p.3 #1 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
WAYCOOL wrote:
It's not a new tax but a tax that is being evaded. Because you choose not to pay it dose not make it invalid or non existent. Also it is already on your list "sales tax" If you feel its not fair change state law or move.
No, the Internet sales tax is not a law so there is nothing to evade. By using the word "compelled" I didn't mean it is going to be an option to pay IF Congress passes a law that requires you to pay a sales tax (ST) because it is automatically figured into the total bill for the product. The proposed law will not require a business to collect Internet ST if it makes under 1 million dollars. So then, will you voluntarily pay sales taxes for the businesses under a million too.. you know because it's only "fair". Have you been paying a use tax (same as sales tax only done voluntarily) on your out-of-state purchases? I think you should reserve judgement of others until you can honestly answer those questions.
I have bought thousands of products in my state and pay STs. I also pay STs to any company that has a presence in the state because I don't have a choice, that's the law. When you imply that if I don't like a proposed U.S internet sales tax law that I should "move" it's like saying 'America, love it or leave it'. Is that what you mean? In other words, if I don't like paying a ST I would have already paid, I should move out of the country since the law would be imposed nationwide. That's a little stupid, ya think? Maybe it might be wise to get off your idealistic high horse and realize that being overtaxed in this country is not welcomed.
The Bottom Line
The cost of running a country, providing services, maintaining a military, supporting and repairing the infrastructure, and all the other essential functions of government, is immensely expensive. Taxation, along with selling government bonds, assessing fees and imposing tariffs, are the principal means by which governments raise money to meet these expenses. Therefore, taxes are inevitable, but if you’re living in the U.S., your share of the tax burden is among the world’s lowest.
For all the complaints about how much we're taxed in this country, the reality is we have just about the lowest tax burden of any country in the world... at least that is what Forbe's magazine tells us. We may not like being taxed, and we don't. But we're far from being over-taxed. If you doubt me, fill up your gas tank in Europe some time...
p.3 #3 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
borderlight wrote:
I have bought thousands of products in my state and pay STs. I also pay STs to any company that has a presence in the state because I don't have a choice, that's the law.
It's also state law that you are to pay use tax and if you're not paying it, you're evading. Dodging.
p.3 #4 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
D. Diggler wrote:
It's also state law that you are to pay use tax and if you're not paying it, you're evading. Dodging.
My point was that unless all of you are voluntarily paying use tax on all of your out-of-state purchases, including your NY photo equipment purchases, you are hypocrites to point the finger at someone else. At tax return time do you send your state a check for the total sales taxes you didn't pay to your state? Guess you must be evading too.
p.3 #5 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
CGrindahl - The chart you provided to show how Americans are paying less taxes than countries like Sweden does not give an accurate picture of how those countries collect taxes. The reason a country like Sweden is paying absurd taxes is because it is completely socialized. There are no states within those countries. The government takes a large portion of a paycheck to for things like "free" health care. Everything is provided. The government underwrites all those pesky taxes that I listed. France even has free child care. In fact countries like Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Greece are doing so poorly that they either went bankrupt or had to be bailed out by the EU. Don't know about you, but for me I will always choose to live in America before any other country.... taxes and all.
p.3 #8 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
I was wondering if there were any other Europeans reading this and shaking their heads in amusement.
OK, upon further reflection, and after reading the Atlantic Magazine article (link above) I guess all this American tax nonsense is rather amusing. The article focuses on the fact that Americans get just about nothing for their tax dollar except an Army with nukes/drones, financially propping-up countries like Pakistan, a front row seat to endless wars, and a crumbling infrastructure that Congress doesn't care to do anything about. Everything else here is A la carte and 50 million poor Americans including children are nosediving because of it. The safety net is slowly disappearing, folks.
p.3 #10 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
Hmmm... 2008, the year when it all started in Europe too. Let me see...oh right, that financial thingy, a USA by-product of excessive greed. It couldn't have spread to Europe causing present day problems, could it? Nah, that's too much of a coincidence.
p.3 #11 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
borderlight wrote:
Hmmm... 2008, the year when it all started in Europe too. Let me see...oh right, that financial thingy, a USA by-product of excessive greed. It couldn't have spread to Europe causing present day problems, could it? Nah, that's too much of a coincidence.
The European debt crisis, which is still ongoing, has made it impossible for some countries in the euro area to repay or re-finance their government debt. Its origin essentially began in 1992, when members of the European Union signed the Maastricht Treaty, under which they pledged to limit their deficit spending and debt levels. In the early 2000's, however, a number of the European Union member states were failing to stay within the confines of the Maastricht criteria and turned to securitizing future government revenues to reduce their debts and/or deficits. It went downhill from there.
Trying to blame the European debt crisis on the mortgage meltdown in the US is disingenuous at best.
p.3 #12 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
Dan, I wasn't being disingenuous because that would mean I wasn't sincere... and I was. I sincerely believed I was right, but ultimately you set the record straight. Drat! But congrats to beating me to Wikipedia. Now back to the smaller picture - internet sales tax. Wake me when it happens.
p.3 #19 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
I recently bought some software over the internet and was charged tax but this place never charges me tax for gear purchases. Anyone know what that's about?
p.3 #20 · Internet sales tax comes to vote this week
I reckon they, like others, are getting ahead of the game. E.g., Last December I rented equipment from Roger's Lens Rentals outfit. Great group of folks, btw, with exceptionally good customer service IMHO that other dealers could well emulate. Anyway, no tax. Month or so ago, I rented more gear and, lo and behold, there was PA tax added to the bill. I called to ask what was up, and the CS rep said something to the effect that since they had a "presence" in each of the States by virtue of their rental gear being there, they were obligated to charge sales tax. I don't know if that change was prompted by some change in TN legislation that required it. CS rep sounded as unhappy about it as I was. It didn't deter me from renting from them again, however.
Yeah, all the Progressives in Congress - both sides of the aisle - are looking to lift as much of our money as they can - it's what they do for their living: spend other folks' money and they do that in pursuit of such stupid enterprises as Trashicanistan, but, I digress...
