Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Obama seeks tax changes for U.S. firms overseas (No more deducting overseas operations expenses)
Reuters ^ | 5/4/2009 | Kim Dixon and Caren Bohan

Posted on 05/04/2009 5:24:34 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Monday will propose changing provisions in the tax code that he says encourage U.S. companies to move jobs overseas, as part of a broader package aimed at saving $210 billion over 10 years.

Obama will seek to follow through on a campaign promise to change the tax treatment of American firms with overseas operations.

That portion of his plan -- opposed by such firms as Pfizer Inc and Oracle Corp -- would raise more than $100 billion in revenue over the next decade.

Obama vowed in a February address to the U.S. Congress to make the tax code more fair by "finally ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas."

Currently, U.S. firms are allowed to defer paying taxes on profits earned overseas if they plow those profits back into their foreign subsidiaries.

Critics say those rules encourage businesses to bolster their foreign operations instead of creating jobs at home.

But an array of firms signed onto a letter to congressional leaders in March opposing changes to the so-called deferral provision, saying they would make U.S. businesses less competitive.

The letter was signed by 200 companies and trade associations, including Pfizer, Oracle, Microsoft Corp Johnson & Johnson and General Electric Co as well as the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The letter said the firms would not be on a level playing field with international rivals, many of which are not required to pay taxes at home on overseas entities.

Senior U.S. officials who described Obama's plans said they were balanced and would not put excessive burdens on firms.

NO MORE DEDUCTING EXPENSES

A central provision would prohibit companies from deducting expenses supporting their overseas operations until they pay taxes on offshore profits.

(Excerpt) Read more at uk.reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: businesstaxes; corporateincometax; multinationals; overseas; tax; taxes
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-42 next last

1 posted on 05/04/2009 5:24:35 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

How would this affect B.O.’s sugar daddy Soros?


2 posted on 05/04/2009 5:25:44 AM PDT by KeyLargo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

You watch how many US corporations relocate their headquarters to the Cayman Islands to avoid this one.


3 posted on 05/04/2009 5:26:52 AM PDT by Jagman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

So how much of this baloney is needed before Obama becomes persona non grata even among big moneyed Democrats?


4 posted on 05/04/2009 5:28:50 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Beat a better path, and the world will build a mousetrap at your door.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
I sure hope that part of the business community that supported Obama is happy with this. In looking at the list of companies that opposes this tax, such as Microsoft, my only response is-you wanted this guy and Obama made it clear he was going to change the tax laws regarding international operations.
5 posted on 05/04/2009 5:29:07 AM PDT by Maine Mariner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KeyLargo

I am worried about American innovators and employers not Soros who is hedged for this. This is a disaster for US based MNC’c.....so they will become Dubai or China based....wait and watch the Gov slit their/our wrists and bleed the survivors dry through some other ill advised scheme to raise money for dinner in Chicago.


6 posted on 05/04/2009 5:29:15 AM PDT by colonialhk (Harry and Nancy are our best moron allies)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Jagman

Yep... they just cease being US corporations. Way to go, Obummer.


7 posted on 05/04/2009 5:29:32 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Beat a better path, and the world will build a mousetrap at your door.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Maine Mariner

Yes — they would have been financially much better off with McCain.


8 posted on 05/04/2009 5:30:41 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Beat a better path, and the world will build a mousetrap at your door.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

What will this do to the stock market?


9 posted on 05/04/2009 5:30:41 AM PDT by Notasoccermom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HiTech RedNeck

Many of the big money Democrats are trust funders and this law may have little impact on their wealth and income.


10 posted on 05/04/2009 5:31:01 AM PDT by Maine Mariner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
...as part of a broader package aimed at saving $210 billion over 10 years.

It is a damn tax increase on US companies and the socialists call it a SAVING. They cannot stop lying, can they?

11 posted on 05/04/2009 5:31:03 AM PDT by jveritas (God Bless our brave troops)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Oh Yeah...this will work. New regulations that will push the companies to move EVERYTHING to the most tax advantaged regions that can support their operations. I’d bet they’ll take the jobs with them...ya think?

Good job, 0bama. You charlatan gasbag.

It’s time to take back the country.


12 posted on 05/04/2009 5:32:25 AM PDT by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. 01-20-2013: Change we can look forward to.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Notasoccermom

As if Obama cared


13 posted on 05/04/2009 5:32:36 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Beat a better path, and the world will build a mousetrap at your door.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: PubliusMM

Well, I expect the lobbying on Congress to be faster and more furious than ever before. Congress may fold.


14 posted on 05/04/2009 5:33:46 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Beat a better path, and the world will build a mousetrap at your door.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Notasoccermom
Probably the stock markets will go up. The worse the economic news the more the limousine liberals who control Wall Street will push the markets up in fake rallies to convince the public that Obama socialism is working great where in reality it is destroying our economy. Haven't you noticed the trend of bad economic news = up market in the last 7 weeks?
15 posted on 05/04/2009 5:34:38 AM PDT by jveritas (God Bless our brave troops)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Obama doesn’t seem to understand that the multinationals owe alliegence to no country. If the rules get too onerous, they will just move their headquarters elsewhere.


16 posted on 05/04/2009 5:49:24 AM PDT by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
I admit to being an ignoramus as far as business is concerned. But I wonder why anyone would put their capital into growing a business if the rules could be arbitrarily changed over night? It would seem that the only way you could be assured of making money would be to over charge for your products from the get go so that you could be assured of making some profit before the government gets wind of your nefarious actions and guilts, or taxes you out of business. Better to sit back and wait for government handouts.
17 posted on 05/04/2009 5:50:37 AM PDT by stayathomemom (Beware of cat attacks while typing!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kabar

Corporations don’t pay taxes. People do.


18 posted on 05/04/2009 5:51:15 AM PDT by scooby321
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: jveritas

The stock market is up because companies are becoming leaner and more profitable.


19 posted on 05/04/2009 5:51:42 AM PDT by kabar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Jagman

Yep. The dems should have seen this coming. It looks like some of the pharmaceutica companies are on this list. So - obama’s idea is to drive up health costs even more, apparently.


20 posted on 05/04/2009 5:53:17 AM PDT by ElayneJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-42 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson