Obama is right to provide tax incentives for corporate responsibility

 

Reasons to agree:

1. We should reward good behavior and punish bad behavior


2. If you are going to have sin taxes, you should also have virtue tax credits.


3. If a behavior helps America as a whole, it isn't wasting money giving tax incentives; it might actually bring in more money.

Reasons to disagree:

1. The government shouldn't determine what is "good" business behavior and "bad business behavior.


2. Some businesses could win more jobs if they had 30% of their employees in India... for instance, if they keep losing jobs to South Korean firms, because employment costs are too high, maybe it would help them keep at least some of the work coming into the states, instead of going to companies that are 100% foreign. These should be business, not political decisions. 

Background: Obama’s “REAL USA” Corporations Plan (Responsible, Accountable, Loyal USA Corporations) will reward companies that create quality jobs in America with tax incentives. Companies will be required to:

1. locate in the United States 90% of its production and employment for the sales of goods and services that are consumed here;


2. invest at least 50% of its R&D budget here in the U.S;


3. make sure their workers have access to affordable health care by providing a standardized and portable health insurance plan and pay at least 70% of the cost;


4. make sure their workers have retirement security by contributing at least 5% of payroll to a portable, multi-employer pension fund and operating a profit-sharing plan for all full time employees; and


5. limit management compensation to 50 times the lowest-paid full-time worker.


6. Source: Campaign website, ObamaForIllinois.com Jun 25, 2004