Posted: 8/6/2009 4:26:14 PM

By: carl weisser

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/opinion/03bessard.html

Posted: 8/8/2009 1:23:02 AM

By: U big dummy

He was referring to tax cheats in Swiss banks you big dummy!

Posted: 8/7/2009 2:00:46 PM

By: Agreed

"Switzerland is really more of a relic of the past"

That I agree with

Posted: 8/7/2009 10:53:24 AM

By: knightmare3000

I personally have Swiss bank accounts. I comply with all regulations and I do not evade taxes. I think that the media has given too much attention to isolated incidents. true the Swiss do not have as much tranparency as other coutnries would like,but that is the way their banking was founded. they make most of their money off investments. personal accounts with alleged tax cheats are miniscule. even at UBS, personal wealth management is only a small percentage of their overall activity as a bank..other countries with really dubious activity are places like ANDORRA or URUGUAY. Switzerland is really more of a relic of the past. In the Caribbean, e.g. Caymans or Bahamas ), they are relatively conservative and do not tolerate tax cheats or evasion in any form. with all the information sharing treaties they have and all the forms that you must complete just to get an account,then I am convinced that the US treasury or FBI must read accounts there in 'real time". it is that conscientious with reporting of account activity to authorities. so Switzerland gets a bad rap. true there have been some cases like this UBS debacle of recent yore. but it really is isolated in context of their overall banking activity..

Posted: 8/7/2009 8:27:02 AM

By: Silly Arguments

"But for us here in Switzerland, our financial privacy laws are a foundation for individual dignity and basic property rights."

And here in Columbia the manufacture of high quality cocaine is very important to our economy.

Message to the Swiss: See if you can make a buck honestly, without scamming other nations via tax evasion and protecting the proceeds of corruption in developing nations.

(Of course the "make a buck honestly" part will be lost on the members of the Sovereign Society who read here.)

Posted: 8/10/2009 9:01:24 AM

By: knightmare3000

I doubt that you have ever banked overseas. recently a congressman on national public radio commented upon Andorra and its lack of transparency. so I guess that it is used. the old adage is" money in Andorra is Money from France on its way to Switzerland". also reliable banks like VP bank of Liechtenstein has branch in Montevideo.so I guess people must use it.I think you may want to try to get an offshore account for yourself and see the real world as what it is

Posted: 8/9/2009 8:16:51 AM

By: Uruguay No Way

Doubt it -- nobody with a working brain cell would trust the banks in Uruguay or Andorra. It's like putting your money in a bank in Latvia or Grenada; yeah, it will be kept secret, and when it disappears that will be a secret to you too until way too late.

Posted: 8/8/2009 11:20:59 AM

By: knightmare3000

the point that I am making is that on a percentage basis anymore there are NOT that many tax cheats in Switzerland . if you want to find tax cheats LOOK here : ANDORRA or URUGUAY. I would not be surprised if the MADOFF people had money hidden in either of these locales. .