OUR VIEW

 

For those who follow such things, 47 U.S. corporations have relocated overseas via the so-called tax inversion in the last 10 years.

That's more than in the last 20 years, itself a clear-cut message, not that anyone in those not-so hallowed Halls of Gridlock is listening. Now Rep. Sander Levin (D., Mich.) wants to, typically, put an end to it by making it more difficult for theses companies to relocate by pushing legislation that would make it harder to move to such countries as Ireland and the UK.

As the failed Pfizer-Astra deal pointed up most do so by merging with another company already domiciled overseas. Mr. Levin has clearly missed his calling and he should immediately seek a transfer to the French parliament. There's surely a welcome place for him there.

As one report noted, nearly all other developed countries, excluding, of course, the U.S., still tax there multinationals on their domestic not global earnings. The U.S. rate is the highest in the developed world. Now we understand that's a sore point that it's difficult for people like Mr. Levin to understand.

Maybe the excessive cold last winter has something to do with it. But if you value anything about the free market system and companies and people having free, unshackled, non-spied upon free movement, you'll let people like Mr. Levin know how you feel.

That's our view. We hope you know yours.