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Keep the Internet Tax-Free
RealClearPolitics ^ | October 17, 2007 | Fred Thompson

Posted on 10/16/2007 10:27:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

This year, Halloween could be a bit more hair-raising for American consumers, especially if they have an Internet connection.

October 31st is the last day Congress can act to extend or make permanent the Internet Tax Moratorium. If Congress chooses to do nothing (not always a bad thing in my view), the tax moratorium will expire and on November 1st, state and local jurisdictions would be allowed to impose taxes on broadband and Internet access. This would also represent the first major tax increase on consumers in almost eight years.

There are about 15,000 different taxing jurisdictions, so American consumers face the prospect of paying new taxes on everything from email to instant messaging and video downloads to spam or junk e-mail filters. With more than 65 million household broadband connections we're looking at more than $3 billion in new taxes if the Internet Tax Moratorium expires at the end of October.

On three different occasions -1998, 2001 and 2005 - Congress made a commitment to keep the Internet tax-free. We did so for a couple of different reasons. First, high-speed broadband was just beginning to emerge, and we felt that the best way to encourage this important technology for education, communication, and economic opportunity, was to not weigh it down with taxes and fees that would put broadband out of reach of many consumers, including schools and libraries.

Second, the Internet and broadband are not limited by geographic borders; they are global networks. Putting taxes on a connection that is so interconnected in the U.S. and elsewhere seemed too unwieldy.

The decision to keep the Internet tax free would seem to have been a good one.(continued)

(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: business; congress; cultureofcorruption; democratscandals; donothingcongress; ecommerce; federalism; fred; fredthompson; internet; newtaxes; salestax; tax; taxation; taxes; thompson
Comments?
1 posted on 10/16/2007 10:27:49 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If we allow this to happen, we’re fools. I intend to call my representatives in the morning.


2 posted on 10/16/2007 10:31:51 PM PDT by americanophile
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I'm waiting for the politicians to propose taxes on communication with others by means of spoken or written word.
3 posted on 10/16/2007 10:50:12 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 (Sic Semper Tyrannis * U.Va. Engineering * Go Hoos! * Fred Thompson 2008)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’m sure they can’t wait to dish out another tax on the poor.


4 posted on 10/16/2007 11:03:05 PM PDT by publana
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To: Politicalmom

Ping!


5 posted on 10/17/2007 3:20:21 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Security * Unity * Prosperity | Fred08.com)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I agree with Fred. Taxing Internet access and such is a bad move and IMO an attempt to put the Genie back in the bottle. I don’t think the politico’s ever thought the Internet would grow into what it has and they long ago lost control. They certainly never foresaw the rise of bloggers and such. For me, as a Tennessean, Lamar! Alexander, (RINO - TN), I’m sad to say, has been pushing for an Internet tax in one form or another for several years. Hopefully, my fellow Tennesseans will help to send this twit home for good next time he’s up for re-election.....
6 posted on 10/17/2007 4:05:39 AM PDT by Thermalseeker (Thinking of voting Democrat? Wake up and smell the Socialism!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He doesn’t say anything about keeping it deregulated and uncensored. I can see the McCain-Feingold lunacy or a Fairness doctrine sneaking past these positions.


7 posted on 10/17/2007 4:22:22 AM PDT by Old 300
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To: Old 300

They tax your windows, tax your floor, they tax your walls, tax your door, and when you die, they’ll tax you more!


8 posted on 10/17/2007 4:47:16 AM PDT by buffyt (FREE RAMOS & CAMPEAN! NOW!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Thought I read that they passed a 4-year extension to this yesterday. Not quite a permanent ban, but better than letting it expire.


9 posted on 10/17/2007 5:11:20 AM PDT by DJ Frisat (SPAM: best in the can and in sammiches -- not for use on computers.)
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To: Old 300

He doesn’t say anything about keeping it deregulated and uncensored.


Nor does he say anything about not killing cute little puppies.


10 posted on 10/17/2007 6:59:50 AM PDT by Atlas Sneezed ("We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them, I won't chip away at them" -Mitt Romney)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Don’t worry—

All We ( That is: “WE” meaning ; Patriotic, Freedom Loving, Constitution Supporting AMERICANS.) have to do is get the world out ON the world wide web that if even ONE Liberal Dem gets into ANY Major office-including Schrillary- they can say GOOD BYE to Open-Free-Non-Regulated-Non-Gov’t Controled Internet and..

...YELLO CHINA-STYLE, Communist Dictator type Gov’t control and run Internet!!

When word gets out about that! All those 14-19 year olds that make up the BASE OF Schrillary & MovingOn will Dump THEM so fast we’d hear it!!

Go tell a 17 year old that Schrillary & Company has had plans for YEARS to gain control of the internet and they’d throw down their “End the Draft” Signs they were handed and go back to doing what All Red-Blooded American Teens do best!; Drink Beer and make out behind the football stands!!

Once they hear that the Hilder-Beats wants the Dis-United Nations to “Control” the Internet even THEY would Vote Republican!

DA

ps— CALL YOUR LOCAL GOP and NATIONAL GOP/RNC NOW!!—and DEMAND that they hire at LEAST 5-10 Top Freepers for their ‘08 Campaign Strategies Committee!! Or they are DOOMED!


11 posted on 10/17/2007 7:17:45 AM PDT by AirBorn
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

What’s the best way to blast our congress critters about this one? Any ideas? Phone calls? Faxes? e-mails?


12 posted on 10/17/2007 7:57:47 AM PDT by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
OK this moratorium has apparently been voted on (405-2) and passed in the US House and is now in the Senate's hands. Call/email/fax your US Senators offices now!

Arizona's Congressional reps vote to continue Internet tax moratorium

[Rep. Chris] Cannon says he prefers a permanent moratorium

House Approves Internet Tax Ban Extension - The House approves a new four-year ban on state or local taxation of Internet, though many from both political parties want the ban to be permanent.

13 posted on 10/17/2007 8:07:54 AM PDT by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: DJ Frisat

Courtesy ping to the above links I just posted.


14 posted on 10/17/2007 8:08:52 AM PDT by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: NotJustAnotherPrettyFace

Courtesy “thanks” for the courtesy ping...


15 posted on 10/17/2007 9:05:51 AM PDT by DJ Frisat (SPAM: best in the can and in sammiches -- not for use on computers.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

bttt!


16 posted on 10/17/2007 11:16:49 AM PDT by ellery (I don't remember a constitutional amendment that gives you the right not to be identified-R.Giuliani)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Abram; akatel; albertp; AlexandriaDuke; Alexander Rubin; Allerious; ...






Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
17 posted on 10/17/2007 3:56:54 PM PDT by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/Ron_Paul_2008.htm)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Any update on the Senate’s action or not?


18 posted on 10/24/2007 1:45:41 PM PDT by plsjr (one of His <><)
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