Gérard Depardieu leaves France to avoid Hollande's taxes

[Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]

@Han: Of course I agree with closing/capping loopholes and deductions, it's a great idea that should be a major piece of any serious tax reform. However, a 35% top rate is already insanely low (it's one of the lowest among developed countries) and bringing it down further at the moment when we're talking about budget austerity, as Romney pledged, is absurd. There's also the fact that Romney's plan has been proven to be unworkable by several independent studies (at least, unworkable without taking a certain number of highly unpopular and economically detrimental measures).

I meant the general principle of Romney's plan, which has been endorsed at least once by the Economist (not Romney's specific plan, but the broad idea of lowering rates and simplifying the tax code; even the Simpson-Bowles commission supported this idea). It's probably true that Romney wouldn't have been willing to go far enough in eliminating loopholes and deductions to make his tax plan work (assuming that we're not taking into account job growth that would hopefully arise from tax reform), but that doesn't meant that the idea is wrong in principle.

Also, we accept the Keynesian argument that government intervention is necessary during a recession to stimulate aggregate demand, why would raising taxes on anybody be a good idea? There's an argument to be made that the harms would be outweighed by the gains and that we have no other choice but to raise taxes on the rich because of our deficit, but that doesn't mean that raising taxes on the rich is positive for the economy in and of itself (and for example, ending the Bush tax cuts on the rich wouldn't only force them to pay "a little more": http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2012/aug/07/would-millionaires-pay-little-more-taxes-under-oba/). The fact that Obama and the Democrats want to extend the Bush tax cuts for the poor and middle class implies that they do indeed buy the argument that lower taxes are better. As Charles Krauthammer said, if the Clinton tax rates were so great, why not just go back to such rates for everybody?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Of course in a period of recession, both tax hikes and spending cuts should be avoided. If the Very Serious People hadn't completely forgotten about Keynes, and if the GOP wasn't so obsessed with deficit reduction (or, in the EU context, if everything wasn't so screwed up), we would be discussing about stimulus measures and whether more spending or less taxes are the solution to end the recession. Since, however, we are pressured to balance the budget no matter what, the only question is: is it better to do so by cutting spending or by raising revenues. I'm aware of the neoliberal arguments in favor of the former option, but you can't ask me to agree with them. If we have to balance the budget, I'd rather do so by raising taxes, and, as much as possible, taxes targeting those who can better afford paying them.

[RogueBeaver]

The UMP needs to develop their economic populist skills. They know how to do populism on immigration, surely they can do it on economics?

On Depardieu:

[Antonio the Sixth]

On Depardieu:

Wow. Just wow.

[freefair]

He should be permanently banned from entering the country until he pays all taxes he's avoided by leading it. That's the sensible solution to this sort of problem.

Anti Globalism, anti freedom of movement nonsense.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

He should be permanently banned from entering the country until he pays all taxes he's avoided by leading it. That's the sensible solution to this sort of problem.

Anti Globalism, anti freedom of movement nonsense.

I'd characterize it as anti-race to the bottom more than anything else, although it's admittedly not very sensible as policy.

Anyway, anybody who would flee their country just to avoid a change in tax policy that makes them slightly less fabulously rich is really no great loss.

[Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]

On Depardieu:

Wow. Just wow.

What makes Depardieu's move any morally different from union workers that strike because their wages aren't high enough? Both are nonviolent responses to policies that do have a negative effect on people (whether those losses are offset by gains in societal utility is of course, subject to debate).

[Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]

He should be permanently banned from entering the country until he pays all taxes he's avoided by leading it. That's the sensible solution to this sort of problem.

Anti Globalism, anti freedom of movement nonsense.

I'd characterize it as anti-race to the bottom more than anything else, although it's admittedly not very sensible as policy.

Anyway, anybody who would flee their country just to avoid a change in tax policy that makes them slightly less fabulously rich is really no great loss.

Because letting people keep more of their money is totally racing down to the bottom #slightlyplatitudinalonmypartbutstill

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

He should be permanently banned from entering the country until he pays all taxes he's avoided by leading it. That's the sensible solution to this sort of problem.

Anti Globalism, anti freedom of movement nonsense.

I'd characterize it as anti-race to the bottom more than anything else, although it's admittedly not very sensible as policy.

Anyway, anybody who would flee their country just to avoid a change in tax policy that makes them slightly less fabulously rich is really no great loss.

Because letting people keep more of their money is totally racing down to the bottom #slightlyplatitudinalonmypartbutstill

Not in and of itself, and there are arguments for lowering taxes in certain situations just as there are for raising them. 'Race to the bottom' is a term with a specific meaning that arguably encompasses situations like this, more the self-interested financial emigration aspect than the tax aspect. (Said meaning is admittedly loaded, in a direction that I more or less approve of and you probably would not.)

[Marokai Backbeat]

On Depardieu:

Wow. Just wow.

Rogue is quite right-wing, he just doesn't say so very often.

[angus]

He should be permanently banned from entering the country until he pays all taxes he's avoided by leading it. That's the sensible solution to this sort of problem.

Is that guy actually wearing a necktie with a flannel shirt?  And they say straight men have a bad sense of fashion!

Anyway, you may be on to something.  If his artistry is of value, in the real sense, and he cannot exploit it without entering French production studios, then his income diminishes to the point at which the returns from future roles outweigh the taxes.  

Then again, it may be a philosophical matter with him and he'd sooner forego the income than pay the taxes that he considers unfair.  In that case it's the society's loss.  It's a gamble.  If the French are as spineless as every Yankee thinks they are, then they'll make the safe bet.  

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

He should be permanently banned from entering the country until he pays all taxes he's avoided by leading it. That's the sensible solution to this sort of problem.

Is that guy actually wearing a necktie with a flannel shirt?  And they say straight men have a bad sense of fashion!

Anyway, you may be on to something.  If his artistry is of value, in the real sense, and he cannot exploit it without entering French production studios, then his income diminishes to the point at which the returns from future roles outweigh the taxes.  

Then again, it may be a philosophical matter with him and he'd sooner forego the income than pay the taxes that he considers unfair.  In that case it's the society's loss.  It's a gamble.  If the French are as spineless as every Yankee thinks they are, then they'll make the safe bet.  

Does France really want to institute a 21st century version of the Berlin Wall?

[angus]

Does France really want to institute a 21st century version of the Berlin Wall?

ha!  Probably not.  And I'm not advocating it, but rather taking Leif's point to the extreme.  Actually, if all you wanted to do was cramp Depardieu's lifestyle, it's a pretty clever tactic.  But yeah, realistically, I'm sure that the Republic of France has better things to worry about. 

I only started in this thread because I sort of like his character in the films I've seen, and found it a bit disturbing that he was leaving the scene.  After I posted, I clicked on the link only to find that he's moving a few blocks to the east.  Seriously?  It's not like it's really going to affect anything.  If you enjoy the sorts of films he does, then my guess is that you'll be able to continue doing so.  Living in the French-speaking part of Belgium really doesn't seem to be a big departure, and certainly not one that would preclude his acting in French films.  Let the guy live in Belgium and pay lower taxes.  I really don't see this as a huge problem for the French film industry.

[patrick1]

I seem to remember a time, not so long ago at all, when this bloated piss artist claimed to be a Communist.

Haha, yes. He does quite like to get snotted and then piss himself on airplanes apparently. A hot mess all around.  Who is John Galt?

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Well at least he went through with his threat "if X wins the election I'll leave the country".
All the people who've said that through the years, finally someone who finally follw through on it. 

[angus]

Who is John Galt?

Bully!  I knew you hadn't sold yourself out completely to the dark side. 

[patrick1]

Who is John Galt?

Bully!  I knew you hadn't sold yourself out completely to the dark side. 

Haha, not really.  I was trying to point out the humor of a besotted former star being held as some objectivist hero by trying to keep  his money.  You know so he can piss his pants and ride around sh!t faced on his moped. All fun activities mind, but I think he should have to ante up like the rest of us...

[Lief 🗽]

He should be permanently banned from entering the country until he pays all taxes he's avoided by leading it. That's the sensible solution to this sort of problem.

Is that guy actually wearing a necktie with a flannel shirt?  And they say straight men have a bad sense of fashion!

In my experience (and I have a lot), gay men don't really dress that well. I pretty often give my gay friends clothing advice.

[Хahar 🤔]

He should be permanently banned from entering the country until he pays all taxes he's avoided by leaving it. That's the sensible solution to this sort of problem.

The United States has the right idea regarding this sort of thing.

[You kip if you want to...]

On Depardieu:

Wow. Just wow.

What makes Depardieu's move any morally different from union workers that strike because their wages aren't high enough? Both are nonviolent responses to policies that do have a negative effect on people (whether those losses are offset by gains in societal utility is of course, subject to debate).

Hollande's policies have put people like M. Depardieu on the bread line, of course!

[Insula Dei]

Worth pointing out that Depardieu and others in his situation aren't especially, er, welcome. It's a bit much too ask a nation with one of the highest amounts of tax pressure in the world to also function as a tax haven for the French super-rich.*

Unsurprisingly there's only one party in parliament which is absolutely vocal in their support of those poor 'deserving' immigrants.

*: Hint: France isn't the only country in the world with a broken tax code.

[freefair]

*: Hint: France isn't the only country in the world with a broken tax code.

Vllams Belang?...
Verhofstadt's party?

[freefair]

Duplicate.

[Nhoj]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20896894

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[Antonio the Sixth]

LOL, Putin is such a troll.