU-wide tax rate. Edited July 27, 2012 by MasterDex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted July 27, 2012 Report Share Posted July 27, 2012 Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted July 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 The Irish "tax haven" status is brought up a few times as far as corporations go. I know a few silicon valley companies like google are set up there (which EU hates). I imagine there's more to it than just tax rates. Oh and if you're set up for taxes outside of home nation then I think it's counted as "tax haven" regardless of being lower or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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