Panama Papers reveal human nature, corruption: #tellusatoday

The Panama Papers exposed allegations of worldwide public corruption and tax evasion. President Obama cited them Tuesday as further impetus to stop U.S. tax inversions. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney admitted during the 2012 election that he had funds offshore, in other words in a tax haven. I suspect that most world leaders who know how to move money to offshore tax havens have done so.

The rich want to keep their own pockets lined and suppress those not in their clan. The old adage that you have to have money to make money persists!

— Jennifer Murphy

Why the surprise? Wherever humans are involved, there will be corruption and greed.

— Liam O Brien

We poor and downtrodden hate to pay taxes, too. If the rich and powerful hate it as much as we do, more power to them. If you are going to claim a man is evil, you have to come up with more than a claim that he, like the rest of us, tries to keep his money safe and pay as few taxes on it as possible.

— Rodger Olsen

This is one reason why the U.S. has to keep the inheritance tax, because it is the only way to get some of the money back from those who hoard it and refuse to pay their taxes.

— Jeff McCurry

Why do they have to loot their own countries? Haven’t these foreign politicians figured out that their economic and business knowledge is so insightful that financial firms will gladly pay them $200,000 to give a single speech (even though the audience could read the same information — and more — in a $10 paperback)?

And that they can funnel this money to a “charitable foundation” in lieu of parking it offshore? And that the charitable foundation will pay, tax-free, for their exorbitant travel and entertainment expenses?

— Aaron Bowen

It’s not surprising when public servants use their offices to enrich themselves and their cronies. Oh, there is a term for that, corruption. Got to have a golden parachute when one leaves office.

— Damon Walton

In light of the Panama Papers, readers offer policies to fight tax evasion and react to Obama’s call to close tax inversion loopholes. Comments from Twitter are edited for clarity and grammar:

We need stronger anti-corruption bodies and more regulation of international financial transactions.

— @DaKangaroo

Teach me how to use loopholes. I’m tired of my tax dollars being wasted.

— @Dlcarlson50

Massive tax reforms as well as going after countries through international diplomacy that act as tax havens.

— @erich4591

Obama’s call goes beyond “inversions,” hitting all foreign companies in the U.S., which support millions of American jobs. Misguided approach that will hurt growth.

— @nmclernon

For more discussions, follow @USATOpinion or #tellusatoday.