[Principled]

The world needs to delete any taxes based on income. Taxes can be more fairly administered with a consumption tax.

[PGR88]

europe is bankrupt (as are most governments) - and they see a big pot of money, and they want it.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

“I see you have some money there. Give it to me.”

[dayglored]

Ping

[BlueStateRightist]

Tim Cook loves when its other people’s money, not his: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/30/tim-cook-attacks-eu-tax-ruling-in-scathing-letter.html

[DAC21]

Being the good lefty that Tim Cook is he should fork over the money post haste. After all the money will be used for the greater good. Boowwaahahaha, sometimes I crack myself up.

[Truth29]

The emerging EU superstate needs another kick in the head. Ireland should threaten to follow Britain out of the EU. That should stir the Brussels bureaucrats up.

[fision]

Tim Cook says the EU can have taxes or jobs, not both. Now he should bring the jobs back to the US and let the Irish start thinking about IREXIT.

[VanDeKoik]

Less money in Democrat’s pockets.

Are we all supposed to feel sorry for either side here?

[Navy Patriot]

Brussels launched an inquiry into Apple's tax arrangements in Ireland in 2014, one of a series of anti-trust cases targeting major US corporations that have angered Washington.

On the bright side, they could fight it out and kill each other off.

[poinq]

The EU has found that Ireland acted illegally, not Apple. Apple should say that they have learned a lesson. EU countries are not important anymore. The BREXIT voters were right. Being a member of the EU means you have lost your vote and sovereignty.

[Dr.Deth]

Ireland must now recover the illegal aid

Illegal aid? You mean, a lower tax rate than you idiot socialists?

That's the mindset of the Left, what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine. If we allow you to keep anything be grateful.

[Salgak]

Mind you, if I was the CEO of Apple, I would IMMEDIATELY close all locations in the EU, and release all employees.

And then tell the EU to come and take it, if they can. . .

[fuzzylogic]

To expect Apple to retroactively pay such a sum when they had a legal agreement with Ireland is absurd. I’m no Apple fan but this is Ireland’s problem, not Apple’s.

This is no different than saying, “We changed our minds about what taxes you should pay since 2003, now you owe us $13 billion”. Apple was following the stated law. The fact that it did not reconcile with EU laws is not Apple’s responsibility to resolve. It just goes to show what an unworkable legal environment the EU is with respect to its members and their law.

Moving forward, how is this not a toxic economic environment for business? The EU is supposed to be some great economic positive yet here they show that you can be retroactively punished even when you played by the rules. It just highlights the monster that is the EU, another unnecessary layer of bureaucracy that needs feeding. Unaccountable individuals using the system to enrich themselves. It is an abomination.

[wardaddy]

Most freepers will just look at the headline and go

Apple good

European Union bad

But why did Ireland grant Apple these tax waivers or abatements and only to them?

Is it because the Apple plant is in Ireland?

But any other smartphone assembly in an EU member state did not get such a waiver

Is that the gist of it

I don’t care for the EU but I can see the argument at least at a glance if you are going to have an EU

[wardaddy]

I agree with posters who say the onus is shared by Ireland

Particularly if they got tax proceed or benefit such as the employees taxes which I’m sure they did come to think of it

What a mess with a superceding governing entity

The irony of the extreme left bilking and soaking one another

[MeganC]

If I were the Irish PM my response would be, “F*** EU!”

(-:

[vette6387]

Pehaps Ireland should proceed with a vote to do a Brexit too! American businesses have been good to Ireland. Time for Ireland to repay those “kindnesses.”

[minnesota_bound]

Apple pays .005% tax.
You and I pay 43% or more. I wish I knew some leprechauns to shelter my money.

[Swordmaker]

Apple Must Repay Record EUR 13 Billion in Back Taxes Over Irish Deal: EU. Ireland says it doesn't want the back taxes because there was no special deal for Apple and their corporate tax rate is the same for all corporations who agree to locate in Ireland. They are going to appeal the ruling. The US government is also going to fight this ruling, made by a panel of liberal bureaucrats, using the power of the US tax structure to retaliate, if necessary, due to the EU specifically targeting US companies in these tax probes. Apple did not "negotiate" these tax rates with Ireland. they were established in Irish law for any company who elected to take advantage of them. The EU Commission claims that Ireland has been subsidizing Apple to the tune of 13billion Euros over the last ten years, and must reclaim that subsidy. This is the Liberal mindset that all money belongs to the government, despite the fact they did not receive it, and individuals and companies are only allowed to keep what the government deigns to give them. — PING!

EU Apple Tax Decision: 13 Billion Euros
Ping!

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