Read My Lips: No Internet Taxes

from the bad-ideas dept

Yet another argument against the idea of taxing e-commerce online (which, by the way, includes an example of how confusing the tax codes are by discussing edible underwear). His point is basically that it would hurt the e-commerce world. The other side argues that with the hurting economy, the states need the extra cash. The writer's response is that everyone is hurting in the present economy, and have to learn to live within their means. Why should the state governments be any different? Of course, I think both of these arguments completely miss the point. What's the real rationale for having a sales tax? In general, it's to support the infrastructure needed to have commerce. However, the state governments weren't the ones who paid for the internet - so it's a little harder to justify why they deserve sales tax for those purchases other than that they just want more cash.
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  • identicon
    Timmmay!, 16 Jan 2003 @ 7:09am

    State budgets...

    The states need cash because they were idiots about how they spent. Even as the economy was going in the crapper the past two years, they've just spent and spent and spent and now it's finally caught up with them. So the two choices are to radically cut state expenditures (for things like Oracle licenses or lousy energy contracts) or raise taxes. What do you think will happen...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    2lazy2register, 16 Jan 2003 @ 12:19pm

    No Subject Given

    We should realize that our elected representatives just want to buy themselves more prestiege with our money. They do this by "taxing" any and everthing that they can so that they can get reelected by saying that they did not raise "(income) taxes)". Our elected representatives are always looking for "new sources of revenue" (read new things to tax).
    As an example: If most (if not all states) fine an automobile driver for exceeding the speed limit, then why is this fine doubled in a construction zone? I have heard of at least one of our representatives proposing to double traffice fines for offences that occurr in a school zone! Our elected representatives do not get the message: We have to live within our income--our government should set the example and do the same. I would like to go to my boss and tell him that since I have increased my expenditures, that he must increase my income to make up for the deficit. See how far I get with that one!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dorpus, 16 Jan 2003 @ 1:13pm

    State governments deserve the money

    Because:

    - they passed anti-spam legislation and need the money to enforce it.

    - they support the commercial infrastructure (highways, consumer protection, etc.) and e-commerce is a beneficiary of it.

    - e-commerce deserves no special privileges over other industries.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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