If even giant companies like GE are people in the eyes of the law, why do companies get to not pay taxes (or even get money back) but people almost ALWAYS pay taxes even when they have losses like GE?

Let's remember, that there is no such actual physical entity called a Corporation. Taxes on any corporation are really passed onto employees, customers, and shareholders. When a company has to pay taxes, what in turn happens is they have less capital to use for hiring workers, creating more efficient products and processes, and paying out to shareholders.

Interesting question.  The US tax codes are too complex so an average Joe can't possibly knows all the tax loopholes that he/she can exploit to reduce their taxes.  Corporations, on the other hands, have an army of tax lawyers and accountants, whose only job is to study the tax laws and apply those laws to their advantage.  In large corporation, there's always a tax department and sometimes this department can have as many as 50-100 people whose only job is to deal with taxes from sales/use, excise, to franchise, income tax etc....Not all People always have to pay taxes though.  I know of sophisticated investors (individuals) who don't pay a single penny in income taxes at all because their high paid CPA and accountant/advisers know of ways on how to structure their business transactions to take advantage of the current tax laws.  Bottom line is if you're a W-2 employee making $100K a year as an engineer in the Silicon Valley, you're probably paying more in income taxes than an investor who's making $100K a year.  Is that fair? maybe because I'd argue that the investor takes on more risks thus there should be more rewards given to him in the form of tax benefits.  Same argument goes for corporations.  They have a lot of risk exposures in operating their businesses.  Furthermore, to stimulate job growth government often gives corporations some slacks in the forms of tax incentives.  Without GE, people will have no job.  So would you rather work for GE and pay some taxes or would you rather not have a job and collect unemployment?  I think this system is brilliant in bringing the best out of human nature.  If you're a gungho type of individual and don't want to work for GE, your alternative would be to have your own business at which time you would then be able to exploit the same or similar tax loopholes set aside for entrepreneurs and businesses.  If you're just so contend being an employee and put in your 8 hours every day then you can pay taxes up to your nose.