Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis ("Times change, and we change with them").

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Googling the Wealthy: By the Numbers

Let's do the numbers: 

First, Google employees and affiliates were among Barack Obama's top donors in the 2012 election, contributing  $357,382 to re-elect the president.




Source: "Microsoft, Google Folks are Top Sources for Obama Funds" (CNET). 


Second, according to Bloomberg Business WeekGoogle (the company) "avoided about $2 billion in worldwide income taxes in 2011 by shifting $9.8 billion in revenues into a Bermuda shell company, almost double the total from three years before, filings show. By legally funneling profits from overseas subsidiaries into Bermuda, which doesn’t have a corporate income tax, Google cut its overall tax rate almost in half. The amount moved to Bermuda is equivalent to about 80 percent of Google’s total pretax profit in 2011." 


Source"Google Revenues Sheltered in No-Tax Bermuda Soar to $10 Billion" (Bloomberg Business Week).


Third, as a reminder, let's not forget Jim Senegal, CEO of Costco (who I blogged about in November), who is saving his shareholders millions in taxes by hurrying through a special dividend payment before Obama's higher tax rates kick in. 


Fourth, while we're on the subject of tax-dodging Democrat millionnaires, let's not forget the
left-leaning, Obama-endorsing Washington Post, who "will pay its 2013 dividends before the end of this year to try to spare investors from anticipated tax increases." 

Fifth, staying on that same subject (to wit: vociferous advocates, etc.), shall we include in this list one of the beneficiaries of the Post's early payout from the Post, none other than Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway firm stands to benefit from the Post's actions: "Berkshire Hathaway [is] the largest shareholder with an estimated 1.7 million shares, which means it could get a roughly $17 million dividend payment").


Source: "Washington Post Co. to Pay 2013 Dividend Early Ahead of Potential Tax Changes," (Associated Press, December 7, 2012).


There's not much more to say here: the numbers speak for themselves. One can only conclude that: 


a. Apparently über-wealthy Democrats do not actually want to share their wealth, which is why they're at the top of their class when it comes to sheltering their income from Uncle Sam. So much for compassionate liberalism. 


b. Democrats (writ large) are cynical, hypocritical liars. 


Not only do I no longer believe a word Democrats say, I find it difficult to respect people who continue to support this duplicitous president and his despicable agenda.  











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