Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act -- Why aren't we pushing this?

[OneGrassRoot]

This bill was introduced in 2007, co-sponsored by Obama, Carl Levin, and Republican, Norm Coleman.

This is a basic issue of fairness and integrity," Obama said when the bill was introduced. "We need to crack down on individuals and businesses that abuse our tax laws so that those who work hard and play by the rules aren’t disadvantaged." Levin added that:

"In effect, tax havens sell secrecy to attract clients to their shores. They peddle secrecy the way other countries advertise high quality services. That secrecy is used to cloak tax evasion and other misconduct, and it is that offshore secrecy that is targeted in our bill."

It seems that it's been introduced each year but gets tabled and doesn't move forward.

Why don't we really push for this now? If corporations contributed their fair share, cutting so many vital social services wouldn't be up for discussion (then again, with Republicans, it probably would). We desperately need to contrast the corporate welfare and abuse with the conditions of poverty and homelessness so many of our citizens are enduring, and have endured far too long, with more and more experiencing extremely dire conditions.

Tapping into the "power of the people" movement finally taking place, this focus would seem to be a natural evolution:

1. Demand that corporations pay their fair share as taxpayers.

2. Repeal tax cuts for the wealthy.

3. Demand that no cuts (like LIHEAP) are passed.


I know we talk about these specific issues all the time, and there is always procedural red tape that makes everything seem daunting, but do you feel the conditions are better now to actually gain traction regarding these issues -- including reversing the tax cuts for the wealthy -- given the fact that We the People are standing up around the country?

Does anyone have any recent information about this Tax Haven bill? Here are a few links I found with a cursory search. I can't find any evidence that it was introduced again after 2009.

http://taxjustice.blogspot.com/2008/11/obama-and-stop-tax-haven-abuse-act.html

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2009/03/senators-introduce.html


:)

[Overseas]

1. K&R! Yes Please! //nt

[WatsonT]

2. Because we'd rather argue about cutting taxes or raising taxes

and the people who utilize these tax-havens know that if taxes are raised they won't be affected, so they'd prefer to keep the debate on that subject rather than on closing loopholes.

[chill_wind]

3. K & R.

[Little Star]

4. Good question!

[OneGrassRoot]

5. For those who haven't seen them yet, check out: www.usuncut.org/

http://www.usuncut.org

I don't know that they're focused on this Stop Tax Haven Abuse bill (though I've written to ask), but they are making noise about corporate tax dodgers.

:thumbsup:

[ClassWarrior]

7. +1

NGU.

[mmonk]

6. We should.

Measures to control it inevitably fail due to the greed in Washington and the fact the mainstream broadcast media stays generally quiet about it. However, we should push it and never give up.