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Senate approves online sales tax bill [W:244]

What weird universe do the rest of you live in where you don't pay taxes on online purchases? I can't think of anything I've bought online in the last year from a business (as opposed to a private seller) that wasn't taxed.

Besides, why should we be trying to create "fairness" between online businesses and physical ones? Why should a superior technology be made more expensive and less effective just to discourage its use for the sake of lesser methods? Not having to go to a store and hope they have what you want, and instead being able to search the entire country (even the entire world!) and find what you want and have it shipped to you... that's an improvement. This is like adding a new tax on top of automatic transmission cars because it's "unfair" that they're outselling stick shift cars. We shouldn't be leveling the playing field between better and worse technologies. We should let the worse ones die off.
 
Maybe we don't need most brick and mortar stores, any more than we need a lot of stables. "Mom and Pop" ought to open an online store.
 
No trade dispute

Nothing in this deals with defense or general welfare. Furthermore, its for the states not the federal government.

I think the Internet is something of a puzzle for the constitution because it is hard to tell were interstate ends and intrastate begins. The Internet does not take into account borders
 
I think the Internet is something of a puzzle for the constitution because it is hard to tell were interstate ends and intrastate begins. The Internet does not take into account borders

The puzzle, is for how they can dupe people into giving the Ruling Elites even more power and access to even more money. They should have their hands slapped and told to make do with the unconscionable and inconceivable amount of money they confiscate already.
 
So who else here is excited about having to pay more in taxes for online purchases? You voted for Obama, now you're getting what you voted for. He did say he was going to close tax loopholes. Who knew he was going to begin with closing them on the middle class..... oh wait, Mitt Romney knew, and he warned you, and now it's happening. So now that it will hit you right in the pocket book, just remember that next time you go to the polls to vote for the democrats.

I thought Willard was the ' Corporations are people too my friend' guy? I also thought his 'warning' was directed at healthcare not online taxes.

Now the bill passed 69-27 so some of Willard's side voted for the tax.

The businesses that invest money in a building and employees across the nation support the bill- no small wonder there, but so do big online companies like Amazon. I do hope a min sales threshold is included so micro businesses don't have to answer to a dozen states.

Those who decry the 'new' tax probably have not looked at just how much it really is or for that matter how little it actually adds to any state's income. I see this as ending a minor tax dodge rather than a cherished middle class deduction such as mortgage interest.

I think is more as evening the playing field for 'boots on the ground' businesses.

It will be interesting to see how the politics of this plays in the House... :peace
 
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[FONT=arial, tahoma, sans-serif]Read more: [/FONT]Senate approves online sales tax bill - The Hill's Floor Action[FONT=arial, tahoma, sans-serif] [/FONT]

[FONT=arial, tahoma, sans-serif]Nice to see that Republicans Senators are getting behind "[/FONT][FONT=arial, tahoma, sans-serif]fairness[/FONT][FONT=arial, tahoma, sans-serif]".. But i applaud the passing of this bill it is only fair and just. [/FONT]

I agree. I am a heavy online shopper and I have wondered for awhile when this would happen. It should be done.
 
Next thing you know, those Democrats in the Senate are going to do something REALLY stupid like allow other countries to charge our citizens their tax rates on online sales or allow our States to charge people from other countries when they buy something online from the US.

Democrats really hate people and business, don't they.
 
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Read more: Senate approves online sales tax bill - The Hill's Floor Action

Nice to see that Republicans Senators are getting behind "fairness".. But i applaud the passing of this bill it is only fair and just.

There is a difference, online companies have to adhere to the tax laws of every state, while local businesses only have to adhere to the laws of one. Have you ever considered the cost of implementing this? I'll bet all you thought about was more revenue for big govt programs.
 
Online sales is clearly an example of interstate commerce, and the interstate sales tax issue is clearly one that needs to be settled by the Federal government.

Besides, shouldn't states have the right to collect sales tax from online sales that go in their boundaries?

They do have that right, the problem is the method of collection imposes a requirement on a business in another state which states are not allowed to do. Virginia can prevent ownership of radar detectors in their state but they can't keep them from being sold in other states. If the states wants to pass laws to enforce the requirement that their citizens pay sales taxes, then they can go ahead and do it.

The federal government shouldn't be in the business of enforcing state laws just like many don't want the states enforcing federal law--unless it is something they agree with.
 
I think the Internet is something of a puzzle for the constitution because it is hard to tell were interstate ends and intrastate begins. The Internet does not take into account borders

Of course it takes into account boarders. The store is located in state A and the customer is located in state B. As long as one store is outside of the states borders the state can not tax the transaction and since the business is not a listed member and there is no trade dispute the federal government can not demand it be taxed.
 
Online sales is clearly an example of interstate commerce, and the interstate sales tax issue is clearly one that needs to be settled by the Federal government.

Already went over that lie. The commerce clause deals in trade disputes between the listed members.

Besides, shouldn't states have the right to collect sales tax from online sales that go in their boundaries?

No.
 
We have had to pay taxes on items purhased from mail-order houses for many years. Now, the fact that we are going to have to pay them for internet purchases levels the playing field for businesses, whether they are on the intenet, in a mail order house, or down the street at the mall. The fact that products purchased over the internet were not taxed gave them an unfair advantage over other businesses. And, from a logic standpoint, this makes sense to me. This bill has been long overdue.
 
Am I personally excited about paying sales taxes on some of my online purchases? No. But I also think it is a fair law. It always bothered me that online businesses had this advantage over brick and mortar businesses, and mail order businesses before that. Also, it looks like small online businesses are exempt from it. As much fault as I can find with Congress and the Administration as of late, I won’t complain about this particular law if it passes.

Actually they still do. They don't have to have an office or building and very few employees which means less or no benefits. Had little or nothing to do with taxes. The only thing this hurts is the middle class buyer and large retailers like Amazon etc.
 
We have had to pay taxes on items purhased from mail-order houses for many years. Now, the fact that we are going to have to pay them for internet purchases levels the playing field for businesses, whether they are on the intenet, in a mail order house, or down the street at the mall. The fact that products purchased over the internet were not taxed gave them an unfair advantage over other businesses. And, from a logic standpoint, this makes sense to me. This bill has been long overdue.

This will not change that advantage at all.
 
Out of curiosity, what happens when the online retailer moves out of the country? I mean, it's not too difficult to move your online operation to Aruba is your primary purpose is simply putting manufacturers together with buyers. Even if you warehouse a lot of your stuff it wouldn't be a big problem to just move the operation to Mexico or Canada where you could avoid all that tax mess.
 
Have these evil, vile, monsters no shame? have they no decency?

How much is needed to satisfy their blood lust?
 
I admit not being thrilled about it, as sales taxes are among the most regressive. however, fair is fair. I can think of better ways to get tax revenue, though.
 
So who else here is excited about having to pay more in taxes for online purchases? You voted for Obama, now you're getting what you voted for.
Am i excited? No
Is it fair? Yes
Did it need to be done? Yes.
 
Ok, now step out of 1789 and fast forward to 2013...

Ok, I just got out of my time machine and looked at the constitution. I see the clauses in question are still the same and no new amendments were added to give power to cover this act. Consider me confused.
 
Is it fair? So many here say 'yes'. Is it, really?

I say it's not. I say it's flawed. An exception has been carved out for business with sales less than x-amount ($1 mil/year, IIRC). I totally get that compliance would be a huge headache and very costly for small businesses, but if the goal is to make things fair by leveling the playing field between internet and brick-and-mortar stores, how is it fair to leave many retailers with their competitive advantage in place?
 
Have these evil, vile, monsters no shame? have they no decency?

How much is needed to satisfy their blood lust?

I don't imagine they understand the idea of self control or understand what is wrong with ever higher and higher taxes.
 
We have had to pay taxes on items purhased from mail-order houses for many years. Now, the fact that we are going to have to pay them for internet purchases levels the playing field for businesses, whether they are on the intenet, in a mail order house, or down the street at the mall. The fact that products purchased over the internet were not taxed gave them an unfair advantage over other businesses. And, from a logic standpoint, this makes sense to me. This bill has been long overdue.

Who cares about what is fair? The states must respect their borders and the federal government should not be helping them to reach outside of their borders. It's not about fairness, its about jurisdiction. A state should not be telling citizens of another state what to do nor should the federal government be doing it to benefit a state that the citizen is not a resident of. If I live in Florida I should never have to pay taxes towards Georgia or any other state unless of course if I travel to that state.
 
You have to wonder why the Senate (and mainly democrats) feel the need to pass this right now, when it will obviously hurt the economy, not help it. Consumers don't support it, and I don't hear many businesses calling for it. Why now?

National (US) Poll - May 2, 2013 - Hillary Clinton Owns 2016 Dem | Quinnipiac University Connecticut

Internet Sales Tax


Voters oppose 56 - 37 percent levying state sales taxes on internet purchases. Voters over 65 years old favor taxing internet sales 49 - 37 percent and Democrats are divided 46 - 45 percent. Every other group is opposed.
 
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