KBR Dodges $500 Million In Social Security And Medicare Taxes In Cheney-Backed Scheme

[Echo In Light]

KBR Dodges $500 Million In Social Security And Medicare Taxes In Cheney-Backed Scheme

No private contractor has financially profited from the Iraq war more than Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR), which until last year was a subsidiary of Halliburton. The firm currently has more than 21,000 employees in Iraq, and between 2004 and 2006, received more than $16 billion in government contracts — far more than any other corporation.

Yet KBR hasn’t been passing on these enormous profits to American taxpayers or even its own employees, thanks to a plan that Vice President Cheney helped establish. Today, the Boston Globe reports that KBR has avoided paying more than $500 million “in federal Medicare and Social Security taxes by hiring workers through shell companies” based in the Cayman Islands. A look at the costs to KBR employees:

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/06/kbr-taxes-cheney/

http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2008/03/06/top_iraq_contractor_skirts_us_taxes_offshore/?page=6

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gc8zVyl2UyurwxaWdnXg3XVug7HA

War profiteering by tax dodge
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/03/07/war_profiteering_by_tax_dodge/

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Smirk - Sneer. Screw America" - Dickie "Five Military Deferments" Cheney

[KharmaTrain]

2. Correction: 21,000 Mercenaries

Along with nearly 100,000 more...the invisible army that is running amok and putting our REAL military in peril. When the fingers are pointed at "who lost Iraq", here's some of the biggest war criminals. The military-industrial complex has gone above and beyond the rule of law and needs to be reigned in or our future as a sovereign nation is at peril.

It's also time that when we quote numbers of forces in Iraq, these mercenaries must be included. It sure sounds more ominous that we have 250,000 bodies in Iraq...and the dead are closer to 5,000. We'll be paying for the injured in the future, might as well count them now...and let the nation really see the dirty war of occupation this regime has played.

[SpiralHawk]

3. Why do republicons hate our soliders and veterans?

And give all our tax money to Mercenaries, while shorting our sons and daughters in uniform on the equipment they need, while mistreating our veterans?

Is it because almost all of the republicon leadership, and corprate media propaganda corps, are ashamed that they are republicon chickenhawks?

I think so.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Not Ashamed...Arrogant

Why should they fight a war, when they can shove in on shlubs like us...the taxpayers...and wrap it up in fear and a flag. Don't you dare question our "leadership" or the "right" of the U.S. to run roughshod on any life any place anywhere. Remember, war means big business...for years the defense contractors had built all these whiz-bang killing toys and needed a place to use 'em...then dig into our treasury to build more. And, or course, it always goes to the highest bidder...if that means our troops take a back seat...well, that's too bad, the bottom line trumps all.

All you have to do is turn on hate radio and you'll see how "ashamed" they are. They're shamed that we haven't invaded more countries and grabbed more oil and resources.

[AzDar]

5. K & R....

:kick:

[predfan]

6. Disgraceful.

How can we Democrats allow the other side to eVER question our patriotism when these war profiteers, led by the VP, screw the American taxpayer, and by extension, our country. This should be page one news across the country, and Cheney should be in hearings this afternoon answering questions.

[elizfeelinggreat]

12. so true

When we welcome back Lady Justice, let her start with him.

[elehhhhna]

7. There is NO WAY these contractors meet the definition of "contractor"

[Celebration]

8. Tax Haven Abuse

The powers that be are petrified that tax havens will come up as an issue in the campaign. Only one of the three remaining presidential candidates is a sponsor and supporter of the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act. Naturally it gets no play in our press, but a google news search turns up a little discussion overseas, and the Boston Globe mentions it at the end of the piece.

Tax havens in general are getting HUGE press in the EU and boy are the hedge fund guys shaking in their boots.

Just in case you were wondering about the change in tone of the election coverage here..................

I won't link to my GDP post about all this since this is a General Discussion topic.

Do your homework!

[Echo In Light]

9. Thanks. Will check into it

[babylonsister]

10. KBR also poisoned the water well for the soldiers.

What exactly are they good for, and I wonder how Cheney's stock portfolio is doing?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=2978889

[Echo In Light]

11. Not to mention the depleted uranium dilemma. Auh, "liberation!"

[lonestarnot]

13. They need to be taken down in the worst way. But

how?