On Thu, 03 Feb 2005 11:19:13 -0600, Robert Davidson
wrote:

Many of our most "successful" major corporations pay no federal
income tax, and indeed many receive "refunds," which segues into
the Ann Lander's question "are we better off with or without
them."



Better off with them. Although the tax loopholes that these companies
exploit are unfair (and IMO should be closed), they create wealth on a
massive scale

Mostly only for those that *bought* the loopholes.
Someone somewhere else is paying for them with
higher taxes or inflation taxes or something.

Level the playing field & see what happens.

and are a major factor in our economy's 'money velocity'

Many firms are sitting on huge piles of cash, awaiting places
offshore to invest & move jobs. That money is not moving
in the US economy and probably never will.

The poor & middle class spend much of what they earn. They pretty
much have to.

(http://nationalreview.com/kudlow/kudlow041602.asp). These factors
combined, although no excuse for shrugging-off their tax burden, do
impact the national economy in a net positive way.

Please pass the salt.
--
Cliff