stub
HomeTaxesWhy is Everyone Attacking Apple For Overseas Profits Not Being Taxed

Why is Everyone Attacking Apple For Overseas Profits Not Being Taxed

I can’t figure out why the media and the masses are angry with Apple for legally not paying additional taxes.  I am not an Apple guy (for a few reasons), but I think planning for income taxes is a fantastic move on their part.  You have no patriotic duty to pay more taxes than what is legally mandated so why would Apple?

One of my favorite quotes from law school on the subject is from Judge Learned Hand (yup, real name) in Helvering v. Gregory (1934),

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 and public duty to pay more than the law demands.

Why doesn’t that quote apply to Apple? Is it because it is a corporation? I don’t buy that – corporations whether they are United States based or Foriegn are still made up of people (not sure where I fall on Citizens United).  Is it because of the sum? That is just bullshit class warfare. Is it because it is just icky? I assume that is what most idiots who watch MSNBC believe.

If Apple was doing anything legally wrong there would be a different headline, one that read “Apple sued by Federal Government” or if you were lucky enough to have the New York Post in your area it would read “Tim Cook(ed) Apple.”

So, like the great Ice-T once said (but didn’t originate),

Don’t hate the player, hate the game

Want someone to blame? Blame your elected officials, and don’t give me the bullshit de facto – lynch the conservative republicans.  If I remember correctly it wasn’t too long ago when the Democrats controlled both Houses in Congress and the Executive Branch.

Who else can quote both Ice-T and one of the greatest legal minds in our history?

RELATED ARTICLES

11 COMMENTS

  1. LOL! There is, actually, a patriotic duty to pay one’s taxes. Armies, navies, and air forces are supported by taxes. Presumably patriots wish not to see their country invaded by whatever would-be superpower, dictatorship, or banana republic that decides to send its own tax-supported army to our shores.

    • No patriotic duty to pay MORE taxes than what is LEGALLY required. I am not that far libertarian!

      If Apple is following the rules then their conscious should be clear.

  2. We would criticize Apple, if they did not optimize their income. Apple is not alone, I believe it was GE who was criticized for paying no taxes just a few years ago. Public companies are audited by the Big 4 accounting firms to pretty high standards.

    • Could you imagine if what would happen to their share price if all of a sudden they caved and told stockholders that despite legal ways around it they were going to pay the federal government billions upon billions? They would be sued in a microsecond.

    • 1000% Kathleen. Everyday I help people prepare for the estate taxes…does that make them criminals? Hell NO!

  3. When you have a tax + spend + redistribute government in office and they run low in revenue, this is just another attempt to get more money. There has been a disturbing movement to “embarrass” corporations and successful individuals into feeling guilty and forking over more money. (to be then spent inefficiently by the government). This is ridiculous.

    People often lose sight of the benefits of a large corporation like Apple. Look how many people they employ across North America alone. Workers take no risk if Apple fails; they simply lose a job that could eventually be replaced by another job. Success in my opinion has become a target for the wrong reasons.

    • The embarrassment you speak of is nothing more than class warfare mixed in with populist rhetoric. It is nauseating. If you don’t like what they are doing CHANGE THE F’n LAWS! Don’t try to guilt someone into paying more.

  4. Great post. I agree. Apple has done nothing illegal. I have often wondered how many MSNBC liberals send more taxes than they are required to pay? I would wager NONE.

    The prez is a millionaire– I don’t see him adding a little something-something to his tax bill just “cause”.

    Liberals– including the lame stream media ( as Palin likes to call them) and all the blowhard celebs in hollywood are just full of Shit.

    Really– it has become so partisan and out of hand that I wonder if this is “America” anymore?

    You cannot tell me that Prez Hussain didn’t have full knowledge of the IRS scandal as part of his enemies list.

    That guy cannot be impeached soon enough.

    • President Obama is never getting impeached. Literally never.

      Notwithstanding, it bothers me (and clearly you) that for some reason he never gets called out for clear deficiencies and possibly just pure lies.

  5. Seems like people are going to be mad about something. Its like my friends being upset because I make more and pay less taxes. Well its not because I do anything illegal, I got a good accountant and don’t just go do my taxes online. We all are trying to finds ways legally to save money and they did it.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related Articles

Recent Comments