Are We Like Europeans or They Us?

[Annie]

At least in the exclusive category:

Power Line - Europe's Politicians Don't Pay Their Taxes, Either

EUROPE'S POLITICIANS DON'T PAY THEIR TAXES, EITHER
Share Post PrintFebruary 22, 2009 Posted by John at 1:47 PM
The European Union's internal audit office investigated cheating on expenses by members of the European Parliament and found it is widespread. The internal audit office wrote a 92-page report to that effect, but kept it secret. Now the report has been leaked and the Telegraph has the details:

Matthew Elliott, the chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Having acquired the report, we felt it was right to publish it so taxpayers across the EU could see the widespread evidence of corruption, dodgy dealing and poor financial controls in the European Parliament. ...

Over five years, each MEP can claim this includes a subsistence allowance of 117,000 Euros, staff allowance of 489,840 Euros, office expenses of 243,120 Euros, travel expenses of 60,000 Euros and an accrued pension of £350,000.

This does not include the MEP salary of £63,291, which is set to increase to £73,584 after the European Parliament elections in June 2009.

There was also widespread failure to comply with tax, company and social security laws. Nearly 80 per cent of transactions that should have been subject to VAT displayed no evidence of either VAT payment or exemption.

In his report, Mr Galvin found that overpayments of parliamentary allowances were common.

I've always thought that corruption among American politicians is much less common than is popularly believed. It does seem, though, that the world's political class, including ours, is becoming increasingly contemptuous of the rule of law.

 

[Toro]

There is a tremendous amount of tax evasion in Europe. Luxembourg's economy is essentially based around tax evasion.

 

[Annie]

There is a tremendous amount of tax evasion in Europe. Luxembourg's economy is essentially based around tax evasion.

So we are mimicking them?

 

[007]

There is a tremendous amount of tax evasion in Europe. Luxembourg's economy is essentially based around tax evasion.

So we are mimicking them?

More and more everyday.

 

[auditor0007]

The higher the tax rates go, the more people will try to evade paying them.

 

[Munin]

Tax evasion & corruption are things that are both older then the countries that we live in, I don't see how it should relate to Nationalities. After all, the vast majority of americans are family of immigrated Europeans.

 

[editec]

Let me tell you how it will be;
There's one for you, nineteen for me.
'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don't take it all.
'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

If you drive a car I'll tax the street;
If you try to sit I'll tax your seat;
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat;
If you take a walk I'll tax your feet.

Taxman!

'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

Don't ask me what I want it for,
If you don't want to pay some more.
'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

Now my advice for those who die,
Declare the pennies on your eyes.
'Cause I'm the taxman,
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

And you're working for no one but me.

Taxman!

Beatles

 

[007]

The higher the tax rates go, the more people will try to evade paying them.

Not only that, our government is very near the same point of socialism as Europe. That's what the liberals want. Womb to tomb government care.

 

[editec]

The higher the tax rates go, the more people will try to evade paying them.

Not only that, our government is very near the same point of socialism as Europe. That's what the liberals want. Womb to tomb government care.

Well all I have to say is that if the government isn't about insuring that our society actually works for the majority of us most of the time, then what the fuck good is it?

 

[xsited1]

The idea Obama and his cronies have of 'raising taxes on the rich' sounds like a wonderful idea, but it never works. As auditor0007 said, when taxes go up, people find ways to evade them. If they can't evade them using loopholes in the country, they'll send their wealth outside the country. (They'll even move operations offshore. Sound familiar?)

It was amusing to hear Joe Biden compare Patriotism to the rich paying more in taxes when high-level members of the Democratic Party don't pay their taxes. However, we all know Joe Biden's primary contribution to the world is comic relief, so nobody really takes him seriously. What's sad, however, is that the big-wigs in the Democratic Party would love to see the United States become a European-type country with all the social programs, unemployment and low productivity. Since the Democrats have the power, this will probably become a reality. Sorry Mr. Franklin, We're All Democrats Now

 

[007]

The higher the tax rates go, the more people will try to evade paying them.

Not only that, our government is very near the same point of socialism as Europe. That's what the liberals want. Womb to tomb government care.

Well all I have to say is that if the government isn't about insuring that our society actually works for the majority of us most of the time, then what the fuck good is it?

I think a better question is, since when did the idea that the government is responsible for taking care of you from womb to tomb come about... who thought it up? Why do you think the government is supposed to? Can you show me in the constitution where it says anything like that?

 

[Old Rocks]

Show me in the Constitution where is says that if the majority of the American People wish to join the rest of the civilized nations and have a universal health care program, that we cannot.

The Constitution is a set of ruled deliniating the powers of government and the right of the individual. It does not limit how, or in what form, that we create social mechanisms for desired goals. Should we decide that all that are capable will be fully supported for the time neccessary for as much education as they are capable of, we can do that also.

 

[Toro]

There is a tremendous amount of tax evasion in Europe. Luxembourg's economy is essentially based around tax evasion.

So we are mimicking them?

There will always be tax evasion. It rises when taxes rise.

But this idea that we won't get more money if we raise taxes is simply false. If that were true, all countries in the world would generate the same amount of relative tax revenue, which of course doesn't happen.

 

[Old Rocks]

SIGN THE PETITION FOR PUBLIC RELEASE OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Sign a petition for the release of George aWol Bush's service records.

 

[Annie]

SIGN THE PETITION FOR PUBLIC RELEASE OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Sign a petition for the release of George aWol Bush's service records.

let it go, too stupid.

 

[oreo]

When unemployment reaches 12% & we're happy about it, then we can declare ourselves a socialist country.

Hey, don't laugh--when France declares a 12% unemployment rate--they're happy about it. That's a great number for them.

 

[Old Rocks]

When unemployment reaches 12% & we're happy about it, then we can declare ourselves a socialist country.

Hey, don't laugh--when France declares a 12% unemployment rate--they're happy about it. That's a great number for them.

Unemployment in this nation is, in reality, at damned near that point. Remember, they don't count you if your benefits have ran out, or if you have just graduated from school and have not had a job on which to draw unemployment.

 

[Gunnen4u]

Indeed they don't.

We're becoming Europeans, b.c they discovered voting away responsibility and gaining handouts and nanny-state care.

Seeing the surface of it, Americans decided this was a wonderful idea as well.

The current makeup of Congress and the Adminstration prove this undisputedly.

All you need to do is look at who did what first to figure who is in the lead.

 

[Harry Dresden]

The higher the tax rates go, the more people will try to evade paying them.

Not only that, our government is very near the same point of socialism as Europe. That's what the liberals want. Womb to tomb government care.

Well all I have to say is that if the government isn't about insuring that our society actually works for the majority of us most of the time, then what the fuck good is it?

so you are saying that YOU rely on the govt to make your life work?....what ever happened to Editec taking care of Editec?.....PEOPLE make society work Edit,not the Government.....

 

[Harry Dresden]

SIGN THE PETITION FOR PUBLIC RELEASE OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Sign a petition for the release of George aWol Bush's service records.

Bush is HISTORY now Rocks.....he no longer matters....his service records mean SQUAT.....and if we got to see them,whats going to happen?.....will it make his legacy any worse than it appears to be now?......