The Politicians' Credo: If it ain't broke, break it
Written by: Beck
Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation, in the midst of a project to identify tax loopholes, suggested that a Spanish-American War era excise tax on phone calls could be used to
apply a tax on all internet connections. All of them--broadband, satellite, dial-up, you name it.
Fortunately, sixteen other members of Congress took umbrage to this suggestion and penned a
rather nasty reply. My favorite bit:
...Since both Senators [Grassley and Baucus] have voted at least twice in the last ten months against new taxes on Internet access, we're bafled as to how you could interpret a desire to reduce noncompliance with our tax laws as a request for new ways to tax the Internet.
The question demanding an answer now is why any consumers still have to pay a telephone tax created in 1898 to fund the Spanish-American War. Please report back to us on the olicy benefits of ending the Federal Excise Tax on telecommunications.
And I must say, I like the sound of that.
(Hat tip:
Hit & Run)
