Congress Considers Web Taxes

[Dos Equis]

They better not.   

Friday, May 25, 2007 9:42 p.m. EDT
Congress Considers Web Taxes

Proposals in the U.S. Congress could lead to taxes on Internet shopping, broadband connections and even e-mail by this fall. State and local governments are lobbying Congress to gain the ability to impose the new taxes.

Sen. Michael Enzi, a Wyoming Republican, has introduced a bill that would usher in mandatory sales tax collection for Internet purchases, the CNET News.com Web site reported.

And the House has held a hearing to decide whether to let a temporary ban on Net access taxes lapse when it expires in November.

"With Democrats now in control of both chambers of Congress, the political dynamic appears to have shifted in favor of the pro-tax advocates and their allies on Capitol Hill,” according to CNET.

But Sen. Ted Stevens, an Alaska Republican, said he prefers "an impregnable ban on taxes on the Internet.”

If the ban on Net access taxes is allowed to lapse, states and municipalities could impose an array of access taxes, just as they now do on telephone bills.

Internet users could then see a tax on e-mails, said Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., who added:

"They might say, ‘We have no interest in having tax on e-mail,’ but if we allow the prohibition on Internet taxes to expire, then you open the door on cities and towns and states to tax e-mail or other aspects of Internet access.”

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/5/25/214344.shtml?s=ic

[Eyeball Chambers]

I promise everyone here Ron Paul voted against it. 

[Camel Jockey]

gay.

[Hedgehog]

I am against  regular taxes on the net.

But one idea that has occured to me, is that perhaps a part of the broadband fee could be paid to a fund which would pay the artists and alike that has their mp3's downloaded.

So instead of paying for CD's, the broadband fee would be raised a bit, but in return all music was "free" to download (you would already have paid for it with the broadband fee).

I realise this may be an utopic idea, but I think artists, directors and alike deserve pay, but likewise, I don't like the idea of the recording companies, wanting to investigate all those who p2p music: Half of the Americans are probably downloading something on occasion. And we all know that they are not criminals.

There is a need for something else.

Well, this was slightly off-topic. But my point is, I'm not against paying a slightly higher fee, if it's gonna be instead of buying records.

-Hedge

[Dos Equis]

I am against  regular taxes on the net.

But one idea that has occured to me, is that perhaps a part of the broadband fee could be paid to a fund which would pay the artists and alike that has their mp3's downloaded.

So instead of paying for CD's, the broadband fee would be raised a bit, but in return all music was "free" to download (you would already have paid for it with the broadband fee).

I realise this may be an utopic idea, but I think artists, directors and alike deserve pay, but likewise, I don't like the idea of the recording companies, wanting to investigate all those who p2p music: Half of the Americans are probably downloading something on occasion. And we all know that they are not criminals.

There is a need for something else.

Well, this was slightly off-topic. But my point is, I'm not against paying a slightly higher fee, if it's gonna be instead of buying records.

-Hedge

Hedge I understand the concept, but I bet that the "fund" would eventually be used for other purposes.  Federal and state governments constantly redirect funds for purposes that have nothing to do with the original intent of the fund.  It has happened in Hawaii more than once.  These so-called "special funds" are constantly being used for other purposes.   

[youandme]

I think artists, directors and alike deserve pay

No really they don't "Stupid things people don't want say in public they put into music (movies)" Voltaire

[Tre]

If this passes, then I guarantee a large number of online merchants will move their primary business accounts to places outside the U.S. in order to avoid paying taxes.

I know that many do already, but imagine if they *all* did it. 

[youandme]

thats what I thought once I read the title. majority of the big players are alredy offshore as it is. not at all that hard to set up a offshore merchant acct.