Tax Reform: Voters don’t seem to like job friendly taxation…

With the rise of culture war politics across the west, what about policy? “Opposition politics is partly an artform…” said Steve Richards. “Policies about what you are doing to do…” retorts John Kay. Well, whichever it is, John FitzGerald thinks Ireland has a problem selling what he sees as job friendly taxes: Colbert, a French finance minister of the late 17th century, said: “The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount …

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#G8 and tax: “In the end, leaders are led…”

This is a rather optimistic and upbeat summation of the ‘achievements’ on Tax at the G8 in Lough Erne from Ben Phillips… In the end, leaders are led, and the power of the people is stronger than the people in power. Can one intergovernmental meeting fix it? No. But after this year of corporate scandal, popular mobilisation, media controversy, shuttle diplomacy, and leaders’ gatherings, no one representing a major government – no one – now says that campaigners’ ultimate aims …

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