Attacks on Romney’s account have Swiss worried

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/foreign_affairs/Attacks_on_Romney_s_account_have_Swiss_worried.html?cid=33150520

by Sophie Douez and Marie-Christine Bonzom, swissinfo.ch

Friday 27.07.2012

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As the United States presidential campaign heats up, Switzerland is finding itself the centre of attention in what is an increasingly bitter fight between the two candidates’ claims to the seat of power.

The revelation that presumptive Republican candidate Mitt Romney had $3 million (SFr2.94 million) in a Swiss bank account has led to unrelenting attacks from President Barack Obama’s re-election team that he hides his money overseas to avoid paying tax. snip

“The Cayman account came out later than the disclosure of Mitt Romney’s Swiss account,” Greg Wierzynski, a Republican former advisor to the Financial Services Committee of the US House of Representatives and former reporter for Time magazine, told swissinfo.ch.

“The fact is that, in the minds of people here, Switzerland is the country most easily associated with bank secrecy, tax evasion and rich people who want to hide their money.”

[dimbear]

1. The other secretive small country that's worried? Utah. n/t

[patrice]

2. 1+

[dballance]

3. Well DUH!

“The fact is that, in the minds of people here, Switzerland is the country most easily associated with bank secrecy, tax evasion and rich people who want to hide their money.”

Um, isn't that because it's true? With the Caymans coming in a close second now.

[hedgehog]

4. If you have the time, try reading "Earth" by David Brin.

It was written about 20 years ago, and is set about 20 years from today, IIRC, and imagines the kind of world scientists are telling us to expect given the rate of global climate change. What's really interesting is that one of the premises is that the entire world gets sick of all the tax havens siphoning off money. The Cayman Islands and Bermuda close their banks, but the Swiss get stubborn and the country is destroyed.