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gmc
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Post by gmc »

Five hours to go: The multi-million pound countdown to the nationalising of a steel works as the French government clashes with Britain's richest man - Europe - World - The Independent

I would have liked it if she used that word ('scandalous') when the owner of this site was transferring a chunk of profits from French sites over our borders, notably to Luxembourg," Budget Minister Jerome Cahuzac said.

Cahuzac said Parisot ignored what he described as the company's unfair winding down of an economically viable site to maximise profit.


What do you think? maybe we shpuld join with the the French and takes steps to prevent companies taking profits abroad and not paying tax on them. Remember we used to have a steel industry? till thatcher sold it all off and it was shut down.
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Snowfire
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Post by Snowfire »

I've always admired the way the French always do what is best for France and don't care who they upset. If France decides it is in their interests to stick two fingers up to EU rules, they do so. It's about time we did much more of it. The problem of tax being avoided on excessive profits and moved around the world is a global one and not something we can do on our own. Millionaires are one thing but multi-billionaires do nothing for the economy but express all that is wrong with the greed

Lakshmi Mittal has a personal wealth of something like 16 billion dollars. Isn't that an obscene amount of money for one man to own ? His methods have been called into question as far as health and safety are concerned (amongst others) So obscene profit outweighs any other consideration. There will always be those that will justify it by lauding his so called philanthropy, which amounts to pretty little as a percentage of his considerable wealth. The average working man probably donates more.
"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."

Winston Churchill
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Accountable
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Post by Accountable »

Snowfire;1411603 wrote: I've always admired the way the French always do what is best for France and don't care who they upset.I'll be Greece think that's what they're doing, as well.

Snowfire;1411603 wrote: If France decides it is in their interests to stick two fingers up to EU rules, they do so. It's about time we did much more of it. The problem of tax being avoided on excessive profits and moved around the world is a global one and not something we can do on our own. Millionaires are one thing but multi-billionaires do nothing for the economy but express all that is wrong with the greedOdd, isn't it? I'm sure that the money stopped being the incentive long, long ago. Too bad we don't have a separate currency for those guys to operate with.

Snowfire;1411603 wrote: Lakshmi Mittal has a personal wealth of something like 16 billion dollars. Isn't that an obscene amount of money for one man to own ? His methods have been called into question as far as health and safety are concerned (amongst others) So obscene profit outweighs any other consideration.I think you have to separate the actions from the money, even though the money motivates this guy's actions. People have done as much bad for far less money.

Snowfire;1411603 wrote: There will always be those that will justify it by lauding his so called philanthropy, which amounts to pretty little as a percentage of his considerable wealth. The average working man probably donates more.It surprises me when people try to poo poo philanthropy this way.
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Snowfire
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Post by Snowfire »

Accountable;1411608 wrote:

It surprises me when people try to poo poo philanthropy this way.


Well, it's only ever called philanthropy when wealthy people do it, as if those of us who are less able to do it, are less altruistic. I know many people of average earnings who give much of their time and effort into improving the lives of others less fortunate.

I'd sooner a man of such astonishing wealth, limit it in the first place rather than trying to seek acceptance by giving a little of it away, usually in a public manner, just to let us all know how generous he has been.

I don't have the answers. I can only raise the questions. We can't surely, always accept there must always and forever, be a growing gap between those that have and those that don't and that it's acceptable for a single person to have more money than he could possibly spend in a lifetime but by giving a handful of it away might make us grudgingly grateful
"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."

Winston Churchill
gmc
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Post by gmc »

It surprises me when people try to poo poo philanthropy this way.




Were I of a religious bent at this point I would refer to the widows mite and what the late but allegedly still alive JC had to say on the matter. Lots of people give to charity they don't all advertise the fact.
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