Saturday, February 24, 2018

Koch Brothers Group Launches Ads Against Tax Breaks for Amazon HQ2


Tax cuts for me but not for thee?

An advertising campaign opposing tax breaks for Amazon's proposed second headquarters has been launched by an advocacy organization linked to the conservative billionaire Koch brothers.

The ad geo-targets the American markets that Amazon is currently considering as a location for HQ2.

“While small businesses and young entrepreneurs struggle,” Generation Opportunity's ad states, “government cuts special deals with Amazon, a corporation that raked in $175 billion last year! Does this look like a company that needs taxpayer cash?” the ad asks.

Tax cuts certainly should be more broad-based but the advocacy should be for more tax cuts not objecting to tax cuts others are getting.

 -RW 

(via Channel9 Denver)

4 comments:

  1. The entire premise of select businesses and individuals getting tax cuts is about who gets them and who doesn't. It's not a question of tax cuts being good or bad, it's a question of who has advantage over who.

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    1. So if an otherwise-sadistic slaveowner decides to spare one of his slaves from being whipped, is that a bad thing?

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    2. Physical punishment is not the proper analogy. This is a 'we don't want nobody nobody sent' issue.

      Let's say there was a fascist nation where there were no taxes on manufacturers but to be a manufacturer you had to have government permission. To get permission requires a long expensive official process which goes no where unless the owner of the manufacturing company knows the right people in political office and has their favor. Is this a good thing because there are no taxes? No it's obviously bad.

      However, this is the condition being aimed for when companies negotiate individually with government how much they will pay in taxes if at all. In some instances companies actually get a slice of the taxes. For example governments will often give a big retailer a slice of the sales tax revenue generated in their store. The idea is that companies that have influence get to do business and thrive those that don't well not so much. And keep in mind this works the same way with permits, environmental studies, and much much more.

      It is this way the USA hides its fascist economic leanings. The effective result is much the same, government decides who can do business in its territory.

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  2. The point is that this gives an advantage to Amazon over competitors. It is government helping to choose winners and losers. Of course, lower taxes for all is better.

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