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
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L ISA L OVING
News Editor
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Multimedia Editor
P ATRICIA I RVIN
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M ONICA J. F OSTER
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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-
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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?
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