You Won't Believe How Much Taxes Amazon Paid Last Year

“Jeff Bezos is the richest person in the world, with a personal net worth of $108 billion. In 2017, Bezos’ company, the internet retail giant Amazon, reportedly took in $5.6 billion in U.S. profits.

So, how much did Amazon pay in income tax on that bounty? Hang on, we’re getting some news...what? What’s this? Amazon effectively paid zero dollars in federal income taxes in 2017? Oh.

Amazon is projecting a $789 million windfall from Republicans’ tax bill, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, which may have factored into its reason for witholding taxes this year. Bezos—like many other nominally liberal capitalists—claims to disagree with Donald Trump’s policies, while quietly lapping up the Republicans’ regressive tax breaks.

You may be asking: How is this legal? Isn’t Amazon an American company? Aren’t companies required to pay federal income tax? Hello?

Amazon’s global headquarters is not in Seattle, but in the tiny landlocked nation of Luxembourg (Amazon employs more than 40,000 people in Seattle, compared to 1,500 people in Luxembourg.). The European Union has accused Luxembourg of giving illegal tax breaks to Amazon and has ordered the country to recover $295 million in back taxes from Amazon.”

Hosts: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian

Cast: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian

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Young Turk (n), 1. Young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party. 2. A young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations.(American Heritage Dictionary)

[simons]

It pay's to be rich in America, but not to be middle class or poor.

[CB-dbqx]

So when does the working/middle class get something?

[jeffryfernandez]

If Amazon didn't exist, there would be any many more small companies collectively selling roughly the same amount of goods. These merchants would have to pay their taxes.

[thomasmackelly]

To the trump voters, ill make this simple for you.

If they pay less, you pay more.

[Dashboard]

DON'T BUY FROM AMAZON!! Loop holes is their game! I used to work for them, one of the worst jobs I've had. To see how they worked the system and under paid the staff is disgusting.

[davidroberts]

We need a tax rule that states: People are corporations too! then we can have the same tax breaks.

[valkir]

I've stopped shopping at Amazon since I read this news. I pay tax but I refuse to buy from a company that doesn't contribute to our society. Simple

[u.jekyll]

Its hard to respect rules that only some have to abide by.

[sorrybutnotsorry]

Also, their delivery drivers in the UK make less than minimum wage and have to piss in bottles because they don't even get bathroom breaks. Jimmy Dore did a great segment on it.

[thebigdoghimself]

Zero taxes paid yet they have destroyed our main streets. Target, Sam's Club, Kohls, JC Penny, all closing stores and these assholes get to pay their employees shit while destroying retail jobs across the country.

[marvintpandroid]

Corporations are people my friend, lets put them in jail if they fail to pay tax

[jamviator]

The solution is getting money out of politics... BUT, corporations are not robots that don't know what thy're doing. Corporations are organizations run by HUMANS. They could choose to be principled and exercise social responsibility. I don't like how Cenk makes this particular excuse for corporations. If a corporation keeps doing something disgusting to maximize profit, I would have nothing against boycotting them til they go bankrupt (except the effect it would have on the employees). They don't get a pass because the government is corrupt. They are the ones who corrupted it!

[g-field]

Teddy Roosevelt must be spinning in his grave ...

[erniedlcheights]

It's simple if companies do not want to pay taxes in the U.S. they should not be allowed to do business here!

[michael]

Why bother lowering the tax rate when they are paying no taxes.

[sixstanger]

Amazon paid $0 in taxes?

OK, I'm going to mail my tax forms blank, and include a note that says, "I'll pay mine when Amazon pays theirs."

[Bubbles]

It's all the largest corporations. Fortune 500 companies are all large scale tax dodgers.

[TobyWKW]

The rich get richer and the poor and get poorer..

[JDDevice]

Are you conservative trolls watching? This is the stuff we fight for. You making 60k a year shouldn't have to pay more taxes than a mega Corp making 5billion in profit annually. It makes zero sense.

[ZarlanTheGreen]

Any company, that pays its employees so little, that they have to get food stamps or other stuff from the government, is a company that is taking advantage of the government. They are, in effect, having the government, pay for part of their employees wages.
How is that allowed to be legal?