Renewal expected on ban of Internet access taxes

U.S.A. Today ^ | 11/7/2003 | Paul Davidson

[ClintonBeGone]

The controversy is not related to taxing online sales, which is banned.

Supporters of the bill, which has been approved by the House, say failure to make permanent the 5-year-old moratorium would squelch the tech-sector rebound and discourage low-income consumers from getting online.

[ClintonBeGone]

Alexander has vowed to challenge the bill under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, which bars the federal government from ordering states to do things without funding them.

Alexander is a pathetic piece of human debris. What a disgusting tax hungry scum bag.

[goldstategop]

Our politicians have a limitless appetite for our money. They need to keep their hands off the Internet.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

The bill "will force states into the red," says Raymond Scheppach, executive director of the National Governors Association.

The states shouldn't be spending too much money, and forcing the citizens' bank accounts into the red. Hands off!

[goldstategop]

Yep. Its not too little revenue the states have a problem with, its living beyond their means. They're long overdue for some serious belt-tightening. The states should sacrifice rather than the citizens who've already paid too much and have yet to see real value for the tax dollars they've sent to the state capitals.

[ClintonBeGone]

The states shouldn't be spending too much money, and forcing the citizens' bank accounts into the red. Hands off!

Yes, I agree. I wonder what 'act' of the federal government Alexander is going to cite in OUR protection? Here is the page to contact this disgusting Senator's office. http://alexander.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

[CatoRenasci]

It is interesting, and infuriating, to note the states which do tax access (Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin) all have significant rural areas where internet access is the only access most people have to the kinds of shopping, information, cultural, and intellectual resources readily available to urban and suburban areas. These are the places where the internet really can make a difference in peoples' lives, whether for home schoolers, writers, consultants or otherwise. Where I live, in the Northeast, the internet is great, it's a convenience, but its absence would only make access to things a little more inconvenient, not make access impossible. In the nether Dakotas, for example, I would bet it would be impossible to replace the access to goods and services, not to mention information, provided by the internet without spending tens of thousands on trips to major metropolitan areas.

Shame on these states!

[G.Mason]

"But Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., a former governor, says: "This is not about taxes, and it is not about the Internet. It is about the federal government telling state and local officials what to do."

Ah hem ........so was the "war between the states", though it is now been rendered the "war against slavery".

Perhaps we can make this into something it is not also.

[TommyDale]

Alexander comes from the state that continually stops any attempts at a state income tax. Yet, buy something there and you'll pay a whopping sales tax rate. They complain about revenues, but the key is to stop spending.

[justrepublican]

I believe the first communication tax was to fund the civil war. and I'm still paying it.

[mathluv]

Being diiscussed on floor of Senate now.

[ClintonBeGone]

Thanks!

[ClintonBeGone]

Looks like Stabenaw and Reid are playing games again.

[Dan from Michigan]

Whose Stabenaw? I know a Debbie Stabmenow...or is it Stabusall.

Unfortunatly, we're stuck with her till 06.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[G.Mason]

"I believe the first communication tax was to fund the civil war. and I'm still paying it."

Aren't we all!

[JDGreen123]

Here is a copy of Lamar's reply to all Tennesseans who have pelted his office with complaints:

Dear X

I want to be clear. I am not advocating taxes on the Internet or anything else, and I adamantly oppose taxes on e-mails.

I want to be clear about my position on this issue. I am saying that Congress should not decide how Tennessee collects revenue. I'm a conservative and believe in small government, and I think the federal government needs to keep its nose out of state business. I have always believed that these decisions are best made on the state and local level, not here in Washington. Our state elected leaders should be able to decide what Tennessee's tax structure should look like. Should taxes on food and medicine be raised, or should the tax on our Internet service continue? Those are the kinds of decisions the governor, the state legislature, and the people of Tennessee should have the authority to make - not politicians in Washington.

I also want to be clear that in Tennessee, your Internet service is currently being taxed, but not your individual e-mails. I oppose the moratorium because the federal government should not tell the state how to run its business.

How Tennessee collects money is not a decision Congress should make. Congress has no business taking away what the state estimates to be more than $300 million in revenue from Tennessee, which could result if the proposed legislation passes.

Sincerely,

Lamar

Funny that Lamar as Secretary of Education had no problems enfocing his outcome based education on states whether they liked it or not.

Lamar! has never been anything but an opportunist who really is a Democrat but ran as a Republican since there was little opposition. Tennessee's Republican Party is a horde of RINOs. Howard Baker was a RINO. Bill Frist is a RINO.

This group defeated a true conservative, Congressman Ed Bryant, in favor of Lamar! in the primary. Many of the same group backed our new Democrat Governor over conservative Congressman Van Hilleary in that race. East Tennessee Republicans like Lamar! are the worst. They have a type of elitist view akin to New England liberals.

[ClintonBeGone]

I agree with your charaterization of LAMAR! A true conservative understands that you should say YES when the federal government is telling a state that it should not impose a particular tax. What a goofball he is.

[ClintonBeGone]

Internet Ban Dies In Senate

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=528&ncid=528&e=2&u=/ap/20031107/ap_on_hi_te/internet_taxes

Thank you LAMAR you filty SOB.