Paging Art Laffer

We can only hope Warren Buffett reads this NY Times article explaining how market forces redistribute tax burdens;

Luxembourg has just half a million residents. But when customers across Europe, Africa or the Middle East — and potentially elsewhere — download a song, television show or app, the sale is recorded in this small country, according to current and former executives. In 2011, iTunes S.à r.l.’s revenue exceeded $1 billion, according to an Apple executive, representing roughly 20 percent of iTunes’s worldwide sales.

The advantages of Luxembourg are simple, say Apple executives. The country has promised to tax the payments collected by Apple and numerous other tech corporations at low rates if they route transactions through Luxembourg. Taxes that would have otherwise gone to the governments of Britain, France, the United States and dozens of other nations go to Luxembourg instead, at discounted rates.

And it isn't only Luxembourg that offers such arbitrage.  Within the United States Apple and other companies headquarter some activities in Nevada to avoid paying state income taxes in California.  Competition is a wonderful way to keep other people's hands off your money.