Windows 7: Democrats push for new Internet sales taxes

A Guy · 05 Jul 2010

Quote:

The halcyon days of tax-free Internet shopping will, if Rep. Bill Delahunt gets his way, soon be coming to an abrupt end.

Delahunt, a Massachusetts Democrat, introduced a bill on Thursday that would rewrite the ground rules for Internet and mail order sales by eliminating the option for many Americans to shop over the Internet without paying state sales taxes.

At the moment, Americans who shop over the Internet from out-of-state vendors usually aren't required to pay sales taxes. Californians buying books from Amazon.com or cameras from Manhattan's B&H Photo, for example, won't be required to cough up the sales taxes that they would if shopping at a local mall.

Source

A Guy

not so gray matter · 05 Jul 2010

Saw this coming a mile away in my business... could be a bit of a fight this time with the recession hitting so hard. Not to mention the fact that the legislative and executive branches are both occupied by democrats and they have historically been the party to create new taxes.

electrotune1200 · 05 Jul 2010

It's going to be a long road back for the states. A national debt of 13 trillion, and quite a few state governments nearly bankrupt.

Something has to give. We have to pay for it somehow.

smsff7 · 05 Jul 2010

This sucks....why won't they just cut back on spending instead of trying to steal more money from people

noobvious · 05 Jul 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by smsff7

This sucks....why won't they just cut back on spending instead of trying to steal more money from people

It's a nice idea, but it isn't quite that simple, unfortunately.

arkhi · 05 Jul 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by electrotune1200

It's going to be a long road back for the states. A national debt of 13 trillion, and quite a few state governments nearly bankrupt.

Something has to give. We have to pay for it somehow.

Au contraire, the US national debt isn't a problem that is THAT big. For a start, GDP is at 14 trillion. To avoid blabberying economics, let' make it simple. Consider this analogy: you earn 30k a year and want to buy a 35k car. Can you afford it? Sure, through monthly payments and such, you'll eventually pay it off. Plus, majority of the debt are domesticly owned, which is actually much better than having to owe another foreign state.

Back to the iNet tax thing, I'd rather not have it simply because I spend a good deal of shopping online. :P

bummpr · 05 Jul 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by noobvious

Quote: Originally Posted by smsff7

This sucks....why won't they just cut back on spending instead of trying to steal more money from people

It's a nice idea, but it isn't quite that simple, unfortunately.

Sorry Randy...I disagree...it is this simple. Not easy but simple.

johnwillyums · 05 Jul 2010

Do things cost a lot different from one State to the next then? Never knew that.
Imports into the UK have to pay tax so regular traders are all working from a similar cost to themselves.
Direct imports are different.
It would be much cheaper for me to ask an American friend to buy an iPhone on my behalf, open the box, re-wrap and send it to me.
My friend bought an expensive camera lens from a Malaysian trader on ebay and it came in a box with a printed label saying "This is a Personell Gift of Litle Value"

The former is probably legal the latter not

richc46 · 05 Jul 2010

I know about sales tax. A simple law will not do it

In 1953 the Supreme Court said in the National Bellas Hess case, that you must have a location in the state to impose a tax. Now it will go to the court and they will have to decide is an internet connection a location.

noobvious · 05 Jul 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by bummpr

Quote: Originally Posted by noobvious

Quote: Originally Posted by smsff7

This sucks....why won't they just cut back on spending instead of trying to steal more money from people

It's a nice idea, but it isn't quite that simple, unfortunately.

Sorry Randy...I disagree...it is this simple. Not easy but simple.

Well, let me try to clarify then.

The theory is sound,yes..... but what is tricky is deciding what spending to cut. Any spending cuts you make are going to draw fire(hopefully figurative and not literal) from those whose livelihood (or ideology) is affected by them.

Are there spending cuts that should be made? Absolutely....but I do not envy those who have to make those decisions.

Windows 7: Democrats push for new Internet sales taxes

Democrats push for new Internet sales taxes problems?