“Brexit means Brexit, we have now been told; the future’s bright and the UK extracting itself from the clutches of the European Union (EU) could work out really really well,” Roger Aitken writes for Forbes. “Just trying to keep up with the tsunami of news, claims and counter claims since 23 June you would do well with an app to handle all the noise.”
“Then along comes the vexing issue of the other week’s £11bn back-tax demand against Apple on behalf of the Irish government, initiated by the Margrethe Vestager, who is currently serving as the European Commissioner for Competition,” Aitken writes. “Some great timing for sure, no? She is said to be a very shrewd and tough operator, so what is she doing here? Both Apple and the Irish government say they will appeal. Theresa May does not like it either and Tim Cook, Apple CEO, has stated in the Irish media that the fine is ‘total political crap.'”
“What’s to say there won’t possibly even be more exits by other EU Member States triggered by this, going forward?” Aitken wonders. “And, now US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump even has stepped into the breach over the Brexit ramifications and stirring things up even more. Moreover, he might even turn the tables on Hillary Clinton by upping the Brexit rhetoric and win on 8 November in the US. Just think Mr Trump was once a laughable 100-1 to win the Presidency. Now that would something.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Who says she was thinking at all?
SEE ALSO:
EU ministers line up to take tax bites out of Apple – September 12, 2016
Former EU competition commissioner: Vestager claim that Apple owes back taxes an incorrect use of EU law – September 2, 2016
Irish government to fight EU on Apple tax – September 2, 2016
Treasury accuses EU of trying to steal U.S. tax revenues with Apple decision – September 1, 2016
Irish residents opposed to EU’s tax demand of Apple – September 1, 2016
Apple Inc. pushes back against EU tax grab – September 1, 2016
Apple may repatriate billions of dollars next year after new U.S. President takes office – September 1, 2016
U.S. tax code allows for dramatic retaliation against EU overreach in Apple case – September 1, 2016
Apple CEO Tim Cook on EU tax demand: ‘No one did anything wrong here and Ireland is being picked on… It is total political crap’ – September 1, 2016
U.S. Treasury: The European Commission’s retroactive tax demands on Apple are unfair – August 30, 2016
EU demands Apple pay massive $14.5 billion in taxes plus interest – August 30, 2016
U.S. government warns EU: Do not hit Apple with a massive back tax bill – or else – August 25, 2016
Texas should secede too. Surely they are better off on their own.
New York doesn’t need a federal government. Independence for New York!
Britain is doing ok, Brexit is a breeze!
… um, but one moment, Brexit hasn’t happened yet. Britain is doing well INSIDE the EU. Who knew?
I’m used to taking what politicians say with a large pinch of salt, but the outright lies and defamations by the Brexit camp are something to behold.
How do you know if you voted for the right side?
Well, if Islamic State, Donald Trump, and Putin are your biggest supporters … then something is seriously screwy.
And now cue the MDN trolls in … 3 … 2 …
Britain is doing well inside the EU, but not necessarily because they are inside the EU. Who’s to say Britain won’t do even better once it’s released from the EU?
How? When the UK has given up on making anything other than selling out.
Apple-Brexit connection… Ireland may need own exit, motivated by Apple situation (the iRexit™).
There will be opposition to Ireland exiting: iRexit (i Wrecks It) will be facing off with iFixit.
The media told us that Putin is the cause of Brexit. He has also single-handedly caused European refugee crisis, even though he came to Syria only last year when the country already had 11 million refugees and internally displaced people. Putin also is the reason for climate change, and he has forced the DNC to rig the primaries. And, of course, Putin has made Trump the presidential nominee.
Half of ISIS is of Russian or Russian influence origin. But I mention it only because you brought it up.
Something to consider. We are on a natural economic downturn according to historical trends. I think no one of real intelligence wants to run for president. Both Hillary and Trump have nothing to lose, so they tossed their hats in. Is pneumonia a coverup or is it a fact?
Everyone gets to be sick and I think working hard and not giving yourself a break can do this to anyone. How many hands does a nominee have to shake, before they come down with something?
As much as anyone on MDN – most maybe – don’t want to vote for HC, I don’t want to vote for DT. So my options are limited. He’s in bed with Putin and she’s in bed with the Chinese. Guess what? We are screwed.
So decide, is it Russia or China? Because you are not going to get neither. What a pain in the ass choice we have to make and live with.
You are right, significant number among Daesh (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda and their clones come from Russia (though they are mostly never Russian ethnically). This is one of the reasons they Russia is so eager to get rid of them in Syria.
There is little evidence that HC is bed with the Chinese, but there is a lot of evidence that she is in bed with the Wahhabi/Salafist terrorist nest — the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is, coincidentally, the biggest sponsor of Clinton Foundation, though which Clinton clan pays off their staff.
Another coincidence is that she said she wants to install a no-fly-zone over Syria, what would in effect bring the world on the brisk of the WWIII as Russia is bombing the terrorists there. This was done by Saudi bidding that want to protect their heads-chopping “rebels” that are used by Saudis and the CIA as “regime change” tool in Syria.
RoI has been a net beneficiary of EU money since joining in 1973, though in 2014, for the very first time, it contributed more than it received by about 170 million Euro. Since 1973, RoI has benefited by over 50 Billion Euro. Given the fragile nature of its economy, I doubt Ireland will consider leaving.
The second shoe hasn’t dropped in the UK yet. When Europe’s financial centre moves out of London to either Dublin (unlikely) or Frankfurt (more likely), money will drain from the UK faster than you can count it. The Brits are already finding that imports cost more because of the 15% devaluation of the pound – exhibit 1 being new iPhones.
I’d be the one to say that she was thinking, She has a whim, an hallucination, but after all that she did fly off the handle and go invade some other country based on that hallucinatory whim, to do so would have been really not thinking and besides when it comes to not thinking, the leaders of your country, are #1 it’s mission accomplished.
I believe I know you well enough to unravel your somewhat incoherent statement. When you reference mission accomplished you are talking about George W Bush. You compare international leaders and award the hallucinatory not-thinking prize to George over Margrethe because the consequences of his not-thinking were invasion and death, whereas the consequences of her not-thinking were mere economic rearrangements.
Normally, I’m not one to complete a companion’s sentences, but I felt that in this case, a clarification was in order. I hope you don’t mind. And are you sure you wouldn’t enjoy sharing a nice Riesling sometime? I’m OK with Pellegrino…
You got that right, and I’ll add that I’m not entirely disenchanted by the current president, cause after all Bin Laden was taken down on his watch.
I’m a red wine, so a Cab Sav would be delightful.
I run a cyber bar you know, so it would be really cheap as in free.
What’s Hillary’s favorite pizza parlor?
….Little Seizures.
bwahahahahahaha
You’re a dick. That joke is older than you are. But it’s not as much a joke as what’s between your legs or not in tour head.
when she gets well, Trump promised to treat Hillary Merkel to a complete makeover at her favorite salon, the very exclusive Curl Up & Dye in The Hamptons.
Ireland gave Apple a special deal of close to 0% tax, instead of the standard Irish corporate tax of 12.5%. According to EU competion rules you’re not allowed to favor one company more than others. Equality, you know. Plus Apple has used this tax haven to collect almost all revenue from other EU countries, thus escaping tax in these countries. Not good.
This case has finally exposed the predatory nature of multinational corporations.
– Now don’t be too coy, Roy.
Marianne Vestager is a clever liberal politician who knows exactly what she is doing. And she is doing absolutely nothing without consulting the EEC Commission first.
Actually, the timing is pretty good – if not excellent. After England’s exit, the EEC badly needs to show its power to keep more members from taking the escape route and leaving the EEC.
And what better way of doing this than taking on Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft. There is not a single country which dares to take on these international giants. But the EEC can. And will. And there will be no
loosers.
It is only fair that you are taxed in the country where you make your profit. Wake up and realize that.
Steen Ulnits
Dedicated Dane and Apple Fanboy
Yes, Steen, there are power plays being made and it is good that you point this out. But, no matter what happens in the end, I have faith that Apple will not abandon the country of my birth over pure economics, or out of spite. Investment in people is the only business model that outlasts political fashions.
She certainly must have had a good smoke (of who knows what).