Burger King Dares Obama To Stop It From Fleeing to Canada

[TaunSew]

I'm happy BK is moving to Canada.
It's a scheme that's called competition. Corporations, and a few individuals like me, have changed country because of various advantages like lower taxes. The US has every right to lower its tax burden, or see all its largest corporations and wealthiest individuals move away. This is happening in Europe too, where thousands of French have left their country for Switzerland or the UK.

The advantages of being American are no longer exclusive to being American due to the permeation of American culture and capitalism into global society.   I can move to almost anywhere in the world and find a hamburger & coca cola, supermarkets with electronic doors, suburb homes, automobiles and liberal capitalism (although the political structure in some of these countries can be authoritarian).

What is the United States today?  Most of their major cities have fallen to urban decline and have aged infrastructure going back to the 1960s. 

[Swordsoffreedom]

In my opinion, 20 years ago a lot of companies were fleeing to the USA from Canada to save taxes
The fact that they are now fleeing to Canada to save Taxes from the United States says something about the corporate tax rate over there.
Interestingly enough bring it down and companies will leave raise it up and they will leave as well so its really never a laffer curve
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laffer_curve

Anyways a Tim's fan myself when they sold the company to Wendys and came back intact that was great, I just hope they can do it again.

[TaunSew]

Maybe BK could learn something from Tim Hortons.  Tim Hortons has low price donuts (pretty good ones at that) due to volume of sales and ways they've cut down on costs (like flash freezing).

Problem is cheap fast food is only theoretical as the benchmark cost of a Big Mac is almost $5 in the United States.  If they can bring in $1 burgers that don't suck (and it's offered 365 days of the year) then I'm all for it.
 

[Wilikon]

IN YO' FACE OBAMA!!!!!

[wasserman99]

I'm happy BK is moving to Canada.
It's a scheme that's called competition. Corporations, and a few individuals like me, have changed country because of various advantages like lower taxes. The US has every right to lower its tax burden, or see all its largest corporations and wealthiest individuals move away. This is happening in Europe too, where thousands of French have left their country for Switzerland or the UK.

The fact that corporations have to pay taxes on the income they earn worldwide makes them much less competitive then their global peers. A company based overseas is almost always rewarded for investing money in the US by expanding their US operations, however a US company will be taxes (punished) for bringing their foreign earned money back to the US and investing in the US economy.

[kerafym]

A simple solution is slap a windfall tax for any corporation leaving the US to elsewhere for tax reason.

Can also introduce a tax for foreign corporation to do business in  the US.

[KonstantinosM]

Who needs burger king?

I can make much better food while I'm sleepwalking by pure chance. They want to go? I don't care!

[Robert Paulson]

there should be no corporate tax.
there wasn't one for 140 years and the country flourished.
the less money the useless government gets the more there is for private enterprise.

[wasserman99]

there should be no corporate tax.
there wasn't one for 140 years and the country flourished.
the less money the useless government gets the more there is for private enterprise.

I think companies should pay something for the government services and resources they consume. I think 35% is a bit excessive though. And having to pay taxes on money earned overseas even though a company's overseas production/earnings did not consume any domestic resources is just crazy.

[Full Spectrum]

No more whoppers for me.

Corporate citizens who flee this country should be ashamed of themselves.  And they get the benefits of being "citizens" from the Supreme Court.  At the very least, these "citizens" should not enjoy the rights of citizenship under Citizens United.

They make it  because of America and then they flip America the bird.  Now THIS is where shame should make its return, if anywhere.

Well corporations and people are voting with their feet, citizenship renunciations are up, and countries and people are pissed at FATCA which is a tool of US financial imperialism. Are you going to penalize them for that? And I'll politely argue that the "they make it because of America" is something that will fade in coming years, as countries build middle classes the monopsony America has on finished goods will fade, and it will be for the better of free market, the world, and America.

[bigtimespaghetti]

I believe that BK is owned by a brazillian company. So they have nothing to be patriotic about anyway!

[rokkyroad]

I could have lived with this deal had they made it a trade for Bieber.

[Bogleg]

Companies like this should lose all benefit and deduction operating in US.

Should they encounter security issue abroad, they should not expect any assistance from the government.

[Kluge]

I believe that BK is owned by a brazillian company. So they have nothing to be patriotic about anyway!

I'm running into terminology confusion. Wikipedia lists Burger King's parent company as Burger King Holdings, an American company. It also says Burger King is majority-owned by a "Brazilian" company, 3G Capital, which is HQ'd in NYC. How can a company have a minority parent? If it has a parent, doesn't that necessarily imply it's a subsidiary?

[DooMAD]

Companies are getting increasingly greedy and looking for ways to avoid tax.  If the general public get locked up for it, so should big companies.  Clearly they're going to look for the best ways to make as much money as possible, but at least be reasonable and somewhat ethical with it.

Also, I still don't get the appeal of Tim Horton's at all.  If I want junk food I'll eat junk food, not junk food pretending it's healthy.

[galbros]

The advantages of being American are no longer exclusive to being American due to the permeation of American culture and capitalism into global society.   I can move to almost anywhere in the world and find a hamburger & coca cola, supermarkets with electronic doors, suburb homes, automobiles and liberal capitalism (although the political structure in some of these countries can be authoritarian).

What is the United States today?  Most of their major cities have fallen to urban decline and have aged infrastructure going back to the 1960s. 

I agree with a lot of this but think things like educated work force, rule of law and infrastructure are as important as comforts.  The sad thing is it is not only US corporations who are leaving but individual US citizens are renouncing their citizenship at record rates.  While the number is still small, these are often very educated and talented people.

Freedom is good, and I can't really blame people and corporations for wanting to minimize their tax bills or regulatory hassles.

DooMAD, LoL, I think the US is overrun with junk food in health food drag!

[umair127]

This is all bullshit and greed. Corporations in America HAVE recovered from the Bush era economic collapse. The only people still hurting are the working class and the poor, and that's neither because of the basic economy or because of US taxes - it's because of corporate greed.  You want to reduce US corporate taxes even more? Fine. I'd support that - IF in the same bill, tax penalties for US corporations who offshore and tariffs on imports from any country whose treatment of workers is even worse than ours are included.

BK has closed around 300 stores during that great recovery you claim obama the savior initiated in America after the housing crash caused by congressional over regulation and forced mortgage scam. The idea that if you tax corps to death while regulation them out of business makes for a good economy is a leftie wet dream that isn't based in reality. Google Canada tax reduction to get a look at what it did for their country's economy, then see CA's corp tax increase to see what it did to their economy.  The evil greedy corps you lefties despise are leaving the country, that should make you happy. Besides, it doesn't matter how much the government raises taxes or how much it takes in each year they have never come in on budget, always overspend and always just borrow more money for whatever they want without regard for fiscal responsibility or how much they're screwing the tax payers.

As I said - if they want to leave, let them - but take all their stores with them, and make room for others who want to be here. You think American taxes suck so you want to go to another country, good - go. Just don't expect to make your profits here while you pay your taxes there. I know that's not going to happen - because the law is fouled up and supports this kind of greed. But it should be that way.

[sana8410]

This is all bullshit and greed. Corporations in America HAVE recovered from the Bush era economic collapse. The only people still hurting are the working class and the poor, and that's neither because of the basic economy or because of US taxes - it's because of corporate greed.  You want to reduce US corporate taxes even more? Fine. I'd support that - IF in the same bill, tax penalties for US corporations who offshore and tariffs on imports from any country whose treatment of workers is even worse than ours are included.

BK has closed around 300 stores during that great recovery you claim obama the savior initiated in America after the housing crash caused by congressional over regulation and forced mortgage scam. The idea that if you tax corps to death while regulation them out of business makes for a good economy is a leftie wet dream that isn't based in reality. Google Canada tax reduction to get a look at what it did for their country's economy, then see CA's corp tax increase to see what it did to their economy.  The evil greedy corps you lefties despise are leaving the country, that should make you happy. Besides, it doesn't matter how much the government raises taxes or how much it takes in each year they have never come in on budget, always overspend and always just borrow more money for whatever they want without regard for fiscal responsibility or how much they're screwing the tax payers.

As I said - if they want to leave, let them - but take all their stores with them, and make room for others who want to be here. You think American taxes suck so you want to go to another country, good - go. Just don't expect to make your profits here while you pay your taxes there. I know that's not going to happen - because the law is fouled up and supports this kind of greed. But it should be that way.

Yeah, you don't work for BK so why should you care how many thousands of people get laid off permanently and lose their income, their benefits and their future. Fuck em right ? How about all the Tim Hortons in the US, they're Canadian owned, should we throw them out too? Maybe if we tax the corps enough and bully them enough we can get rid of the majority of corps and they can be replaced with small mom and pop companies that can afford the start up costs in the US that make it almost impossible to start a business. Your hatred will drive corps out and jobs out dd and drive the country broke, all out of greed and hatred for a foolish agenda that says if you tax the crap out of corps all of Americas problems will be solved.

[umair127]

This is all bullshit and greed. Corporations in America HAVE recovered from the Bush era economic collapse. The only people still hurting are the working class and the poor, and that's neither because of the basic economy or because of US taxes - it's because of corporate greed.  You want to reduce US corporate taxes even more? Fine. I'd support that - IF in the same bill, tax penalties for US corporations who offshore and tariffs on imports from any country whose treatment of workers is even worse than ours are included.

BK has closed around 300 stores during that great recovery you claim obama the savior initiated in America after the housing crash caused by congressional over regulation and forced mortgage scam. The idea that if you tax corps to death while regulation them out of business makes for a good economy is a leftie wet dream that isn't based in reality. Google Canada tax reduction to get a look at what it did for their country's economy, then see CA's corp tax increase to see what it did to their economy.  The evil greedy corps you lefties despise are leaving the country, that should make you happy. Besides, it doesn't matter how much the government raises taxes or how much it takes in each year they have never come in on budget, always overspend and always just borrow more money for whatever they want without regard for fiscal responsibility or how much they're screwing the tax payers.

As I said - if they want to leave, let them - but take all their stores with them, and make room for others who want to be here. You think American taxes suck so you want to go to another country, good - go. Just don't expect to make your profits here while you pay your taxes there. I know that's not going to happen - because the law is fouled up and supports this kind of greed. But it should be that way.

Yeah, you don't work for BK so why should you care how many thousands of people get laid off permanently and lose their income, their benefits and their future. Fuck em right ? How about all the Tim Hortons in the US, they're Canadian owned, should we throw them out too? Maybe if we tax the corps enough and bully them enough we can get rid of the majority of corps and they can be replaced with small mom and pop companies that can afford the start up costs in the US that make it almost impossible to start a business. Your hatred will drive corps out and jobs out dd and drive the country broke, all out of greed and hatred for a foolish agenda that says if you tax the crap out of corps all of Americas problems will be solved.

If BK goes to Canada, and takes all their stores with them, someone else will start a business here to fill the void.  My problem with them and companies like them is that they want all the benefits of doing business in the US and none of the responsibilities.

[peeveepee]

This is all bullshit and greed. Corporations in America HAVE recovered from the Bush era economic collapse. The only people still hurting are the working class and the poor, and that's neither because of the basic economy or because of US taxes - it's because of corporate greed.  You want to reduce US corporate taxes even more? Fine. I'd support that - IF in the same bill, tax penalties for US corporations who offshore and tariffs on imports from any country whose treatment of workers is even worse than ours are included.

BK has closed around 300 stores during that great recovery you claim obama the savior initiated in America after the housing crash caused by congressional over regulation and forced mortgage scam. The idea that if you tax corps to death while regulation them out of business makes for a good economy is a leftie wet dream that isn't based in reality. Google Canada tax reduction to get a look at what it did for their country's economy, then see CA's corp tax increase to see what it did to their economy.  The evil greedy corps you lefties despise are leaving the country, that should make you happy. Besides, it doesn't matter how much the government raises taxes or how much it takes in each year they have never come in on budget, always overspend and always just borrow more money for whatever they want without regard for fiscal responsibility or how much they're screwing the tax payers.

As I said - if they want to leave, let them - but take all their stores with them, and make room for others who want to be here. You think American taxes suck so you want to go to another country, good - go. Just don't expect to make your profits here while you pay your taxes there. I know that's not going to happen - because the law is fouled up and supports this kind of greed. But it should be that way.

Yeah, you don't work for BK so why should you care how many thousands of people get laid off permanently and lose their income, their benefits and their future. Fuck em right ? How about all the Tim Hortons in the US, they're Canadian owned, should we throw them out too? Maybe if we tax the corps enough and bully them enough we can get rid of the majority of corps and they can be replaced with small mom and pop companies that can afford the start up costs in the US that make it almost impossible to start a business. Your hatred will drive corps out and jobs out dd and drive the country broke, all out of greed and hatred for a foolish agenda that says if you tax the crap out of corps all of Americas problems will be solved.

If BK goes to Canada, and takes all their stores with them, someone else will start a business here to fill the void.  My problem with them and companies like them is that they want all the benefits of doing business in the US and none of the responsibilities.

Consumer can boycott their service for not paying their fair-share of taxes.