Financial Transaction Tax to Raise Public Funds

Interesting, the echoes to the idea of the Robin Hood (or once upon a time Tobin) Tax, especially since vote rigging was traced back to a Goldman Sachs computer:

January 26:

King renews call for banking overhaul, but “of all the components of radical reform, I think a Tobin tax is bottom of the list”. – FT

February 9:

Richard Curtis and Bill Nighy team up in new film urging Tobin tax on bankers – The Guardian

February 10:

Joseph Stiglitz: Robin Hood who wants to tax the rich for the poor – London Evening Standard

February 11:

Robin Hood tax on banks could raise £250bn a year to fight poverty – in the Evening Standard

Richard Curtis and Bill Nighy team up in new film urging Tobin tax on bankers – an article The Guardian with lots of comments illustrating what the idea does to people’s minds. The article also lists Pros and Cons, besides Experts’ views. My view about the Cons is:

1. Every country has the authority to implement it. There is NO need for all countries to do it nor to wait for the US. It’s a fund raising exercise.
2. The argument that a transaction tax would impede the efficient working of markets is farcical. It’s just another computer transaction.
3. The purpose of the tax is not to deter speculation, but to raise money that can otherwise not be found.

MPs urged to back tax on banks – Belfast Telegraph

Could Richard Curtis have another hit with the Robin Hood tax? – New Statesman

Tax actually: UK filmmaker takes on bankers – The Age [Australia]

Robin Hood tax could shrink currency markets by 14% – ShareCast

Call for ‘Robin Hood’ bank tax – The Sun

The Robin Hood Tax campaign hits the streets of Cardiff – with a video of the dancing demonstration on Wales Online

February 12:

Two interesting articles about Goldman Sachs rigging the vote on the Robin Hood Tax site:

Did banker try to rig the vote on Robin Hood tax? – in in TIMES ONLINE

Goldman Sachs faces ‘Robin Hood tax’ vote-rigging claims – in the Daily Telegraph

Did Goldman Sachs rig the bank-tax vote? Foul play suspected in Richard Curtis internet campaign – the MailOnline

Did Goldman rig Richard Curtis’ Robin Hood tax vote? – thisismoney – Paul Sims, Daily Mai

Bill Nighy vs Goldman Sachs – on SkyNews

ACT NOW! – The Robin Hood Tax – The Nation

Will Gordon Brown play Robin Hood? – The Guardian

Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs, clicking in the votes? – The Guardian

‘Robin Hood Tax’ Campaign’s Hilarious New Ad With Bill Nighy (VIDEO) – The Huffington Post – the world’s no. 1 blog according to Technorati

Robin Hood tax seen as stealth levy – FT

And a German News agency published in 2008 that Italy wants to raise a Robin Hood tax from the oil industry: Rom verhängt Robin-Hood-Tax

February 13:
Backward view by banks’ merry men – Letters – The Guardian

Sunday, February 14:
Robin Hood tax has Bono and co all a-quiver – Sunday Star Times – New Zealand

In my mailbox of February 19:
CLIMATE CHANGE: The Many Lives of the Tobin Tax – a good article in the political context of the United Nations

February 26:
Early Day Motion (EDM) 913 was tabled by Lindsay Hoyle MP to support the Robin Hood Tax and has been signed by 47 MPs so far.

April 8:
157 signatures of the EDM by now, but only 2 Conservatives!