‘Iron Lady Challenges the Happiest Countries on Earth'

The Most Powerful Woman on earth, Angela Merkel, appears to be hell bent on challenging the Happiest Countries on Earth, such as Vanuatu, Columbia, Costa Rica, and Dominica of Panama. Countries which have up to now featured high on the Happiest Planet Index.

Forbes Magazine announced their 11th annual list of the top 100 most powerful women in the world, late August 2008. The criteria the magazine appears to have used is based on a combination of public profile, how many times the women were mentioned by the paparazzi and how much financial power the women wielded. Only 15% of the top corporate jobs are held by women. Less than 3% of USA’s largest companies opt to have female chief executives. Only one out of six company directors are female.

The magazine has estimated that the women on the list, have command of something like $26 trillion dollars. The women appear to be defined by their jobs, rather than by who they are.  It is also reported that some collect an annual pay of $11 million plus.

Accomplishments, job title, past career, as well as the amount of money the woman controls, are all taken into account. The magazine draws comparisons between the different financial areas the women operate in, in order to assess the women's position on an even playing field.

• Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, tops the list in 2008 for the third time in a row
• Second was Sheila Bair, head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp
• PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi came in third, gaining two positions over last year
• Angela Braly head of the health insurance WellPoint retained fourth position, same as last year
• Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State came in seventh
• Ho Chin, Temasek Holdings and wife of the Prime Minister of Singapore, was No. 8, dropping from 3rd place last year
• Gail Kelly, head of Australian Wetspac Bank came in No. 11
• Hilary Clinton, with the highest media profile, ranked 28, dropping three places from last year
• Oprah Winfrey ranked 36, dropping all the way from 8th position last year
• First Lady Linda Bush ranked 44

Angela Merkel has been given the nickname the 'Iron Lady'. She appears to be following in the footsteps of ex British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, even down to having a similar type of agenda. Vice Premiere of the People's Republic of China, who held third place last year, is also known as the 'Iron Lady'.  Wu Yi, has been in the top rankings, since 2004, but has dropped from view this year.

Angela Merkel is crusading to get the governments of the world to join a Tax Cartel, in order that a heavy-handed fist can be brought to bear on all tax havens. The recent purchase, by Merkel, of confidential client data of alleged tax evaders, stolen from a Lichtenstein bank, has highlighted Merkel's crusade. It is alleged the Lichtenstein bank sold the same material several times over, netting the bank a tidy profit.

Tax havens have played a very important role in lowering the tax rate in high-taxed countries. Therefore, Merkel’s crusade could cost the world more than her crusade is worth. Taxes would soar, if it weren’t for the competitive alternative offered by tax havens.

Personal income tax was quoted in 1980 by OEDC, as averaging 67%. Now top personal taxes average only 40%. Corporate taxes have plunged from 50% in 1980 to a simple 27%.

Claims that tax havens are an open venue for money laundering, may be false as the extensive laws and regulations in tax havens actually make money laundering virtually impossible.