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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2014)
Opinion Taxpayers Fund Corporate Tax Avoiders “Challenging People to Shape a Better Future Now” B ERNIE F OSTER Founder/Publisher B OBBIE D ORE F OSTER Executive Editor J ERRY F OSTER Advertising Manager L ISA L OVING News Editor H ELEN S ILVIS Multimedia Editor P ATRICIA I RVIN D AVID K IDD Graphic Designer M ONICA J. F OSTER Seattle Office Coordinator J ULIE K EEFE S USAN F RIED Photographers The Skanner Newspaper, established L ast quarter’s rate of eco- nomic growth is good news, especially after the econo- my stalled, losing momentum in the first quarter of 2014. Many said it was an aberration, caused by bad weather, especially since economic growth in the last half of 2013 was more than 3 percent. On the surface, the economy is, indeed, recovering, not only because of growth rates, but because other indicators (except- ing unemployment) are positive signs. B ENNETT C OLLEGE Julianne Malveaux in 2009 dropped by a third, indi- cating that those at the top have gained more in recovery than those at the bottom. How can the stock market expand so rapidly Some of the stock market gains that have been realized are a function of wages that have not increased Of course, consumer spending explains two-thirds of economic growth. If people don’t put their money into the economy, buying durable goods such as cars and refrigerators and non-durable goods, including, clothing and food, the economy stalls. Yet, while the economy is growing overall, the 99 percent have cap- tured most of the growth. U.S. grew by 209,000 jobs in July, according to a report Friday from the U.S. Labor Department report- ed Friday. Unemployment rate, inched up by a tenth of a point to 6.2 percent. The official unemployment rate while the bottom 99 percent are stuck? Low wages mean high profits. Some of the stock market gains that have been realized are a ed States. Fortune magazine’s Alan Sloan reports that Ireland, Bermuda and Switzerland are the tax havens for the top ten corporate tax- tax avoiders. While these companies hit the road to avoid taxes, they have no hesitation in enjoying the benefits that come from tax pro- tection, and regulation. When these corporations under- pay their workers, we supplement their inadequate wages with gov- ernment-funded income subsidies (food, housing assistance, etc.). When these companies need secu- rities protection, they don’t hesitate to use the Securities and Exchange Commission), also paid for with our taxes. While these corporations operate like foreign corporations for tax purposes, they expect the services of the United States government for their pro- tection. Meanwhile, the leaders of these companies are some of those who While these companies hit the road to avoid taxes, they have no hesitation in enjoying the benefits that come from tax protection, and regulation function of wages that have not increased. Indeed, some corpora- tions have chosen to move their headquarters away from the Unit- argue for lower estate taxes, and lower taxes for the wealthy. Give me a break! These corporations are ripping off United States tax- payers in two ways. First, they don’t pay taxes on the benefits they receive. Secondly, their advo- cacy to cut personal taxes is yet another attack on the tax base. Those in the bottom 80 percent gain little from the Securities Exchange Commission and other financial regulatory agencies. They gain little from the regulato- ry agencies that force corporations to play nice. They’ll pay for these regulatory agencies because they are part of the budget, part of the tax bill. Can we do something about this? Either those corporate desert- ers should be heavily taxed before they go (or their products should be taxed), giving their competitors an advantage because of lower prices. Similarly, the companies who choose to stay in the United States ought to gain a tax benefit for their loyalty. The tax system can be used to level the playing field. Some legislators get it, but too many use the free market excuse to say their hands are tied. Legislation that prevents corpo- rate rip-offs makes sense, but it is likely to be swallowed by the leg- islative gridlock that is a permanent feature of this Con- gress. As long as runaway corporations push their tax burden on the rest of us, economic recov- ery is rushing up instead of trickling down. in October 1975, is a weekly publica- tion, published each Wednesday by IMM Publications Inc., 415 N. Killingsworth St., P.O. Box 5455, Portland, OR 97228. Telephone (503) 285-5555. E-mail: info@theskanner.com World Wide Web site: http://www.theskanner.com Fax: (503) 285-2900 The Skanner is a member of the National Newspaper Pub lishers Associ- ation and West Coast Black Pub lishers Association. All photos submitted become the property of The Skanner. We are not re - spon sible for lost or damaged photos either solicited or unsolicited. © 2014 The Skanner. ALL RIGHTS RE SERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION PROHIBITED. To see The Skanner News on your smart phone go to theskannermobile.com or scan this QR code with your app. • • • • • • • • Local news Opinions Jobs, Bids Sports Entertainment Music reviews Bulletin board RSS feeds Our Refugee Kids, Our Silent Parents L ast Friday I was in heaven. Okay, I overstate. But not a lot. On that exhausted end of anoth- er River City workweek, I was before a Portland State U masters in teaching class. And that — for me and for our 1-in-5 foreign born Portlanders – is heaven. Great reverence we have, for our children’s and our grand children’s educators. We always have. From sending-countries once bullied into the Soviet Union; from Span- ish-speaking communities stretching from the Rio Grande to icy Tierra del Fuego; from Arab- speaking nations that added algebra and astronomy to our classrooms; from vigorous East, West, and Central Africa; from chilly Manchuria to the steamy tip of Indonesia’s 3000-mile archipel- ago: We bring to America this reverence for our kids’ teachers. Sure we do. For those thinking that love’s not enough – we also bring money. Boatloads of it. Latino Oregonians annually add $8.4 billion into our state’s cash registers; Asian con- sumers contribute another $6.1 (Immigration Policy Center, 2012). As a former-immigrant teen, then as a Portland pop, now as an American grandpa, let me tell you how central “back to school” shopping is to Old World core values. To look good, to show proper respect to teachers. No overstatement here. Our children and their educators are Oregon’s future. That Friday afternoon, we began our discussion with how schools Page 2 The Portland and Seattle Skanner August 6, 2014 A CTIVIST L AWYER Ronault LS Catalani might best engage their bashful newcomer moms and dads. But soon enough, conversation went to those Central American parents too terrified to keep their precious kids in their awful neighborhoods. Moreno, chair of the Oregon Com- mission on Hispanic Affairs, “We now need to thank for placing me and you in our role as parents, as capable and kind parents.” Educators always go there. To the colors and cultural complexi- ties of Oregon’s future. Our teachers need to hear that we have their backs – and when they ask, like every New American, I answer by leaning into our stub- born belief in this energetic nation’s ideals. In those roughly 80 sending- We talked about the silence of all parents on all sides of all the borders between these girls’ hometowns and here To kids seeking refuge in River City. We talked about girls as dear as our daughters, and about the ugly men hurting them, with impunity. We talked about the silence of all parents on all sides of all the bor- ders between these girls’ hometowns and here. We talked about how 57,000 refugee chil- dren have now walked up to US border police, and about those overwhelmed officers bussing them from place to place, looking for a quiet moment to examine their broken bones, their broken hearts. We talked about wounded chil- dren who, in the words of Alberto nations mentioned earlier, school kids learn that democracy means working people leading and politi- cal people following. Intoxicated by this ideal, young Egyptians turned angry army tanks away from Tahrir Square. Beijing’s Tianamen Square kids didn’t fare as well. The opposite of publicly- affirmed social ideals, is also true. Everywhere. Their absence sanc- tions political leaders’ disengagement. And that sanctions the crazies and the cruel. The silence of Portland’s muscu- lar civil society organizations, of Oregon’s faith communities, labor unions, and professional associa- tions, on our immigrant nation’s values, needs to end. Absent dads and silent moms won’t do. A generation of silence about what a kind and creative America must do about families fleeing failed states and cruel men, has in fact made the present monster moment possible. Since the days of East Coast native nations, con- scientious settled Americans have affirmed, so that immigrants will reaffirm, another generation of liv- ing ideals. Of course we have. This Friday, at the exhausted end of another River City workweek, our kitchen table of New Ameri- can believers need to hear from our more settled neighbors. Our teachers do too. Indeed, our wob- bly little world needs to know, on the matter of old school American values – we’re still good, right? What do you think? Post your comment on articles in The Skanner News at www.theskanner.com
