Canada: Home of the Whopper


By

Architects of Burger King’s inversion claim it’s not about taxes

Burger King is rolling ahead with its plan to move to Canada. It confirmed Tuesday that it will purchase Tim Hortons, a Canadian coffee and doughnut chain, for about $11 billion, one of the biggest foreign acquisitions since 2012.

This makes Burger King one in a string of corporate deserters in recent years. According to new data provided by the Congressional Research Service, 47 companies have inverted in the last decade, including at least seven this year alone. These companies are able to dodge US taxes by moving their headquarters, but not their operations, to countries with lower corporate tax rates. So called “inversions” may save the companies a few bucks, but they could cost the US taxpayer tens of billions of dollars.

The Deal: Founded in Miami in 1954, Burger King operates more than 7,000 locations in the United States, but only 300 in Canada. In 1964, the Canadian fast food service Tim Hortons was founded in Ontario and now has more than one store per 10,000 Canadians. Burger King will shell out $11.4 billion for the coffee shop, but both will actually be controlled by 3G Capital, a Brazilian-US investment firm. According to the Wall Street Journal, Alex Behring, who is currently Burger King’s executive chairman and a managing partner at 3G Capital, will head the new company.

Although America has a top corporate tax rate of 35%, numerous multi-national corporations do not pay that much. Instead, U.S. corporations paid an average of 12.6%, according to the Government Accountability Office. Burger King also does not pay the top corporate tax rate, but has a tax rate in “the mid- to high twenties” according to Mr. Behring. While Burger King CEO Daniel Schwartz doesn’t “expect there to be meaningful tax savings,” Canada’s federal corporate tax rate is 15%.

Moving Forward: Burger King should reconsider its own bid for the company. Since the news broke, the public has denounced this newest corporate deserter. #BoycottBurgerKing is now commonplace on Twitter and Burger King’s Facebook was littered with comments threatening to never return. Senator Sherrod Brown added to that chorus: “Burger King’s decision to abandon the United States means consumers should turn to Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers or White Castle sliders.”

When Walgreens announced its purchase of Alliance Boots, a European pharmacy, it received similar criticism, and it has since said that it will stay headquartered in the United States. They decided that paying their fair share was more profitable.

BOTTOM LINE: When more and more American companies move out of the U.S., ordinary Americans end up footing the tax bill. Companies employing the process of inversion are taking advantage of U.S. taxpayers and cheating the system, to the detriment of our workers and our economy. It’s beyond unpatriotic and it’s time for them to stop.

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This Saturday, Sept. 13: HRC Seattle Dinner


The HRC Seattle Gala Dinner

Joe Manganiello  True Blood Ally for Equality AwardJoe Manganiello – True Blood
Ally for Equality Award
Saturday, September 13
5:30 p.m. – Registration & Silent Auction
6:45 p.m. – Dinner ProgramThe Sheraton Seattle Hotel
1400 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA


Purchase Tickets

Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami
Special Guests

Plaintiffs, Supreme Court Case Proposition 8

Fred Sainz
HRC VP of Communications & Marketing

Featured Speaker

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 9/10 ~~ the House


capitol21The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Wednesday, September 10, 2014,

under the provisions of S.Res.539 as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Senator James M. Jeffords, former United States Senator for the State of Vermont.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.J.Res.19, post-cloture.

At 2:00pm, all post-cloture time will be considered expired and the Senate will proceed to vote on the motion to proceed. We expect a voice vote on the motion to proceed to the constitutional amendment on campaign finance reform.

Shortly after 2:00pm, we expect a roll call vote relative to the Paycheck Fairness bill.

The motion to proceed to S.J.Res.19 (Constitutional amendment on campaign finance) was agreed to by voice vote. Senator Reid then offered amendment #s 3791, 3792, 3973, 3794, 3795, 3796, and 3797 (technical amendments) and filed cloture on the underlying joint resolution.

By voice votes, the Senate agreed to the Reid motion to proceed to the motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked on the motion to proceed to S.2199 (Paycheck Fairness) and the Reid motion to reconsider the same failed cloture vote.

Senator Reid then moved to reconsider the failed cloture vote.

At 2:08pm, the Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2199, upon reconsideration (Paycheck Fairness Act); Invoked: 73-25

Senator Cruz asked unanimous consent the Senate take up and pass Calendar #551, H.R.5272, a bill to prohibit certain actions with respect to deferred action for aliens not lawfully present in the United States. Senator Menendez objected.

By consent, notwithstanding Rule 22, following the vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the S.J.Res.19, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and consider:

Cal. #’S.544, 977, 685, 867, 976, 917, 914, 758.

There will be 2 minutes for debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees prior to each vote. Upon the use or yielding back of time the Senate will proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nominations in the order listed. Any roll call votes, following the first in the series, will be 10 minutes in length.

We expect the nominations considered in this agreement to be confirmed by voice vote.

 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Executive Calendar #544 John Hoover – to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Sierra Leone

 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Executive Calendar #977 Anne E. Rung – to be Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Executive Calendar #685 David Radzanowski – to be Chief Financial Officer, NASA

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Executive Calendar #867 Miranda A. A. Ballentine – to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Executive Calendar #976 Joseph L. Nimmich – to be Deputy Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security

CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Executive Calendar #914 Judith M. Davenport – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2020

Executive Calendar #917 Elizabeth Sembler – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2020

Executive Calendar #758 David J. Arroyo – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a term expiring January 31, 2016

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1. Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2199, the Paycheck Fairness Act, upon reconsideration; Invoked: 73-25.

Legislative Business

The motion to proceed to S.J.Res.19 (Constitutional amendment on campaign finance) was agreed to by voice vote.

Passed H.R.1233: Presidential and Federal Records Act of 2014.

Passed S.2323: Gold Star Father Act of 2014.

Passed Calendar #480, S.2154: Emergency Medical Services for Children

Adopted S.Res.466: National Drug Take-Back Week

Passed H.J.Res.120: Approving the location of a memorial to commemorate the more than 5,000 slaves and free Black persons who fought for independence in the American Revolution.

Began the Rule 14 process to place on the Legislative Calendar of Business H.R.5078: To preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States.

Executive Business

The Senate conducted no Executive action.

====================================

Last Floor Action:
4:04:41 P.M. -H.R. 3522
DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3522.

Last Floor Action:9/9
7:52:57 P.M. – The House adjourned.

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on September 10, 2014.

===================================

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 9/9 ~~ the House


UScapitoltakenfromkenschramstory

The Senate stands adjourned until 10:00am on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for 1 hour with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the Republicans controlling the first 30 minutes and the Majority controlling the next 30 minutes.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.J.Res.19, post-cloture.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15pm.

All time during any period of morning business, adjournment or recess will count post-cloture.

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

The Senate conducted no roll call votes during Tuesday’s session.

Legislative Business

Passed Cal.#423, S.1934: Clifford P. Hansen Federal Courthouse Conveyance Act

Passed Cal.#418, S.898: The New Mexico Federal Land Conveyance

Adopted S.Res.538: Expressing the condolences of the Senate to the families of James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and condemning the terrorist acts of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

Adopted S.Res.539: Relative to the death of James M. Jeffords, former Senator for the State of Vermont

Completed the Rule 14 process to place on the Legislative Calendar of Business S.2779, Expatriate Terrorists Act (Cruz)

Executive Business

The Senate conducted no Executive action.

======================================

Last Floor Action:
5:57:34 P.M. -H.R. 4701
DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4701.

Last Floor Action:
3:18:40 P.M. -H. Res. 644
DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 644.

When Did Americans Become the Enemy?


Armored tanks. Automatic weapons. Tear gas. In small towns across America.

When did we all become the potential target of hostile military-police aggression? When the federal government decided to spend billions getting police every toy they could possibly want.

To use against our own citizens. With no protocol or training on when such force and intimidation may be justified.

Share this video and join the fight against police militarization.

policemilitary.jpg

But now we have the chance to tell the federal government that this must stop.

Land of the free, home of the brave does not mean non-violent citizens being beaten into submission, SWAT team raiding homes on a regular basis, or armored tanks rolling through towns anytime Americans exercise their right to peaceful protest.

Share this video and join the fight against police militarization.

Thank you for your continued support of Brave New Film’s work around ending excessive militarization, both at home and abroad!

Best,
Robert Greenwald, President
Brave New Films

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