Bush Signs Internet Tax, Special Ed Bills

[leftyandproud]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041203/D86ODPT00.html

State and local governments will be barred from taxing connections that link people to the Internet for the next three years under legislation signed Friday by President Bush.

The measure blocks taxation of all types of Internet connections, from traditional dial-up services to high-speed broadband lines.

"I cannot envision any time in the history of our country when it would make sense to be imposing taxes on broadband or the Internet, no matter where one is or who one may be," said Sen. George Allen, R-Va.

The new law, which remains in effect until Oct. 31, 2007, will help ensure that less-affluent Americans can afford Internet access, Allen said. Otherwise, Internet access taxes would average 18 percent, he said.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[MichiganVote]

1. Show us the money Bush

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. It will be a cold day in hell

before the feds actually fund this legislation as they have been promising for 30 years.

I'd love to see a copy of the bill. I'm sure the fine print is full of loopholes.

[MichiganVote]

3. Yeah, I'm not holding my breath

[Moderator]

4. leftyandproud

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
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Thank you.

DU Moderator

[UnapologeticLiberal]

5. I hate to say this, but I kind of agree

I think that we should be doing all we can to expand access to the Internet, and taxing connections is the wrong way to go, as it would make it less affordable and thus less accessible. I know we have a deficit, but there are better ways for states to raise the money, such as increasing luxury taxes or establishing their own estate taxes if the federal estate tax is abolished.

[Toucano]

6. A gift to the telecom sector.

The federal government tells states they can't tax internet service (under the interstate commerce regulatory powers of the constitution) and we're supposed to believe that's to help poor people?

Yet they allow states to freely tax food, clothing, medicine, and transportation?

I wonder which would benefit the poor more? Food and clothing or the freedom to get spammed hundreds of times a day?