World Gone Mad - Ferrari Crackdown

Ferrari Crackdown

Across Italy police are cracking down on Ferrari and Lamborghini drivers, but not because they are driving too fast. Italy, like so much of southern Europe, is drowning in debt, so police are pursuing drivers to make sure they are declaring – and therefore paying taxes on – earnings that would allow them to afford cars worth as much as half a million dollars. The targeting is part of an ongoing war on tax cheats, an attempt to shore up $2.5 trillion of the country's public debt and change a culture that has often prided itself on avoiding taxes. Tax authorities have long carried out much-publicized checks on owners of luxury cars, yachts, even nightclubs that don't issue proper receipts. But since the unelected, technocratic government took power in November, it has made enforcing tax collections a priority.

I have two opinions on this:

1.) Persecuting the rich for being rich is one quick way of driving them out of the country, plunging Italy even deeper into deficits as all their wealthiest citizens abandon ship for greener pastures. Like it or not, the rich pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes every year. Sure some have millions or even billions in their bank accounts which means it's pennies to them, but that is valuable revenue for any Government. Losing it is not an option. If I was mega-rich and I lived in Italy driving an expensive car, I would think twice about staying even if I was doing everything by the book. I'm not going to stand for being interrogated on the highway by police for being able to drive a Ferrari. Today it's a Ferrari, tomorrow it's my $1,000.00 suit. Being audited on my way to work doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy.

2.) I don't like tax cheats, but I also don't like Governments who spend too much, spend it on the wrong things and tax me to death. In my opinion and from what I've seen, the Government is often worse than the mob when it comes to paying taxes. Legally they can do just about anything to you and you're forced to take it. Not because you have to or because there's no defending yourself, but because the Government has unlimited resources to keep going after you with lawyers who are being paid by with your own tax money! If they want to destroy you, they have the power to do so.

I think Italy is heading in the wrong direction with this stunt. I just hope that other world Governments have more sense than that.

You are right on with point 1)
California would do well to heed that warning as well since they aim to tax the rich to close the budget shortfall.

Thing about rich people is that they can afford to up and move.

What? You mean I can buy a house and move all my crap for 75% the cost of what the government is going to take from me? Yeah I'm going to do that.

That's a VERY GOOD move in my opinion.

If they did this around the World, you'd suddenly see less of the posh cars/sport cars IMMEDIATELY.

Another legal loophole I hate is, when millionaires/billionaires etc. can live a few months in different countries and avoid paying a lot of tax. I mean COME ON!!!


The people who made these stupid laws are the ones who get their pockets filled by the above mentioned...

One of Greece's big problems is that they have looked the other way on taxes for a good while now.

reply to post by 2manyquestions


Ummmm. The IRS and the canadian revenue system works in a similar method, if you appear to be spending more than you are earning, expect an audit. My father in law just retired from being a federal auditor, so I know some of how it works.

Claiming low wages while having two brand new trucks and a boat in the driveway is a huge red flag. They DO send investigators around to check on that stuff.

The wealthy have a easy way to avoid the problem, simply don't flaunt your wealth. If they insist on making themselves high profile targets, then they are opening themselves for an audit.

A lot of the mafiosi will not appreciate getting pulled over, but then again, most of them drive black mercedes, maybe the government would do better pulling those over as well.

It's unfair pulling people based on a stereotype, you have a nice car, so what?, you don't have a nice car, your taxes are just as likely to be unpaid to a certain degree, just becuase it is not worth spending the investigation fee to claim your 500 in unpaid taxes, means you are getting away with it.
stereotyping is not the right way to go about this.
cancel all taxes, stop borrowing money from the european central bank, the italian government should be printing it's own money and spending it, not making the people pay exorbitant taxes on loans they don't need as a sovereign people.

Originally posted by 2manyquestions1.)

Persecuting the rich for being rich is one quick way of driving them out of the country, plunging Italy even deeper into deficits as all their wealthiest citizens abandon ship for greener pastures.

As more and more of the developed world scrambles to pay for their burgeoning national debts, the rich will indeed be moving... particularly to places like Dubai.

Once they are all there with their toys and fat bank accounts, they will be a juicy target for whoever finally wins the struggle between the Shia and Sunni.

pdf link

Originally posted by phishyblankwaters
reply to post by 2manyquestions

 

Ummmm. The IRS and the canadian revenue system works in a similar method, if you appear to be spending more than you are earning, expect an audit. My father in law just retired from being a federal auditor, so I know some of how it works.

Claiming low wages while having two brand new trucks and a boat in the driveway is a huge red flag. They DO send investigators around to check on that stuff.

So.... let me get this straight..... you see someone driving a Ferrari down the highway. You're OK with pulling them over just for driving a Ferrari and checking their tax I.D. card??? You don't see anything wrong with that? What do you think is going to happen here? I'll tell you what happens. Millionaires will start driving $30,000.00 cars so they would avoid getting pulled over and Ferrari goes out of business. Congratulations.... you didn't catch the cheat, you pulled over an innocent driver and you put thousands of people out of work. Good job!

Originally posted by spyder550
One of Greece's big problems is that they have looked the other way on taxes for a good while now.

One of Greece's problems are corrupt Socialist politicians and a class of people too long dependent on the Government for their jobs and unbelievable benefits.

Originally posted by The X
A lot of the mafiosi will not appreciate getting pulled over, but then again, most of them drive black mercedes, maybe the government would do better pulling those over as well.

It's unfair pulling people based on a stereotype, you have a nice car, so what?, you don't have a nice car, your taxes are just as likely to be unpaid to a certain degree, just becuase it is not worth spending the investigation fee to claim your 500 in unpaid taxes, means you are getting away with it.
stereotyping is not the right way to go about this.
cancel all taxes, stop borrowing money from the european central bank, the italian government should be printing it's own money and spending it, not making the people pay exorbitant taxes on loans they don't need as a sovereign people.

Thank you for -so far- being one of the only ones to really THINK this problem through properly.

Originally posted by faryjay
That's a VERY GOOD move in my opinion.

If they did this around the World, you'd suddenly see less of the posh cars/sport cars IMMEDIATELY.

Another legal loophole I hate is, when millionaires/billionaires etc. can live a few months in different countries and avoid paying a lot of tax. I mean COME ON!!!

The people who made these stupid laws are the ones who get their pockets filled by the above mentioned...

edit on 23/5/12 by faryjay because: (no reason given)

edit on 23/5/12 by faryjay because: (no reason given)

Please think for a minute. Who makes the cars? Who are these people employed by? What other companies live off the luxury car business? If Richie Rich can't buy a Ferrari, he'll buy a $30,000 car and have $200,000 extra to do with as he wants... stash it away, spend it on jewelry, invest it, etc. It's not going to hurt the rich guy not driving his Ferrari, it's going to hurt the people who make the cars, sell them, service them, make parts for them that are going to suffer. It seems Italy has completed it's journey toward "Idiocracy".

When you work hard, make millions off your ideas or products after being 30 years in the business and your Government wants to take half your profit, come to me and tell me how it makes you feel. If you're OK with that nobody is stopping you from donating all your money to the Government, but don't be so sure that everybody is ready to give up their hard-earned money so politicians can have lavish vacations and hookers every night. Oh yea... forgot about the endless wars overseas they need to continue spending our taxes on.

Originally posted by masqua

Originally posted by 2manyquestions1.)

Persecuting the rich for being rich is one quick way of driving them out of the country, plunging Italy even deeper into deficits as all their wealthiest citizens abandon ship for greener pastures.

As more and more of the developed world scrambles to pay for their burgeoning national debts, the rich will indeed be moving... particularly to places like Dubai.

Once they are all there with their toys and fat bank accounts, they will be a juicy target for whoever finally wins the struggle between the Shia and Sunni.

pdf link

And then what? What happens when all the rich people are dead? More rich people will spring from their ashes. Success is not a reason to punish somebody. Being rich doesn't make you evil or a cheat. Ridding the world of wealthy individuals isn't going to end hunger or violence. It's human nature to strive for the best way to survive, and what better way than to live in luxury, having your every whim catered to? A dead Hitler didn't prevent Stalin or Mao from existing. It's laughable to think that the solution to this debt and economic crisis is to interrogate, bully and ostracize successful people just for being successful. Cheats, liars, thieves and good-for-nothings take many forms, including the middle-class dad who seemed like a really nice guy, but ran a small coc aine operation out of his basement.

reply to post by 2manyquestions

And then what? What happens when all the rich people are dead? More rich people will spring from their ashes.

What's next is (more) rich imams.

Originally posted by masqua
reply to post by 2manyquestions

 

And then what? What happens when all the rich people are dead? More rich people will spring from their ashes.

What's next is (more) rich imams.

edit on 23/5/12 by masqua because: edit to add specific quote

Until the human being evolves into something more enlightened, we're all just rats using each other to climb our way out of the tub. There's little difference between us no matter what our social status.

reply to post by 2manyquestions


For humanity to become enlightened, it is going to take two primary efforts:

1) the removal of the disparity between 1st, 2nd and 3rd world economies. This will lessen the corruption which ignorance (lack of education) allows and, as a result, permits everyone on earth an equal opportunity to earn a living wage. This may not happen for several more centuries, but it will eventually if we don't kill ourselves off with nuclear warfare (which is far more likely).

2) the reigning in of corporate greed as they struggle to absorb all competion on a global scale. How that is to be achieved is beyond me, because currently they do hold all the cards and the result is a race to the least expense in an effort to gain the highest profits. In a way, the trend actually works toward fulfilling point 1, but it's too fast and gutting the middle classes in developed countries, creating the strife we see in the western world today.

As Italy goes (with its obvious sights on the rich), so will every other government when its tax base falters (job losses) and their national debts increase (making interest payments their primary expense rather than maintaining infrastructure). The eyes of the populations, as things crumble, will go to those who have the most (hint: we are the 99%) and those tasked with finding funds to service national debts (federal governments) will increasingly go after the only ones with any real wealth.

The wealthy can run off to places like Dubai, but this world is a dangerous place for fat cats when reasonable living grows increasingly out of reach. Walled cities and gated communities are no safe haven, as history has repeatedly shown us.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, as he saying goes. I wish I knew what the 'save' would be, but fear that only troubles are in our immediate future.

reply to post by masqua


I hate the fact the what you said makes alot of sense and its most likely going to be us destroying ourselves.

reply to post by MeesterB


They damn well should!

Those bastards get away with murder every year when they don't pay their taxes!

The worst part is that they're propped up by their obedient slaves!

All the governments on the central banking system should just go ahead and hike their taxes up to the unreasonable levels they really want them at.

Maybe then people would start getting upset enough to realize what a waste it is to keep sending them their hard earned money.

Question...Isn't much of the Greek problem that they were heavily laden with the whole derivative scam? I ask because I seem to remember hearing or seeing it at some point.