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United States Businesses

Trump Says US To Hit France With 'Substantial' Action For Digital Tax (reuters.com) 297

President Donald Trump said today the U.S. would hit France shortly with a "substantial reciprocal action" after Paris announced a tax aimed at U.S. technology companies. He said: "If anybody taxes them, it should be their home country, the USA. We will announce a substantial reciprocal action on Macron's foolishness shortly," Trump tweeted, referring to French President Emmanuel Macron. "I've always said American wine is better than French wine!"
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Trump Says US To Hit France With 'Substantial' Action For Digital Tax

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  • by wolfie_cr ( 779921 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @03:44PM (#58993574) Homepage
    he said he knows a lot about hacking....well he knows also the most about wines......astronomy, differential equations, how to fix a fridge......and so on :) Trump is like an annoying version of Doctor Smith.........except that he is POTUS ofc
    • His comment about wines is merely another Presidential advertisement:

      https://www.trumpwinery.com/ [trumpwinery.com]

      Gotta keep the emoluments coming folks.
      • He's actually right for once. I'm not a wine person, but even to me, Californian wine is much better than French wine I tried, especially when comparing same price range. And both fall to a bunch of eastern Europe countries.

        ("Californian" as it appears no other state ships wine to Poland...)

  • I mean, for a guy who's the leader of the free world but somehow finds the time to sit on his ass all day watching Fox News, tweeting about rap stars, and shoveling Big Macs and Diet Cokes down this throat.

    Asking for a friend...
  • Oh, yeah (Score:5, Funny)

    by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @03:47PM (#58993602)

    "I've always said American wine is better than French wine!"

    If there's one thing we cab all agree on regarding Trump, it's that he's so obviously cultured and a great connoisseur of fine cuisine.

    • by gweihir ( 88907 )

      Indeed. And he eats steak the only way it is supposed to be eaten, namely "well done"! Truly a beacon of style and good taste. I also hear he is scrupulously honest at Golf.

      • I thought his favorite beef came from McDonald's.
      • by gtall ( 79522 )

        It gets better, some woman who is a Prosperity Preacher is his "spiritual advisor". She was one of those who declare G-d wants you to give a seed of $1000 and that G-d will reward you....but He doesn't dole out favors for money...well, He wouldn't seeing as He isn't the one collecting.

        I wonder if the Grifter in Chief forked over his $1000. I'm guessing he knows a scam when he see one, peering first hard at it to be sure it isn't one of his.

        • by gweihir ( 88907 )

          WTF is a "prosperity preacher"? My apologies, but we Europeans are a bit behind on derangement, and we do not seem to have those.

          • My apologies, but we Europeans are a bit behind on derangement, and we do not seem to have those.

            I understand that homeopathy is quite popular in France, at least. It would seem Americans don't have an exclusive silly beliefs.

            (Not that I disagree on the absurdity of "health and wealth" preachers)

          • Re:Oh, yeah (Score:5, Insightful)

            by ClickOnThis ( 137803 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @06:06PM (#58994448) Journal

            WTF is a "prosperity preacher"? My apologies, but we Europeans are a bit behind on derangement, and we do not seem to have those.

            Someone who espouses prosperity theology. [wikipedia.org]

            Rough definition: give money to God, and you will get it back tenfold. But God doesn't have a bank account, so give it to your preacher instead.

            • by q_e_t ( 5104099 )
              My late father-in-law tithed with no expectation of return because he just thought it was the right thing to do.
              • My late father-in-law tithed with no expectation of return because he just thought it was the right thing to do.

                There are good and bad churches. I hope your father-in-law was a member of one of the good ones.

                IMHO, the bad churches abuse and exploit their members, financially and/or psychologically, almost always to the benefit of a small number of people in charge.

            • by gweihir ( 88907 )

              Thanks. That one sounds _very_ American. Gave me a good laugh.

          • by jythie ( 914043 )
            Beyond the 'give money to god and god will give you money, but since I am god's representative give it to me' theology, they are also big on 'being wealthy proves god approves of you, unless you got money the wrong way like being jewish or the liberals helped you'. It is a very ethnocentric theology, with rather stark thoughts on who should have wealth and who should not.
    • Re:Oh, yeah (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Waffle Iron ( 339739 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @04:02PM (#58993730)

      Given that he's supposed to be a teetotaler, his knowledge of wine is undoubtedly at about the same level as everything else at which he claims to be an expert.

    • "I've always said American wine is better than French wine!"

      If there's one thing we cab all agree on regarding Trump, it's that he's so obviously cultured and a great connoisseur of fine cuisine.

      Oh, yes. With one bite of a Big Mack he cal tell you down to the hour when the sauce was made, which mixing machine at the McDonalds factory it came from and which side of what mountain the cows the milk came from ate their grass and the spices in the sauce grew.

    • https://www.grapeswine.com/pro... [grapeswine.com]

      $21.99 per bottle, it seems ....

    • Well, this time he might be correct. As I recall, California wines convincingly beat out French wines multiple times in blind taste tests (on both continents), both fresh and matured. CA has a better climate than France for the types of wine most folks like.
      • by jrumney ( 197329 )
        Many New World wines beat out French wines in blind taste tests. The main reasons being that they are not held back by local restrictions that keep the blends, production process and bottling traditional, so they are able to use more modern processes that lead to a more consistent end product, in bottles that are better sealed against oxidation. But a good French wine is still outstandingly good.
    • Well, there is this, then...

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

          Although the results could be interpreted to mean that wine tasters are just imagining they can tell the difference.

    • by shanen ( 462549 )

      The NHK story (international news in Japan) included video of the #OrangeOxyMoron making a buffoon of himself saying French wines were inferior because they are ugly compared to the American wines, while proclaiming he's never tasted any of them. Does he know what wine is for? He thinks wine is some kind of paint or table accessory to make the glasses look nice? What an incredible clown.

      However the buffoonery of the week has to go to Trump's hour-long speech in front of the fake presidential seal. #Presiden

      • by q_e_t ( 5104099 )

        He thinks wine is some kind of paint or table accessory to make the glasses look nice?

        I've certainly had wine that would have been best as some sort of table accessory before...

  • Home countires?! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Moof123 ( 1292134 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @03:48PM (#58993610)

    Most of these outfits are registered in tax shelters, not in the USA. Not sure why we should EVER lift a finger for a company that is not incorporated here.

    • by Anonymous Coward

      Agreed with this. First, most of these tech companies are turning the world into a dystopian nightmare. Second, they hide their profits offshore by incorporating in tax havens. So there's no moral reason to help them, and every logical reason to tell them to fend for themselves. They're not "technically" American companies for tax reasons, so let them face the socialist vultures across the world. Don't lift a finger to help them. Unless of course they want to come play ball.

      • It is true they play games with shell companies in lower tax areas, but the way to fix that is to fix it, not throw a tax on global profits. That violates the rule that you only tax stuff that happens in your borders, necessary to international harmony.

    • by tomhath ( 637240 )
      All are incorporated in Delaware. Last time I checked that's one of the United States of America
    • Never mind that if this were a French company that was not paying taxes in the US. Trump would be all over that in an instant. Trump is the epitome of a double standard.

  • So in addition to all his other failings, Trump has no taste in wine? That tears it!

    • People wanting to pay MORE for French wine.... vs a cheapo wine will gladly pay more for French wine. Part of paying premium is the status illustrated in the action.

      Even 50% won't make a dent and can easily be offset by the French from the revenue by taxing multinationals wanting to do business in France but that have been lacking the usual physical presence that always existed until the internet. Taxing online has been an ongoing problem.

      As Republican once said off record: "he's a fucking evil Forest Gum

    • Why am I not suprised you've no taste in wine?

      CA wine *is* better than French wine. Majority of varieties beat out their French counterparts in blind taste tests, in America and in Europe, and both before and after aging. CA has a better climate and France has a *ton* of legally enforced traditions (about how the wine must be processed, stored and blended) that result in an inferior product.

      Trump got it right for once. France's protectionism has resulted in an inferior product. All they have is their
  • Wanna bet ? (Score:5, Funny)

    by alexhs ( 877055 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @03:52PM (#58993642) Homepage Journal

    He's going to tax French fries...

    • by TomGreenhaw ( 929233 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @04:09PM (#58993782)
      Ahhh... One of my favorite subjects...

      French Fries - not french
      French Dressing - not french
      French Kissing - not french
      French Toast - not french
      French Press Coffee - not french
      French Horn - not french
      French Cut Green Beans - not french
      French Bulldog - not french
      French Manicure - not french
      French Braid - not french

      These import duties are simply consumption taxes.
  • by Waffle Iron ( 339739 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @03:57PM (#58993678)

    If anybody taxes them, it should be their home country

    So sayeth Captain Tariff.

  • by DogDude ( 805747 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @04:00PM (#58993710)
    We're still paying out the nose for the Chinese tariffs. Donnie Dipshit doesn't understand how tariffs work.
  • by nospam007 ( 722110 ) * on Friday July 26, 2019 @04:00PM (#58993712)

    When the whole EU retaliates.

    • by PolygamousRanchKid ( 1290638 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @04:30PM (#58993906)

      When the whole EU retaliates.

      How is the EU supposed to retaliate . . . ?

      Everything from Californian companies is made in China anyway.

      Take a long look at the fine print on your Californian bottle of wine.

      It states: "Designed and Engineered in Cupertino, California. Produced and bottled in China, from Chinese grapes."

  • As it should (Score:2, Interesting)

    by melted ( 227442 )

    You can't just reach into US pockets anymore and expect that it'll allow that in exchange for "being liked abroad". I like this new position. Domestic wine and cheese industry could always use a boost.

    • I eagerly await your opposing justification for why tariffs are good.

      • by Luckyo ( 1726890 )

        Because you want to have your nation's industry succeed, rather than getting killed by subsidized imports from abroad.

        This rule is applicable to every state on the planet.

        • Re:As it should (Score:4, Insightful)

          by belthize ( 990217 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @06:13PM (#58994474)

          So you're in favor of France's proposed tax ?

          Just trying to determine if you're in favor of tariffs in general or only in the circumstances where you perceive them, with a sufficiently narrow view, as benefiting you.

        • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

          by Anonymous Coward

          Except tariffs are literally a tax on doing business in america paid for by american companies and drive production offshore. A tariff is a tax you pay only if your factories are in the united states.

          Imagine you run a factory in the united states, Your choices are to raise your (already high due to US manufacturing) price by 30% to account for the greater cost of tools/raw materials brought on by the tariff. making you non-competitive on the global market due to charging too much. Or you can just move your

    • You can't just reach into US pockets anymore... [somehow turn that into justification for tariffs, despite tariffs doing exactly that]

      Even when products are manufactured domestically, and they get all of their parts and all of their labor domestically, tariffs still raise prices on those products by reducing competition from foreign sources.

      You say that the domestic cheese industry could use a boost: have you ever wondered why cheese is so much more expensive, and the domestic stuff generally of much poorer quality, in the US compared to Europe? Setting aside the raw milk issue, all foreign cheese is taxed at a minimum of 100%. Some ty

  • by ikhider ( 2837593 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @05:00PM (#58994114)
    If tech companies, especially ones proficient at lawful tax evasion, make a pretty franc off the French, then let them pay tax. It's only fair. Facebook, Apple, Netflix, Google (FANG) eviscerate the news outlets that do pay tax, while they run around tax free. It's time the big billionaires be made to pay. That's pay taxes ANYWHERE they make revenue. They make money off of Zimbabwe, they pay Zimbabwe. They make money off of anywhere, they pay anywhere. Fair is fair. No free ride for billionaires who already get (too many) subsidies. What we have is Socialism, for the rich. Everyone else pay. Nuh-uh. Billionaires must pay too.
  • Sovereignty (Score:4, Insightful)

    by duke_cheetah2003 ( 862933 ) on Friday July 26, 2019 @05:24PM (#58994226) Homepage

    Because only the USA is allowed sovereignty over it's economy and government. Everyone else, bow down to the USA and do what we say, or else the orange baboon will bully you into submission.

    Welcome to Russia 2.0. The Soviet States of America and all that bs. Give me a break. France is our ally. Friends don't do this sort of thing to friends. This is why the orange baboon has no friends.

    Even if France wasn't our ally and friend (which the way were heading, that could become reality in short order!), this is still complete BS. How would Trump like it if other countries starting doing this BS to us over our own decisions regarding our government and economy? He'd be screaming bloody murder and threatening nukes.

    Dump Trump.

  • A trade war thread from Donald Trump! At least Macron found a way to get popular in France.
  • Just raise their taxes and see what happens next.

  • Wait (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Dunbal ( 464142 ) * on Friday July 26, 2019 @08:24PM (#58995076)
    Are these the US technology companies that are actually based in Ireland for tax reasons? If they don't pay US income tax and are not US residents for tax purposes, they're not really US companies are they?
  • but (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Tom ( 822 ) on Saturday July 27, 2019 @03:07AM (#58996164) Homepage Journal

    "If anybody taxes them, it should be their home country, the USA.

    But it doesn't. And that's part of the problem.

    The other part is that they make profits in (insert arbitrary country here) but pay almost no taxes there. And that isn't right. Make business, pay your taxes. Because if you don't, then other people have to do it, namely us.

    What I absolutely don't understand is people defending these companies. Don't you fools get it that every $ of taxes that companies avoid will be paid by you instead? The government is certainly not going to just shrug and do without money. They'll just take it from people who can't fight back with armies of lawyers - you and me.

    Why in all hells would a person with a working brain ever defend corporate tax evasion ?

  • by bradley13 ( 1118935 ) on Saturday July 27, 2019 @03:59AM (#58996214) Homepage

    It's understandable that the US is upset. After all, the US is, by some measures, the biggest tax shelter in the world [indiafintech.com].

    For international businesses playing silly tax games, a simple tax on their turnover makes a lot of sense.

  • I heard there are people in Belgium who hope to convince English speakers around the world to cease to say "French fries" and replace the expression by "Belgian fries". This is maybe their window of opportunity.

    (Yes, there are actually people who bother to claim the paternity of fries)

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