Buenos Aires Issues a 'Netflix Tax' For All Digital Entertainment

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Buenos Aires Issues a 'Netflix Tax' For All Digital Entertainment

Posted by timothy on Thursday September 4, 2014 @08:58AM from the that-is-not-nettily-neutral dept.

New submitter DoILookAmused writes A few years ago, the Argentinean government implemented a 35% tax on all offshore buys using a credit card. In yesterday's press release, the city of Buenos Aires announced it will charge a 3% gross income tax for all streaming or media purchase abroad allegedly to bring it to "competitive prices with local media companies". This tax doesn't supersede the national 35% tax, which has sparked several reactions.

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To the slashdotters of the world by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 09:06 · Score: 4, Interesting

Argentinian here.
Please understand that policy in Argentina is usually just the result of the guys on top wanting more hookers or coke. Usually both. There is no justification to these taxes whatsoever other than "we want to steal more money for ourselves, but we already stole everything in sight... so we need you idiots to put more money in this account here so we can steal it."
Argentina is very much like your neighborhood friendly African nation, only with less ebola and civil war.
1. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by Opportunist · 2014-09-04 09:16 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Why do you think we would have assumed that Argentina is different from the rest of the world?
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
2. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 09:20 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  The guys on top should switch to Pepsi.
3. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by bobbied · 2014-09-04 09:25 · Score: 2
  
  The guys on top should switch to Pepsi.
  No, Royal Crown!
  
  --
  "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
4. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by stephanruby · 2014-09-04 09:37 · Score: 1
  
  Argentinian here.
  Do you actually have Netflix there?
  Apparently, the Slashdot editors think that all the paid video streaming services in the World are owned and operated by Netflix.
5. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by TheDarkMaster · 2014-09-04 11:13 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Is the same shit here in Brazil. 60% tax in all international purchases made by individuals under the guise of "protecting" a nonexistent national industry (nobody makes Intel i7 in Brazil as far as I know).
  
  --
  Religion: The greatest weapon of mass destruction of all time
6. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by khellendros1984 · 2014-09-04 11:13 · Score: 2
  
  Why not Royal Crown spiked with Crown Royal?
  
  --
  It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
7. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by Nicopa · 2014-09-04 11:14 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  I'm from Argentina and... Oh, god, please someone mod this BS message down!
  Argentina has one of the highest Human Development Index values: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
8. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by lister+king+of+smeg · 2014-09-04 11:19 · Score: 1
  
  I'm from Argentina and... Oh, god, please someone mod this BS message down!
  Argentina has one of the highest Human Development Index values: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
  Yeah almost as high as Cuba and we all know how well off they are...
  
  --
  ---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
9. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by Nicopa · 2014-09-04 11:28 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, Cuba has a high value of that... It's off topic.. Take whatever index you want. The parent post is still BS.
10. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by rogoshen1 · 2014-09-04 11:40 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Argentina in the 50's was also on track to become a first world developed nation -- with GDP per capita on par with that of France (and ahead of Germany!) =(
  Considering the lack of bombed out factories, a missing generation of working age men, what happened exactly?
11. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by bobbied · 2014-09-04 11:40 · Score: 1
  
  I LIKE the way you think....
  
  --
  "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
12. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by whistlingtony · 2014-09-04 13:48 · Score: 2
  
  Ahem. I'm forced to point out that neoliberal is not liberal... I'm afraid many people don't know that neoliberal is a technical term in economics. From Wikipedia: "support for great economic liberalization, privatization, free trade, open markets, deregulation, and reductions in government spending in order to enhance the role of the private sector in the economy."
  Or basically "capitalism with the gloves off"
13. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by whistlingtony · 2014-09-04 13:55 · Score: 2
  
  I should also note there have been a LOT of coups in Argentina, and the US has been behind at least the ones in the 70s... This is known, not conspiracy. Kissinger gave the green light himself, and those records have been recovered under a FOIA request.
14. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by juanfgs · 2014-09-04 14:07 · Score: 1
  
  I'm argentinian as well (but not from buenos aires). As I read the tax is pretty much a tax applied to the company not the customer, arguably one of the most reasonable ( and minimal) taxes that have been applied since the current administration is in. The 35% tax mentioned on TFA is way more rage-inducing, as well as the 40% tax on all technological goods ( from cellphones to computers) which pretty much stabbed our slowly growing software development industry.
  
  The parent AC here is oversimplifying the matter, even though I won't defend our politicians since they'd make blush the most corrupt of US senators. As of standards of living, we are way far (still) from being like an african country, but we are on our way to civil crisis and socioeconomical failure. Crime has gone up, welfare subsidies are not enough to maintain poor families, workers are going on strike, and the currency is devaluating by the minute.
  
  Most of latest measures taken by the government are futile attempts to slow down a crisis that they almost averted ( during Duhalde and then Nestor Kirchner period), but then accelerated again during CFK government, skyrocketing government expending on ridiculous attempts to buy the poor people's will, among them there are, the increase of welfare subsidies to a point where jobs became non-competitive, buying rights for most ( if not all) sports events ( your usual pay-per-view match is watchable in Full-HD air TV here), and fundings to ghost factories (which is one of the many ways they get the money in their pockets).
  
  The reason is pretty much clear, CFK government was plagued by political unstability, her own party splitted and they had to find a way to buy the will of the people and become a contemporary Evita. Most of the supporters of nestor kirchner left her, many with the hopes of finding their own way to the presidential chair ( such as trucker's union leader Moyano), still her party controls the majority of the senate and they even attempted to make the judges of the supreme court eligible via the means of common vote ( in an attempt to complete their control of the three government's powers).
  
  The current government is basically riding a bull on a glass shop, and they don't really care about anything but to stay on top.
15. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by nitehawk214 · 2014-09-04 15:50 · Score: 1
  
  How about Crown Royal spiked with Royal Crown? In fact, forget about the cola.
  
  --
  I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
16. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by mjwx · 2014-09-04 20:18 · Score: 2
  
  Why do you think we would have assumed that Argentina is different from the rest of the world?
  In Argentina, there are better hookers and coke.
  
  --
  Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
17. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by PPalmgren · 2014-09-05 00:21 · Score: 1
  
  My company does some business in Argentina, and that's the primary concern. I remember a meeting some years ago where the risk factor in Argentina was so high entirely because of politics. The best comparison would be like doing business in Venezuela. You never know if your assets are going to be randomly seized tomorrow and your company dissolved and turned into public assets.
18. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by slimshady76 · 2014-09-05 00:54 · Score: 2
  
  Every south-american country sent their military to the School of the Americas, where US military taught them how to torture and impose fear. After that, it was a matter of time before the US embassies started pushing for coups in the whole region... Those things were said to be necessary to combat Marxism and left-winged governments down here. Kissinger also was to blame for the assassination of Salvador Allende, the Chilean president. Here in Argentina that costed us over 30000 missing people. Many of them were talented scientists. But the military in charge during most of the '70s believed all knowledge is dangerous, so they wiped out a whole generation... Like I said above, in response to another comment: we suffered those things 30-40 years ago, not the same methods are being used in the developed countries. I'm talking about imprisonment without fair trial, torture, imposition of minimum wages, and general income transfer from the lower part of the populace to the top.
19. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by maroberts · 2014-09-05 01:59 · Score: 1
  
  Argentina has one of the highest Human Development Index values: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
  It would be even higher, except Cristina Fernández de Kirchner set Human Development in Argentina back 30,000 years.
  
  --
  Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
  Karma: Chameleon
20. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by DigiShaman · 2014-09-05 05:46 · Score: 1
  
  Because at least Argentina is honest about it??
  
  --
  Life is not for the lazy.
21. Re:To the slashdotters of the world by TwoEyedJack · 2014-09-05 08:03 · Score: 1
  
  When I was there in the early 80's, you could buy a brand new 1964 Ford Falcon built on machinery stolen from Ford Motor Company.
Oh, Argentina by bill_mcgonigle · 2014-09-04 09:09 · Score: 5, Informative

For those who don't know, Argentina is on the brink of economic collapse yet again. Their occupying government has ruined the currency with wishful thinking as if it didn't just happen a decade or so ago. They've been trying to negotiate away all the bad debt they've run up and not everybody is letting them off the hook this time. Like good bureaucrats they're probably looking to tax anything that moves.
3% tax on Netflix? pfft - last time they confiscated pensions and retirement accounts. Oh, sorry, they didn't confiscate them, they replaced the negotiable cash value of them with government-backed bonds. Which rapidly fell to zero value.
FWIW, the US DoL floated an RFC on 'protecting' retirement accounts by replacing them with bonds a few years ago. Nobody should be undiversified in their retirement savings jurisdictions.

--
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
1. Re:Oh, Argentina by ericloewe · 2014-09-04 09:43 · Score: 1
  
  Argentinian bonds? Ah, you mean toilet paper!
2. Re:Oh, Argentina by Kjella · 2014-09-04 10:08 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  For those who don't know, Argentina is on the brink of economic collapse yet again. Their occupying government has ruined the currency with wishful thinking as if it didn't just happen a decade or so ago. They've been trying to negotiate away all the bad debt they've run up and not everybody is letting them off the hook this time.
  Actually, it is the old debt default from 2001 causing them to default now. In two rounds in 2005 and 2010 some 92% of their creditors agreed to cut 65% of their debt through new bonds - over a barrel, of course. The last 8% want all of it with full interest, but they're not getting anywhere in Argentinian courts. However, now they've gotten a ruling in a US court that Argentine can't pay interest on the new bonds without also paying them in full. Which Argentine can't, because part of the agreement with the other 92% is that nobody else will get a better deal so it would invalidate everything. They could make a backroom deal to make somebody else buy out the last 8% and swap for new bonds, but that's basically paying these guys off and setting a very, very bad precedent for later debt negotiations.
  Instead they decided to play hardball back and just default, meaning those 8% get nothing - and neither do the 92% who agreed to new bonds. It's basically a giant game of chicken, who backs down first - Argentine because they want to get back on the international financial markets or will the last 8% figure 35% today is better than dreaming of getting their 100% + interest back forever. Argentine actually manages their finances quite well at the moment, being cut off from international credit means they've had to bring their budgets in balance and from the looks of it they can stay defaulted for quite some time.
  
  --
  Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
3. Re:Oh, Argentina by sdguero · 2014-09-04 10:09 · Score: 1
  
  If the US dollar collapsed I don't think it would matter which jurisdiciton your savings are in, everything is going to go with it.
  
  I think I'd look at hard goods, like real estate, before putting part of my retirement into other currencies to hedge against trouble with the US dollar.
4. Re:Oh, Argentina by beltsbear · 2014-09-04 10:14 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Close. Argentina did not play hardball. The US courts confiscated the money they had access to preventing the payments to the 92%. Argentina will not fund those payments anymore if the US courts re going to take the money before it gets to it's intended recipients.
5. Re:Oh, Argentina by plerner · 2014-09-04 10:29 · Score: 1
  
  Well, not everyone in Argentina thinks that we are on the brink of economic collapse yet again. Some, like my self, think we are in a difficult situation which has no resemblance at all with what happened a decade or so ago. I don't really see any new economic collapse coming, not for the moment.
6. Re:Oh, Argentina by paazin · 2014-09-04 10:48 · Score: 2
  
  It's basically a case of the US courts showing to the world that countries may not want to work within the US system to deal with bonds as it fair serious hindrance to sovereignty. The council on foreign relations stated it was probably one of the worst decisions in recent court history and could potentially move a great deal of finance from New York to other hubs.
7. Re:Oh, Argentina by stdarg · 2014-09-04 11:36 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Argentina was forced by some creditors to sign agreements giving jurisdiction to US courts because the creditors did not trust Argentinian courts. Argentina bartered their sovereignty on the issue for better credit terms, now they are crying because they are being held to those terms by a court that is not corrupt and subject to their own control.
  This whole deal shows the world that:
  1. If you're selling bonds and plan on ripping everybody off, do not mess with US courts because they are not scared of your shithole government and they will confiscate your "sovereign" asse(t)s
  2. If you're buying bonds from risky countries, do so under a stable jurisdiction like the US otherwise you can be completely screwed by some populist who thinks you're a criminal because you bought what they were voluntarily selling
8. Re:Oh, Argentina by mysidia · 2014-09-04 14:09 · Score: 1
  
  I think I'd look at hard goods, like real estate, before putting part of my retirement into other currencies to hedge against trouble with the US dollar.
  The trouble with real-estate is that taxes are high --- it is extremely illiquid - the entry price is high - ability to incrementally buy more in small chunks is extremely limited, plus you can incur other liabilities and maintenance cost, and real-estate also can be easily taken.
9. Re:Oh, Argentina by mysidia · 2014-09-04 14:20 · Score: 1
  
  It would really suck to be dependent on Social Security when the USD collapsed
  It would really suck to be dependant on Social Security today due to high inflation which is hidden through manipulated CPI numbers. If the USD actually collapsed, and the government didn't manipulate the CPI numbers to hide it ---- the cost of living adjustment should reflect an increased payout due to collapse in value at the next adjustment period.
  Investments stock and commodities are worth what the company or goods are worth - the dollar value (or new currency value) will adjust over time regardless of where the dollar goes.
  Investments in stock..... first of all, many of the major assets companies hold are cash; including cash in the bank and cash from sales. A collapse of USD could impair and halt many businesses, however. The winners would be ones who already incurred huge debts before the collapse to buy commodities which the companies owned that would suddenly be much more valuable than the debt.
  Other businesses, such as service organizations and software companies heavily reliant on support contracts with customers would suffer tremendously.
  Typical practice would be to sign a 3 year contract to do X service in exchange for a dollar amount agreed upon upfront. A USD hyperinflation event would suddenly make all those contracts go from being a valuable asset and source of profit to having negative value due to being a source of losses.
10. Re:Oh, Argentina by nitehawk214 · 2014-09-04 15:52 · Score: 1
  
  Fine, make it "a court less corrupt than the Argentinean one".
  
  --
  I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
11. Re:Oh, Argentina by sociocapitalist · 2014-09-04 18:39 · Score: 1
  
  Argentina was forced by some creditors to sign agreements giving jurisdiction to US courts because the creditors did not trust Argentinian courts. Argentina bartered their sovereignty on the issue for better credit terms, now they are crying because they are being held to those terms by a court that is not corrupt and subject to their own control.
  This whole deal shows the world that:
  1. If you're selling bonds and plan on ripping everybody off, do not mess with US courts because they are not scared of your shithole government and they will confiscate your "sovereign" asse(t)s
  2. If you're buying bonds from risky countries, do so under a stable jurisdiction like the US otherwise you can be completely screwed by some populist who thinks you're a criminal because you bought what they were voluntarily selling
  Not corrupt? What do you call a legal system where, for example, banks who trade with terrorist organizations and drug cartels are allowed to pay (huge) penalties instead of people going to jail?
  
  --
  blindly antisocialist = antisocial
12. Re:Oh, Argentina by sdguero · 2014-09-05 04:36 · Score: 1
  
  I think you are talking more about residential housing. Land is pretty cheap to maintain and pay taxes on. I can buy 10 acres in remote parts of San Diego County for $40,000 with access to water and power. If we are talking about retirement savings (i.e. $500k+), that is a relatively cheap entry price and parcels can be bought incrementally. Also, owning land means you can do things like take the family camping/riding/shooting/drinking/etc on your own property. It is also pretty straightfoward to will it to your heirs.
  
  I'm not advocating everybody put 100% of their retirement into real estate, just saying that it is a decent diversification strategy and a bet against dramatic fluctuations on the dollar. And there are some perks to owning real estate that can't be added up with a calculator. There is a reason that most millionaires own a lot of real estate, and it isn't to show off how much money they have. It just makes sense.
13. Re:Oh, Argentina by almitydave · 2014-09-05 05:18 · Score: 1
  
  Huh. "Illiquid" has been a word for more than 300 years. The more you know!
  
  --
  my, your, his/her/its, our, your, their
  I'm, you're, he's/she's/it's, we're, you're, they're
14. Re:Oh, Argentina by lgw · 2014-09-05 06:15 · Score: 1
  
  I 100% expect Social Security to stop being useful about the time I get it, entirely thanks to the ongoing lying about CPI being escalated as inflation rises. I'd be surprised if we actually see hyperinflation, but 10% inflation with a 7% official inflation for 5-7 years would fix a great many of the governments financial woes (or delay them longer than the typical time a politician stays in office), and so I fully expect that. I'm saving not just for my own retirement, but to help carry my parents when their Social Security checks become so much paper.
  Never invest in a financial firm - liars and cheats the lot of them (I say this, but somehow I still trust Buffett - feel free to point and laugh if BRK collapses) . But the majority of publically held corporations actually do useful things unrelated to money manipulation. People will still want pizza delivered, uniforms washed, a new refrigerator, HVAC repair and on and on. A rough couple of years? Definitely - especially as you point out with contracts (OTOH, mortgages become free) - but not societal collapse.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
15. Re:Oh, Argentina by mysidia · 2014-09-05 10:23 · Score: 1
  
  Never invest in a financial firm - liars and cheats the lot of them (I say this, but somehow I still trust Buffett - feel free to point and laugh if BRK collapses)
  Considering I moved 80% of my investments into BRK shares back in Dec 2008 and still fully invested today; I'm afraid, I wouldn't be laughing about such circumstance..
  People will still want pizza delivered, uniforms washed, a new refrigerator, HVAC repair and on and on. A rough couple of years? Definitely
  A rough couple years might be the understatement of the century. It's true people will still want pizza delivered, but this doesn't give you any insight into what might happen to Big Pizza company X.
  If you think the problem child is just financials, then maybe it makes sense to buy sector funds and omit ones that cover financials, BUT a problem with that idea ---- the sector funds themselves are financials, and in fact..... your very broker is a financial, unless you insist on your shares being certificated and taken out of street name and taken out of your broker's control after you buy it, you could still lose all your investment really easily due to your broker's insolvency, fund's insolvency, or option writer's insolvency, even if the underlying company you made a bet on ultimately thrives.
16. Re:Oh, Argentina by lgw · 2014-09-06 04:28 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not so pessimistic. Not a big investor in bunker futures myself. It's like the debate over owning GLD (the ETF in theory backed by gold) vs owning physical gold. Yes, all the risks you highlight are real, but so is the risk of simply being robbed. I think the latter is a much greater risk, though a bit of hedging never hurts.
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
17. Re:Oh, Argentina by strikethree · 2014-09-08 17:20 · Score: 1
  
  FWIW, the US DoL floated an RFC on 'protecting' retirement accounts by replacing them with bonds a few years ago. Nobody should be undiversified in their retirement savings jurisdictions.
  Back in the very early 80s, the money in Social Security accounts was replaced with bonds. Look how well THAT is turning out. A cash positive program so deeply in the red that I will never see a penny of it. :(
  
  --
  "Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
thats to spendy by lister+king+of+smeg · 2014-09-04 09:09 · Score: 4, Interesting

a 35% tax on all offshore buys using a credit card
With that kind of tariff how long till all out of country purchases are made with bitcoin?

--
---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
1. Re:thats to spendy by SydShamino · 2014-09-04 09:17 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  At that rate, I bet there's a market for Argentinians to mail me cash, which I'll use to establish them a Paypal account. Hell, if Paypal and I both take 10% they still come out on top.
  
  --
  It doesn't hurt to be nice.
2. Re:thats to spendy by stephanruby · 2014-09-04 09:28 · Score: 1
  
  That's assuming the mail doesn't get opened and the cash doesn't get confiscated before it gets to you.
3. Re:thats to spendy by bobbied · 2014-09-04 09:30 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  At that rate, I bet there's a market for Argentinians to mail me cash, which I'll use to establish them a Paypal account. Hell, if Paypal and I both take 10% they still come out on top.
  Well, that would be great, if they could send you cash. If you want to take Argentina's currency, you are a fool, and if you require dollars, they cannot legally get them to send to you. If they could, they'd all be out moving all their local currency into dollars already.
  
  --
  "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
4. Re:thats to spendy by terbeaux · 2014-09-04 09:42 · Score: 2
  
  The country is under reporting inflation. Some peg it at 30%. The best way to hedge against inflation is to borrow a lot the currency that is devaluing and then purchasing something that holds its value. Bitcoin fits the bill nicely. Unfortunately, there is a limit on the amount of foreign transactions an Argentine can make. Listings on the Argentine "eBay" are selling BTC in pesos for twice what it is worth in the USA: http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-520567302-bitcoin-btc-la-moneda-del-futuro-_JM This is probably dubious from a legal standpoint but selling mining contracts seems to be popular on the site as well.
5. Re:thats to spendy by bobbied · 2014-09-04 09:52 · Score: 1
  
  You think he's going to take Argentine Pesos? I don't think so.... Pretty soon it's going to cost more to ship it than it's worth.
  
  --
  "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
6. Re:thats to spendy by OzPeter · 2014-09-04 12:18 · Score: 1
  
  If they could, they'd all be out moving all their local currency into dollars already.
  That's what friends who travel internationally are for :D
  
  --
  I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
7. Re:thats to spendy by bobbied · 2014-09-04 12:23 · Score: 1
  
  If they could, they'd all be out moving all their local currency into dollars already.
  That's what friends who travel internationally are for :D
  Don't tell customs any lies when they ask you if you have anything to declare then.. ;)
  
  --
  "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
8. Re:thats to spendy by westlake · 2014-09-04 13:02 · Score: 1
  
  With that kind of tariff how long till all out of country purchases are made with bitcoin?
  No customs stamp, no delivery.
  Bitcoins are a medium of exchange. They do not make your transactions invisible.
9. Re:thats to spendy by SydShamino · 2014-09-04 13:03 · Score: 1
  
  Why would I be a fool to accept their cash? I wouldn't promise a conversion rate until I had it in hand and was at my bank, and if it's worth nothing all I lost was a few minutes of my time (and they're out all their money).
  
  --
  It doesn't hurt to be nice.
10. Re:thats to spendy by mysidia · 2014-09-04 14:25 · Score: 2
  
  No customs stamp, no delivery.
  Not a problem for digital products delivered over the network.
11. Re:thats to spendy by sociocapitalist · 2014-09-04 18:41 · Score: 1
  
  a 35% tax on all offshore buys using a credit card
  With that kind of tariff how long till all out of country purchases are made with bitcoin?
  In which case such purchases would then be considered tax evasion.
  Don't forget that you also need to fund the bitcoin account to start with, which is going to leave traces unless you can fund it out of country to start with, especially with governments going after cash for bitcoin exchangers.
  
  --
  blindly antisocialist = antisocial
12. Re:thats to spendy by mysidia · 2014-09-06 09:59 · Score: 1
  
  How many people are willing to follow copyright law but not import/export laws?
  US-based companies accepting bitcoin payments and sending goods digitally that register only an e-mail address to setup an account --- aren't operating in Argentina and have zero compliance burden with regard to Argentenian import laws.
No llores por mi by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 09:16 · Score: 2, Insightful

Brazil is becoming Argentina
Argentina is becoming Venezuela
Venezuela is becoming Cuba
1. Re:No llores por mi by bobbied · 2014-09-04 09:27 · Score: 2
  
  Cuba is becoming?
  
  --
  "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
2. Re:No llores por mi by Flavianoep · 2014-09-04 09:44 · Score: 2
  
  With all this human rights violations by the police, stagnant wages and salaries, and concentration of riches, I daresay that pretty much that US is becoming Brazil.
  
  Brazil is becoming Argentina
  Argentina is becoming Venezuela
  Venezuela is becoming Cuba
  
  --
  Linux is for people who don't mind RTFM.
3. Re:No llores por mi by deesine · 2014-09-04 10:06 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Cuba? Oh yea, that place with all the old Chevys.
  
  --
  damaged by dogma
4. Re:No llores por mi by rogoshen1 · 2014-09-04 11:45 · Score: 1
  
  The Terry Gilliam version?
5. Re:No llores por mi by Flavianoep · 2014-09-04 12:00 · Score: 1
  
  Perhaps
  
  --
  Linux is for people who don't mind RTFM.
6. Re:No llores por mi by jcfandino · 2014-09-04 17:10 · Score: 1
  
  Not sure about the mechanics, But they have the best doctors.
7. Re:No llores por mi by Totenglocke · 2014-09-05 02:57 · Score: 1
  
  I think they should just officially rename the country from Cuba to Chevy.
  
  --
  "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
IRS Planning the same by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 09:18 · Score: 1

Note that the IRS has recently begun demanding much more information about IRA and 401K holdings, instead of just transactions outside the account. Seizing retirement accounts is being planned, and though it will be sold as taking from the "rich", a whole lot of middle class people are going to find themselves poor and at the mercy of politicians who threaten that the other party is going to take away their handouts.
1. Re:IRS Planning the same by nealric · 2014-09-04 09:23 · Score: 1
  
  I see tricorne tinfoil hats are back in style this season!
2. Re:IRS Planning the same by digsbo · 2014-09-04 10:04 · Score: 2
  
  You see wrong. I have contacts in the financial services industry who believe that a significant partial appropriation through asset conversion to US bonds is unavoidable. When a knowledgeable, successful, financially prudent person who works in financial services forgoes the tax benefits of keeping retirement assets in a qualified account, you should certainly consider there's something to it.
3. Re:IRS Planning the same by roman_mir · 2014-09-04 10:44 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  U.S. Hikes Fee To Renounce Citizenship By 422%
  
  To leave America, you generally must prove 5 years of U.S. tax compliance. If you have a net worth greater than $2 million or average annual net income tax for the 5 previous years of $157,000 or more for 2014 (thatâ(TM)s tax, not income), you pay an exit tax. It is a capital gain tax as if you sold your property when you left. At least thereâ(TM)s an exemption of $680,000 for 2014. Long-term residents giving up a Green Card can be required to pay the tax too.
  Now, the State Department interim rule just raised the fee for renunciation of U.S. citizenship to $2,350 from $450. Critics note that itâ(TM)s more than twenty times the average level in other high-income countries. The State Department says itâ(TM)s about demand on their services and all the extra workload they have to process people who are on their way out.
  You are no longer born a free person, you are born into slavery. You have to buy your freedom and the price will keep going up. At $450 the price was already 4.5 times higher than in most other countries. Now it will be nearly 24 times more than for other countries.
  You should be able to renounce your citizenship and leave for free, instead you are going to be prevented from leaving at all eventually, they'll jack up the price to the share of your national debt that you are born into and that is borrowed on your behalf by your government and only the wealthiest slaves will be able to get out. They will definitely prevent you from leaving eventually if you have any debts at all, including your student debt. The 2350USD change is starting on the 12th of September 2014, you can still get out at a low low price of 450USD.
  Those walls they are building on your borders, they are not there to keep others out, they are there to keep you in. IRS is part of that system.
  
  --
  You can't handle the truth.
4. Re:IRS Planning the same by mysidia · 2014-09-04 14:03 · Score: 1
  
  With the construction of mass incarceration camps; the government is well ahead of you: https://www.youtube.com/playli...
  The war on drugs has already given authorities a great deal of experience with imprisoning massive numbers of people and militarizing local police authorities; no doubt when they make their move, they could also declare martial law simultaneously and reassign control of local law enforcement departments to the military..
5. Re:IRS Planning the same by Qzukk · 2014-09-05 01:49 · Score: 1
  
  Eh, I think it's far more likely they'll de-Roth. Enjoy paying taxes on the after tax money you invested.
  
  --
  If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
6. Re:IRS Planning the same by Totenglocke · 2014-09-05 02:50 · Score: 1
  
  That's why every good retirement plan should also invest in lead. It's the only way to protect your property.
  
  --
  "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
7. Re:IRS Planning the same by Totenglocke · 2014-09-05 02:51 · Score: 1
  
  Are you kidding? Look how much money the government routinely steals from Microsoft / Google and yet they haven't had anyone assassinated.
  
  --
  "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
8. Re:IRS Planning the same by TangoMargarine · 2014-09-05 03:18 · Score: 1
  
  You just go ahead and let us know whether you still feel like a smug bastard when it turns out he's right.
  
  --
  Unity? Screw that: XFCE. Slashdot Beta? Screw that: SoylentNews. Australis? Screw that: Pale Moon. UX developers DIAF
9. Re:IRS Planning the same by nealric · 2014-09-05 04:21 · Score: 1
  
  People like to feel like they have special knowledge, but your "contacts" have none. One person who works in the "financial services industry" (bank teller at Wells Fargo?) is hardly an authority on the subject. Since we doing appeals to authority (a logical fallacy), I will bring my own. Until last year, I worked on Wall Street doing deals with pension funds. If there were any significant risk of an appropriation, none of the deals I worked on could have happened. Your "contact" may have been forgoing a couple grand in tax benefits. My clients were putting Billions (yes, with a B) dollars on the line. Of course, for the conspiracy theorist, any evidence that does not support the conspiracy is only further proof the conspiracy goes deeper.
10. Re:IRS Planning the same by almitydave · 2014-09-05 04:58 · Score: 1
  
  Corporations with deep pockets can write it off as the "cost of doing business", but an unstable individual who was depending on that money being available later to survive may not take it in stride.
  
  --
  my, your, his/her/its, our, your, their
  I'm, you're, he's/she's/it's, we're, you're, they're
11. Re:IRS Planning the same by digsbo · 2014-09-05 05:00 · Score: 1
  
  Who's saying it's a conspiracy with no evidence? They are actively trying to get bills passed to funnel withheld funds into government-controlled accounts. It's not a leap to think means-testing will be applied to "fairly" redistribute money when SS payments can't be made. It's also perfectly logical to see the sequestering of a percentage of my money into a 3% return as theft considering the substantial inflation we will hit.
  Further, I'm talking about portfolio managers here, not flunkies.
12. Re:IRS Planning the same by almitydave · 2014-09-05 05:04 · Score: 1
  
  Well, I work at Morningstar, and I haven't heard anyone talk about the risk of government seizing retirement accounts, so GP is wrong.
  (I'm going for the ultimate logical fallacy hat trick here: appeal to authority of the anecdotal strawman).
  
  --
  my, your, his/her/its, our, your, their
  I'm, you're, he's/she's/it's, we're, you're, they're
13. Re:IRS Planning the same by rhodium_mir · 2014-09-07 15:09 · Score: 1
  
  Idiot, the price to renounce citizenship should be whatever the market will bear.
  
  --
  You can't spell "oneiromancy" without "roman".
14. Re:IRS Planning the same by Reziac · 2014-09-09 05:15 · Score: 1
  
  I recall something I once read about the old Soviet Union:
  Anyone was free to leave at any time -- provided they paid the exit tax, which was around a million dollars (which in the 1950s/60s was still a LOT of money).
  A few years ago someone tried to get a similar measure on California's ballot as a voter initiative. Their proposal would have imposed a 50% exit tax, as well as a one-time tax on real property over a certain value of 50% of that value. They got as far as the last step before being approved for the ballot, which I guess goes to show the political climate in California.
  
  --
  ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
No llores por mi by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 09:29 · Score: 1

Yep, that is pretty much what is going on.
And all with comu--, I mean, socialists in all spheres of power.
here's some first hand info by turkeydance · 2014-09-04 09:29 · Score: 1

it's a blog, but he supposedly went through it: http://ferfal.blogspot.com/sea... to answer the above...Argentina already has capital controls. credit cards, foreign money, all that.
Re:Don't cry for me by bobbied · 2014-09-04 09:39 · Score: 1, Troll

First she"s dead, then she's alive, finally she's dead again. Who? Eva Parone in the musical Evita.
So goes Argentina.
History repeats, over and over.... Peronism didn't work in the 50's and 60's, it's successor won't work now and the results will be the same as before.

--
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
35% is high, yes, but ... by pz · 2014-09-04 10:08 · Score: 1

The standard sales tax (VAT) in Greece is currently 23% for most things. (It varies, but that's the most common.) That's on top of the punishing property taxes, income taxes, taxes because you left your money sitting in a bank, taxes because it's Monday, etc. I jest, but only a little.
For those of you living in the US, can you imagine 23% states sales tax on essentially everything?
Argentina has instituted what amounts to a 35% import duty. Yes, that's a lot, but most things are purchased domestically.

--

Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
1. Re:35% is high, yes, but ... by xvan · 2014-09-04 17:38 · Score: 1
  
  Argentina has instituted what amounts to a 35% import duty. Yes, that's a lot, but most things are purchased domestically.
  Argentina has an import duty over the VAT... So that's + 21% +35%. That's been like that since I can remember.
  
  To make the math easier for you, customs set a unique 50% tax on imports to local market. And that's only over the goods.
  You still have to pay if you need to send money out of the country via a wire transfer.
  
  For some reason CCs were exempt from this, now another 35% tax was set, deducible from your income tax... But as anywhere else, almost all Argentinians fake their income declarations, so they can't justify their foreign expenses and never get the reimbursement.
2. Re:35% is high, yes, but ... by mjwx · 2014-09-04 20:26 · Score: 2
  
  The standard sales tax (VAT) in Greece is currently 23% for most things. (It varies, but that's the most common.) That's on top of the punishing property taxes, income taxes, taxes because you left your money sitting in a bank, taxes because it's Monday, etc. I jest, but only a little.
  The thing with Greece is not the high tax rates, it's the high rate of tax evasion. They'd probably need half the tax rates they currently have if every person and corporation paid taxes... but you'd need to get rid of the government graft too... erm... good luck with that.
  
  So I'm not sure if Greece is a good comparison to Argentina, I know they have the govt corruption but what's the tax evasion like?
  
  --
  Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
35% Tax is not a tax by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 10:09 · Score: 3, Informative

35% Tax is a prepayment of income tax ("Impuesto a las ganancias") So, my credit card charges me that 35%, but then my employer discounts that from my income taxes. It is a stupid system, but not a new tax.
As for the 3%. All companies offering services here have to pay gross income taxes. Otherwise, every foreign company can come here, make profit and take it all to their home countries, leaving nothing for us. The netflix tax is tottaly fair.
1. Re:35% Tax is not a tax by mspohr · 2014-09-04 10:38 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Thanks for explaining the 35% fee is actually prepayment of income tax.
  This is probably useful for getting some income tax from people who buy stuff but somehow manage to declare no income.
  
  --
  I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
2. Re:35% Tax is not a tax by jratcliffe · 2014-09-05 01:38 · Score: 1
  
  Otherwise, every foreign company can come here, make profit and take it all to their home countries, leaving nothing for us.
  
  Leaving nothing, but, oh, the product or service that an Argentine wanted and paid for.
Tropico 5 by TechyImmigrant · 2014-09-04 10:17 · Score: 1

I was playing Tropico 5 last night.
Coincidence? Inquiring minds want to know.

--
I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
Sad by Nicopa · 2014-09-04 11:51 · Score: 5, Insightful
I'm form Argentina and it saddens me that this post comments will fall among these categories:
- Peple saying "don't cry for me XXX".
- Argentines explaining that Argentina is the worst country, worse than the worst.
- Uninformed right-wing people talking about Cuba, communism.
Even the summary is wrong! That 35% is not a tax, just a pre-payment of the income tax that you can recover.
All hope is lost.
1. Re:Sad by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 14:14 · Score: 1
  
  income tax that you can recover? Why should people need to "recover" this income tax that they should have never paid in the first place? Your comment looks like the statement "everyone can buy dollars at the official rate". Please realize that the perception people have from their everyday living is more realistic than your official view, which probably just means that you belong to the top class and their golden bubble. Send my regards to Cristina, but don't try to brainwash me. Argentina is not the place to be unless you belong to the top class.
2. Re:Sad by dj245 · 2014-09-04 23:47 · Score: 1
  I'm form Argentina and it saddens me that this post comments will fall among these categories:
  
  Peple saying "don't cry for me XXX".
  Argentines explaining that Argentina is the worst country, worse than the worst.
  Uninformed right-wing people talking about Cuba, communism.
  Even the summary is wrong! That 35% is not a tax, just a pre-payment of the income tax that you can recover.
  All hope is lost.
  We are all indoctrinated in certain things, and those beliefs hang onto people like a religion. The notion that "my" country is the best country in the world, and all other countries are inferior in every way, is a hard one to shake. I saw it clearly on my trip to North Korea- although some people there are just playing along, a lot of people there really believe that their nation is the best on earth. It was like looking in a funhouse mirror at the people who chant "USA USA USA". People have to keep inventing reasons to keep believing their indoctrinations. Any evidence supporting their pre-existing beliefs is held up as fact, and any evidence which doesn't agree with their preconceptions is tossed aside as propaganda, fiction, lies, etc. I have seen this with people all over the world. It sucks to be on the losing end of this kind of attitude however.
  --
  Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
3. Re:Sad by tompaulco · 2014-09-05 04:21 · Score: 1
  
  This is the same as the United States. You pay your withholding tax and you get some of it back from as little as two months to as many as 18 months later. On average, you could call it 9 months. So you pay your $100 now, and later you get back your $100, which is now only worth $97.50 if you use the governments inflation numbers, or about $80 if you use actual cost of living numbers. In the case of Argentina, they take your $100 now and give it back when it is worth about $80 according to the official numbers, so it is probably worth far less in actuality.
  
  --
  If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
Debt or tax by manu0601 · 2014-09-04 13:50 · Score: 1

People cannot at the same time complain about debt and taxes. Debt is there because there is not enough taxes.
Of course the big question is who should be taxed. Someone reminds me what was the higher rate for income tax under Roosevelt?
1. Re:Debt or tax by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 16:12 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  People cannot at the same time complain about debt and taxes. Debt is there because there is not enough taxes.
  So lowering the spending is not an option?
2. Re:Debt or tax by Xest · 2014-09-04 23:18 · Score: 1
  
  No, debt is there because there's too much spending.
  You can reduce debt and taxes by reducing spending if you so desire.
3. Re:Debt or tax by manu0601 · 2014-09-05 13:42 · Score: 1
  
  Lowering public expenses harms the economy and is increases public debt most of the time.
  For one USD of public expense, there is more than one USD of GDP generated. It works the other way around, and if you lower public expenses, you lower the GDP. This means there is even less public income through income taxes or VAT.
  With reduced expenses, but even more reduced income, the deficit increases, you have to increase debt.
  This is exactly what is going on in EU with austerity policies right now.
Would You Like To Know More? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-04 14:30 · Score: 1

"The only good bug is a taxed bug!"
- Rand M. Person
Today the bugs of Klendathu made their latest attack, this time a wave of new taxes on the poor innocent people of Buenos Ares. 98% of the population is presumed taxed at this point, but reports are still coming in of survivors being found amidst the wreckage and debris of this once beautiful economic destination.
What can you do to help?
Everyone has their part to play. Whether you send files via digital lockers to those in need, or simply share links with those poor souls in search of the latest Federation entertainment and news, every bit counts. Help today is another step on the road to ending the Bug menace for good.
The best way to help is to Enlist! Now more than ever the brave men and women of the Federation need YOU. And remember, enlistment means Citizenship.
Would You Like To Know More?
They won't be crying by fyngyrz · 2014-09-04 14:48 · Score: 1

This is a smart move -- they won't see nearly as much of other countries undercutting their markets -- preventing the loss of domestic jobs and the outflow of non-government funds that US policies, for instance, have resulted in.
Kind of funny to see people complaining about them trying to protect their economy.
Guess I need to run wham-a-lart and buy some more inexpensive Japanese, Chinese and Korean stuff now. See you guys later.

--
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
1. Re:They won't be crying by Xest · 2014-09-04 23:23 · Score: 2
  
  Yeah because protectionism is well known to be a great way to grow your economy.
  I'll give you a hint- if you stop your people buying from everyone else, they stop their people buying from you. Then who the fuck do you expect to sell anything to to grow your economy? Unless you can become entirely self-sustaining at that point you're screwed, exactly as Argentina currently is.
2. Re:They won't be crying by slimshady76 · 2014-09-05 00:35 · Score: 1
  
  Well, we still have a strong IT community and selling our talent to the developed countries has been an accountable source of income for the past decade. Even when we are more expensive than the Indian guys, we have a better focus and share more culture with the western countries. Let's put it this way: we don't own the dollar-printing machine, so we have to treasure every buck we earn. It's not like we could go spending it in cheap crap. T Oh, and let me point something else: all the market concentration you guys are seeing in your first-world countries, all the budget cuts in the name of the Holy Dividends, all the tax exemptions for the richer segment of the populace... All those things were rehearsed down here 30 years ago. We were just the test-tube cases, and now it's time for the deploy in Production ;-). Genius after genius came down here from Harvard, Yale... you name it, with the same recipe: the Government should nationalize the external debt of the richer guys, since "it's for the country's sake". Obama just did the same six years ago, and that MoFo of Paul Singer has him grabbed by the balls. He owns Detroit, and he's making every single 'murican pay him tribute, transferring money from those with lower income to the top of the pyramid. Good luck keeping that very same line of work.
3. Re:They won't be crying by Squidlips · 2014-09-05 01:06 · Score: 1
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P...
4. Re:They won't be crying by slimshady76 · 2014-09-05 03:19 · Score: 1
  
  Actual facts are better than Wikipedia. In fact, that page about the Singer scum looks edited and payed by Singer himself. It doesn't point out the gang move he took on Detroit after the 2008 financial crash or how he pushed many other countries with his sovereign debt buyouts. Go read a bit around and then come back and we could discuss this a bit further. Just another sample of the republican scum most of the fools like to adore in the US. They don't understand one simple fact: most of the Republican supporters aren't rich, and will never be rich. But they still think if they act like the rich guys, support the rich guys, and undermine those of their same kind, some day in the distant future the rich guys are going to let them into their private garden of Eden. Well, they won't. And you will still continue to get poorer and poorer in time, even when you can have two cars and a 60" 4KHDTV.
Like most stupid taxes... by Karmashock · 2014-09-04 23:32 · Score: 1

its not enforceable. A lot of these little ticky tacky taxes are very easy to bypass and it is effectively impossible to impose them if people are being sneaky about it.
For example, you create a paypal account or something, transfer some money into it, and you can probably convince netflix you're not from some region where they have to charge you that tax. The taxes are always collected by the retailer. So if you confuse them into thinking you're from somewhere else they'll not charge the tax.
I use methods like this to not pay California's state sales tax which is 10 percent.
On all large purchases, I buy from out of state and try to bounce the purchase through two retailers if the first one is going to charge me the state sales tax. I buy stuff this way all the time and almost never pay the state sales tax.
here someone is going to call me a bad person... whatever. Lower the tax and I won't be motivated to play these games.
This is what happens when you raise taxes too high. And you find this sort of behavior in all places where the tax is raised too high. Look at New York... they now have a black market for cigarettes because they raised the taxes so high for them that people can make money driving to New Hampshire, buying a load of cigarettes, and then selling them in New York at a fraction of the local price AND make a profit.
Those of you that love high taxes should really learn from this... if you raise them too high then smart people won't pay the taxes. Then you'll just be taxing idiots.
Keep the taxes reasonable and people will pay them. Be an asshole about it and get nothing.

--
I've decided to stop wasting my time responding to AC trolls/sockpuppets... so if you want a response from me... login.
1. Re:Like most stupid taxes... by jratcliffe · 2014-09-05 01:42 · Score: 1
  
  I use methods like this to not pay California's state sales tax which is 10 percent.
  On all large purchases, I buy from out of state and try to bounce the purchase through two retailers if the first one is going to charge me the state sales tax. I buy stuff this way all the time and almost never pay the state sales tax.
  here someone is going to call me a bad person... whatever. Lower the tax and I won't be motivated to play these games.
  
  So, if the CA sales tax were lower, you'd pay it? What rate would be appropriate? If you're honest, then you'd pay that rate through a voluntary contribution to the state of California every year. If you aren't doing that, then your argument about "I don't mind paying taxes, but only if they're at a rate I think appropriate" just falls apart.
2. Re:Like most stupid taxes... by Karmashock · 2014-09-05 02:32 · Score: 1
  
  I just said I'd pay it if it were reasonable.
  As to being honest, you're using the power of the state to compel me to give up my money. I see no obligation to be honest with you under those circumstances.
  Why do I have to be honest with someone that is coercing me to give up my money?
  Now you can say that there have to be taxes and they have to be coercive. Fine. But don't exploit that situation.
  As to democracy and republics and votes... I didn't get a vote on any of this and you know damn well that if a tax increase were just on the ballot it typically wouldn't pass. This is especially true if EVERYONE is paying the tax.
  People complain about this all the time... that if taxes are put on ballots that they're generally voted down. If most of the standing taxes were put up to a vote and it was understood that all taxes would apply to all voters then very few of the taxes would pass vote.
  They only pass vote because our representatives enact the taxes without giving us any say in the matter. Sure, we can decide which people to represent us but you know how screwed up our political system is... its all red team versus blue team. And both of them are very tax happy because more taxes let them do more stuff.
  but the more taxes they charge the less stuff WE can do ourselves. US tax revenue is at record levels despite the US economy doing very poorly. That should tell you all you need to know. A poor US economy should result in poor US tax revenues. But they don't because they just raise taxes.
  And that's fine... raise them too much and people stop paying them. You think I'm the worst? Hardly. Warren Buffet is probably the biggest genius at not paying taxes. I could go into his methods if you like. But he basically pays about 5 percent taxes and breaks no laws. Its complete genius.
  And you see the same thing in europe... Very few people actually pay those taxes. First the big taxes really only apply to the rich and the rich have ways to not paying them. So its all a big game and the only losers are the people that make enough money to pay the taxes but aren't clever enough to avoid them.
  That's all this is and all it will ever be.
  
  --
  I've decided to stop wasting my time responding to AC trolls/sockpuppets... so if you want a response from me... login.
3. Re:Like most stupid taxes... by jratcliffe · 2014-09-05 03:17 · Score: 1
  
  Wow, you're almost as good at evading a question as you are at raising your taxes.
  How about this, then? California puts a measure on the ballot to set the state sales tax level. It's multiple choice. Your choices are below. Which one do you vote for? Remember, your complaint about taxes was that you don't get to vote on them, so now you're getting to vote on them. Choose.
  A 0%
  B 1%
  C 2%
  D 3%
  E 4%
  F 5%
  G 6%
  H 7%
  I 8%
  J 9%
  K 10%
4. Re:Like most stupid taxes... by jratcliffe · 2014-09-05 03:21 · Score: 1
  
  "You think I'm the worst? Hardly. Warren Buffet is probably the biggest genius at not paying taxes. I could go into his methods if you like. But he basically pays about 5 percent taxes and breaks no laws."
  Yup, he breaks no laws. Unlike you.
5. Re:Like most stupid taxes... by Karmashock · 2014-09-06 00:38 · Score: 1
  
  That isn't how the political system works.
  This is the option you get:
  Vote for measure 15A
  Yes
  No
  15A was advertised as the "Educated our children, save fluffy white bunnies, and have nice parks" bill.
  So people like educating children, saving fluffy white bunnies, and having nice parks. So they vote yes.
  Never mind that they just authorized a tax increase.
  Never that there was plenty of money to educate children, save whatever, and have nice parks in the budget already.
  Never mind that what they almost always do is take that extra money and spend it on something completely different.
  Never mind that often the taxes focus on segment of the population avoiding the others so that they can get a majority to vote on what a minority will be taxed.
  Never mind that often the "rewards" for voting yes tend to offer subsidies, entitlements, or other assorted bribes to a majority to bribe them into saying yes.
  Going on and on.
  So here is the answer. Again. Raise the taxes too high and I won't pay them. I also won't break the law.
  Consider again old Warren Buffet. The man is a multi billionaire but his tax returns look like what a millionaire would pay.
  How does he do that?
  1. He buys stocks and companies to own. If he doesn't sell his stocks and assets he incurs no Capital Gains Tax.
  2. He uses these assets to backstop low interest loans. The loans cost less to maintain then would the taxes if he bought and sold those stocks. So its cheaper for him to borrow against the value of his assets then it is for him to buy and sell them thus incurring capital gains taxes.
  3. He owns an insurance company and does a lot of trading within the insurance company. Insurance companies pay no capital gains taxes for their own trading. Getting the money into and out of the insurance company to exploit this zone of no capital gains taxes is complicated but not hard.
  4. He owns several charities which he can use to declare a lot of things he does such as fancy parties, social functions, etc as charitable expenses which makes many things he does Tax Deductible.
  etc.
  it goes on and on and on... with the result that he pays a very low tax rate. I am no where near as successful at this as he is... but if you annoy me with a high tax, then I'm going to find a way not to pay it.
  End of story. The government has neither the ability nor the inclination to come after me or the millions of people like me. So the taxes then become stupidity taxes... taxes paid for being stupid.
  
  --
  I've decided to stop wasting my time responding to AC trolls/sockpuppets... so if you want a response from me... login.
The Dog ate my homework! by DarthVain · 2014-09-05 01:56 · Score: 1

My favorite was when their National Bank burned to the ground by accident recently... supposedly.
My first thought was, um that isn't going to erase your debt you know, that is held by other banks...
Re:About 35% by Totenglocke · 2014-09-05 03:00 · Score: 1

It's wrong for Netflix to sell a digital service to Argentinians without having to pay the Argentinian government? Your logic does not resemble our Earth-logic.

--
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson