TYT: Alabama Wants To Tax Porn

[WhoIsNumberNone]

Alabama is thinking of passing a porn tax to make up for a budget shortfall that they are currently dealing with. This porn tax would be a hefty one. The Alabama House Ways and Means Committee passed the proposed porn tax in a 10-4 vote on Wednesday as lawmakers rush to fill a massive budget shortfall.

#0 sez:"There was a survey a few years back that showed the states with the highest and kinkiest porn consumption were red states and mostly in the South. Now my theory about why RWNJs have such hostility towards sexual proclivities they consider deviant is projection and repression (Lots and lots of repression) Now you're attempting to tax the shit out of the one outlet these crazy, hostile rednecks have. Just remember I said this when something crazy happens in Alabama."

[CincyDem]

1. Oh yeah - this is going to end well. lol. n/t

[hollysmom]

2. if they did it , it would bring in a lot of money!

Isn't this state the one with the most porn per capita?

[jtuck004]

5. Utah No. 1 in online porn subscriptions, report says

I found that curious, but they have the money and infrastructure...and the big religious group or cult there brings a bit of a repressive culture, which would serve to further interest in porn and other oddities.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705288350/Utah-No-1-in-online-porn-subscriptions-report-says.html?pg=all

Maybe Alabama excels in free sites...tough to tax those.

[hollysmom]

6. ok, I have to admit I don't know a lot about on-line porn,

besides getting stuck in them from the hell of hacked links and then having to virus check like crazy.
They have subscriptions? I guess the subscriber partner must pay the bills to hide the amounts.

[MillennialDem]

7. Porn subscription sites are "better" for not having to sift through the virus laden crap, faster

download speeds, more content per site, etc.

[jtuck004]

11. Sorta like DU, one can pay a fee to remove advertising. But the porn here is mostly verbal. n/t

[writer not writing]

3. Sweet Home Alabama

Where I wasn't born, don't live, and have never even been to!

[Massacure]

4. People pay for porn?

[PoliticAverse]

9. Apparently they do in Alabama. I blame a poor educational system. n/t

[truebluegreen]

8. Sin taxes are not a new thing (think cigarettes, liquor)

but this one ought to bring in a pile of $$$ in Alabama.

[CTyankee]

12. Hey, a new Pigouvian tax!

I know, the comparison is a bit flawed compared to liquor and cigarettes, which do cause actual harm. Maybe the excellent Paul Krugman who knows all about Arthur Pigou and his economics theories will chime in on this issue...

[truebluegreen]

14. He doesn't need to: a Pigouvian tax is imposed

as a means to correct "negative externalities"...or costs for people other than the purchaser. Certainly it is arguable if porn creates costs for others...but I think not for bible-thumpers and aficionados of Pat Robertson-style thinking. No doubt the Alabamian legislature is Savin' 'Murica from itself.

[CTyankee]

15. what is the negative externality for porn? Clearly the Alabama lege is thinking there is,

I guess just as cigarettes and alcohol cause serious health problems that society at large must pay for. but what is he equivalent for porn

[truebluegreen]

16. As I said, it is arguable that there isn't one

unless you think like the Alabamian (Alabaman?) legislature.

[CTyankee]

17. OK, I get it now...or at least I get what you are saying...

so I guess they're talking about some kind of Internet tax.

[Iggo]

10. Porn is free, you dumb fucks.

Now if you start PRODUCING a lot of porn in Alabama, then you can tax it out of business.

Oh, wait...

[NCjack]

13. Actually, a good idea. There will be no protest rally because most folks

buying commercial porn tickets don't want to reveal their faces to the public.

[hifiguy]

18. I presume that there is no free-porn-laden Internet

in Alabama.

How dumb are these mooks? How high is up?