US lawmaker proposes 25 percent tax on pornography

Jerusalem Post ^ | Jul. 23, 2005

[nickcarraway]

A Democratic lawmaker plans to propose a new 25 percent federal tax on Internet pornography and new requirements for adult Web sites to help prevent children from looking at them.

The bill, expected to be introduced in the Senate next week by Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., would impose the excise tax on transactions with for-profit adult Web sites, which typically sell monthly subscriptions to Internet users to look at pornographic photographs or videos.

Money collected from the tax would be used for law enforcement and for protecting children from crimes involving the Internet.

Lincoln's spokesman, Drew Goesl, would not discuss the provisions Friday. "We prefer to wait until the bill is introduced to discuss it," Goesl said.

A draft of the legislation circulated this week among pornography and free-speech groups. Companion legislation was expected to be introduced in the House of Representatives.

Called the Internet Safety and Child Protection Act of 2005, the bill also would propose new rules for Web sites to verify they do business only with adults. It would compel sites to use specialized software to verify a customer's age, subject to enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission.

An FTC spokeswoman said the commission was not aware of the proposed bills.

[SteveMcKing]

Those prudish republicans.... oh wait.

[seacapn]

Won't that just result in a bunch of new "Canadian" porn sites?

Go on and try, but this seems like more of a political grandstand than a real initiative.

[Echo Talon]

See the dems do this then the republicans get balmed for it. Same with Grand Theft Auto, Hillary was out crying about it, and Leno said tonight, "politicians" changed the rating.... Why didn't he name Hillary?

[King Prout]

already posted... yes, I know: the search function is acting wonky

[RandallFlagg]

Bill Would Tax Internet Pornography

[LdSentinal]

There's porn on the Internet?

[DTogo]

Money collected from the tax would be used for law enforcement and for protecting children from crimes involving the Internet.

Sure... just like all that tobacco settlement money is being used ONLY for anti-smoking education and cancer research. Sure...

[microgood]

The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

Ronald Reagan.

Looks like step 1 is starting. I wonder how long until it gets to step 3.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

BAD idea. A slippery slope that sneaks in an implied OK and "social benefit" of porn. They'll probably maximize the emotional/useful idiot appeal by saying it's for the children and schools.

The money, not the porn....

But it's virtual whoring just like the IRS operating the Mustang Ranch brothel.

[Panerai]

"Money collected from the tax would be used for law enforcement and for protecting children from crimes involving the Internet."

Yeah, right, those libs always look for another excuse to tax everyone, and they tell "IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN".

[Echo Talon]

Is this a flip flop?

Blanche Lambert Lincoln on Families & Children
Voted NO on restricting violent videos to minors. (May 1999)

Rated 16% by the Christian Coalition: an anti-family voting record. (Dec 2003)

Blance Lincoln on the issues

[upchuck]

Call me lazy.

This article was already posted.

My comment here.

[Stellar Dendrite]

"There's porn on the Internet?"

Did you hear John Kerry is a vietnam war hero?

[Chewbacca]

Al Gore invented the internet so let him pay the tax.

[Hank Rearden]

Tax, tax, tax.

[oldenuff2no]

The internet is international. How are you going to tax sites that are based in other nations?
Or are they going to monitor how we use the internet and tax the porn users?
Scary question isn't it?????

[Redcloak]

If the sites move to offshore boxes, then how does Sen. Lincoln propose to collect the tax?

[endthematrix]

"Money collected from the tax would be used for law enforcement and for protecting children from crimes involving the Internet."

Like the cigarette scandal, government must support the "SIN" to continue funding....and that funding is diverted to programs not associated with the original intention.

So when there is a rise in child porn, the government must advocate for MORE PORN USE to generate taxes.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

I'm proud to be the first to declare that anything existing on a liberal DemonRat website is PORNOGRAPHY!!