The first word out of your mouth when you consider the incredible promise of the Internet is probably “Wow.” But the first word out of the mouths of career politicians is likely to be, “Tax. Tax now.”
In keeping with the usual Washington doublethink, Congress has declared a three-year moratorium on taxing the Internet to avoid angering consumers. But then Congress went on to establish yet another commission to study how to tax electronic commerce when the moratorium ends. That way, the politicians will be able to get a running start.
The commission is already drawing up tax plans. Local, state and congressional career politicians see every human activity as just another way to extract money. Some are now actually arguing that their tax base will be lost if they cannot slap new taxes on electronic commerce. Their pleas are ridiculous.
Tax money is pouring into governments at the local, state and federal level in record amounts. And these politicians conveniently ignore that companies doing business on the Internet are already subject to plenty of different taxes.
That’s why a new group has formed to fight Internet taxes at www.e‑freedom.org. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall said it best, “The power to tax is the power to destroy.” The Internet is a revolution that can benefit people all over the globe. If politicians want to get their hands on it, they should use a mouse and try some double-clicking.
Leave the taxman out of it. When I get on-line I want to hear “you’ve got mail,” not “you’ve got taxes.”
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.