Mo Ibrahim Quotes

I have long argued that in the modern world, corporation tax has had its day as a major source of tax revenue.

A lack of reform - particularly in international tax - has hurt our ability to compete in a global economy by keeping U.S. corporate cash overseas and reducing domestic investment, slowing economic growth.

The corporate income tax, in particular, is a tax that puts American corporations at a disadvantage.

We are the only country in the world that taxes foreign earnings.

If every country tries to race towards the lowest [tax] rate, then in the end nobody gains. If you believe there should be no government at all, then fine. But if you believe some government is good, then you cannot have a system that erodes the tax base in all major countries.

I think we have a tax policy that was designed before Microsoft even went public. I think we've got to change - we're at a huge disadvantage around the world.

Almost everyone agrees that corporate tax rates need to be cut because of global competition. Companies should not be able to stash earnings overseas tax-free.

For decades, American companies, large and small, have been competing with one hand tied behind their backs thanks to our unfair, outdated tax code.

I don't think we should reduce the corporate tax rate.

Taxing companies, particularly successful multinational companies, is one of the most progressive forms of taxation.

The United States already has the highest corporate tax rate in the world.

When President Obama speaks about raising taxes on the rich, he speaks about high-income employees and small business owners, not entrepreneurs who build big businesses.

Big business never pays a nickel in taxes, according to Ralph Nader, who represents a big consumer organization that never pays a nickel in taxes.

It's not Apple's fault that they're seeking to avoid paying taxes. They're not lying, cheating or stealing. They're following the rules that were created by governments. If the government doesn't like the rules, they can change them.

Corporate tax reform is nice in theory but tough in practice. It most likely requires lower tax rates and the closing of loopholes, which many companies are sure to fight. And whatever new, lower tax rate is determined, there will probably be another country willing to lower its rate further, creating a sad race to zero.

Ford's federal income tax rate was just 2.3 percent in 2009 even though it made $3 billion in profits.

Technology giants have taken advantage of tax codes written for an industrial age.

High tax rates distort economic decision making, and our corporate income tax rate is one of the highest in the world.

It's not coincidence that the U.S. is in last place in the world in terms of corporate tax rate. It's because our system is set up to block tax reform.

If Congress is going to reverse the long slide in corporate tax collection, it will have to make enemies along the way.

You and I have to pay more to cover their tax avoidance.

Most European countries fund their low corporate taxes with some form of a value-added tax, on consumption rather than income.

A study by Treasury economists estimated that a country with a tax rate one percentage point lower than another country's attracts 3 percent more capital. It's not surprising then, that average OECD corporate tax rates have trended steadily downward.

Get rid of the preferences and the special deductions and the loopholes... and invest in getting the tax rate to a competitive level so we stop seeing companies move off shore.

We never tell countries that they should have a particular number in terms of a tax number, you know, if countries can make do with whatever average tax they have. The question is, do they apply it to everybody? Or do they give sweetheart deals to some companies?