Regulations vs. Rate Cuts

A set of stories in International Tax Review today illustrate the backwards nature of U.S. corporate tax policy. The first story discusses the high-profile chest-thumping in Washington over corporate "tax haven abuse." The congressional response to greater international tax competition is to load even more regulations on American businesses.

The second story is entitled "Taiwan Slashes Corporate Tax Rate":

Taiwan's government has approved plans to cut the country's corporate tax rate from 25% to 20%. Ministers hope the cut will encourage investment in the country and stimulate growth in the economy...

America is in the worst recession in decades and it desperately needs to cut its 40 percent corporate tax rate to reinvigorate business investment. Why are U.S. policymakers so clueless about the most obvious way to spur investment when that policy imperative is clear to leaders just about everywhere else?