37% do not collect unemployment benefits

USA today has a story on uncollected unemployment benefits.

USA Today Story is Here. 

Fix the Debt: Simpson - Bowles Plan

Fix the Debt: Simpson - Bowles Plan

First, let us state that the US Debt discussion is a smoke screen to cut social spending and the government. Period. The real problem is lack of jobs.  It is purely and ideological augment over the size and scope of government.  The financial markets could careless and the same goes for consumers.


Given all that we like the Simpson Bowles plan. Many of the CEOs who visited the white house recently support the plan.  Simpson Bowles raises taxes oh the rich, cuts military spending and curbs social security and health care costs. It also taxes corporate gains at the same rate as income.

Here are some of the CEO's that support the plan. The CEO Council of Fix the Debt

Fix the Debt 
Moment of Truth

You can Google Simpson Bowles at "National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform" oe read more here.

While not directly criticizing the plan the IPS, The Institute for Policy Studies has a counter argument here. 

Finally, we are opposed to a territorial tax which would let companies bring revenue's back to the United States without paying taxes when the revenue is taxed overseas. Foreign taxes and US taxes are part of the cost of doing business.

NY Times: Corporate Subsidies

The New York times has a series on government subsidies for corporations. How taxpayers bankroll business.  The series took 10 months of analysis and reporting

Very deep, well researched and though provoking amount of quality journalism.

Starbucks paid no taxes in the UK last year

There is a big battle in England over corporate taxes. Last several large companies paid no taxes


The British Broadcasting Corporation has a long story here: Tax: Starbucks in talks with UK's Revenue and Customs.

Starbucks has 700 stores in the UK and sales of 400 million pound (600 million dollars) but paid no UK corporate taxes. Instead transfers all its profit to a "shell" company in the Netherlands as royalties   Microsoft, Google and Amazon all pay abnormally low taxes in the UK.

The article also had a strange quote from chancellor George Osborne saying the UK must remain "Tax competitive"  with other countries to attract corporations. The truth is the United Kingdom would be attractive to starbucks and other coffee sellers regardless of the tax rate.  In a tax reasonable environment, starbucks wants to be in the United Kingdom.

Political leaders are doing a disservice to their country, communities and people by not collecting more taxes from companies like Starbucks 

Senate Bill S. 1346 - Stop Tax Have Abuse Act

Carl Levin, Democratic senator from Michigan, is sponsoring a bill, S1346, to stop the abuse of offshore tax havens by US corporations.  The bill was introduced in July of 2011.  The details are here.

Here is a great detailed review from Citizens for Tax Justice. If you want to understand some of the accounting and legal tricks used to avoid US taxes, this document has plenty.

The bill would increase reporting requirements for offshore entities and treat tax entities managed by US companies as domestic corporations.

It also extends anti-money laundering reporting to off shore tax entities.

It would ban tax consultant contingent fees.

It also support the IRS process of issuing "John Doe" summons for tax information.

You can read the full bill summary here. S1346 Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act.

This bill has a snowballs chance in hell of passing.

Federal government program for low-income poeple

Here is a nice, comprehensive list of federal programs designed to benefit lower-income people.

CRS report federal programs for low-income people.

GOP on reducing poverty

Here are some Republican ideas on reducing poverty at the Republican Study Committee web-site. The web site is here.

The discussion covers two very minor programs: one program is the social work of a ministry in Richmond  VA and the second is in Washington DC that helps children walk safely to school in bad neighborhoods.

That is it. That's all.  Pretty laughable. They are just completely, intellectually absent from the problems of poverty in the US.  It is just incredible.

The lack of any substantial proposal implies that their are no acceptable Republican answers.   If there was private market based solution they would be all over it.  So, let's play devils advocate. Let's assume they have good research people and are genuinely interested in helping poor people, then should have produced some ideas or policies.   Their complete lack of ideas supports the idea that solutions to poverty must come from the government. Poverty cannot be fixed though market mechanisms, it must be handled by government using public funds from taxes.

Since the national Republicans don't have a solution, they ignore the problem.Where is Jack Kemp when you need him ?.