SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

* indicates required
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Ahead of Tax Day, John Oliver Details 'Long and Infuriatingly Proud History' of Corporate Tax-Dodging

Comedian John Oliver lays it out just how much corporation and the wealthy benefit from the U.S. tax system. The rest of you? Not to much. (Photo: Screenshot/HBO)

Ahead of Tax Day, John Oliver Details 'Long and Infuriatingly Proud History' of Corporate Tax-Dodging

Citing last year's massive tax giveaway to the rich and corporations, which will ultimately raise taxes on tens of millions lower-income families, Oliver says, "We just had a huge chance to reform our tax code and we absolutely blew it."

Comedian John Oliver pulled no punches (well, he pulled a few) during Sunday night's episode of "Last Week Tonight," especially in the feature segment in which he eviscerated the U.S. tax system by revealing just how endlessly favorable it is to corporations and the wealthy at the expense of everybody else.

Citing last year's massive tax giveaway to the rich, which will ultimately raise taxes on tens of millions lower-income families, Oliver says, "We just had a huge chance to reform our tax code and we absolutely blew it."

As The Weekdetails, Oliver goes on to pillory the ability for corporations to avoid taxes by exploiting loopholes and a worldwide web of tax shelters:

Oliver walked through the "long and infuriatingly proud history" of corporate tax avoidance, with a special nod to Apple and Google for being top "innovators in weaselly accounting," though GE and other huge companies paid zero federal taxes for much of this century. The new tax bill does force some of those companies to pay taxes on money stashed overseas, but at bargain rates -- a gamble that did not pay off in terms of job creation in 2004, and probably won't this time either, Oliver said.

Watch:

An Unconstitutional Rampage


Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next.

It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk.

Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support.

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.