Fred Says "Keep the Internet Tax-Free"

Former Senator Fred Thompson and Republican presidential candidate has written a commentary on the Internet tax moratorium for Real Clear Politics:

This year, Halloween could be a bit more hair-raising for American consumers, especially if they have an Internet connection. October 31st is the last day Congress can act to extend or make permanent the Internet Tax Moratorium. If Congress chooses to do nothing . . ., the tax moratorium will expire and on Nov. 1st, state and local jurisdictions would be allowed to impose taxes on broadband and Internet access. This would also represent the first major tax increase on consumers in almost eight years.

There are about 15,000 different taxing jurisdictions, so American consumers face the prospect of paying new taxes on everything from email to instant messaging and video downloads to spam or junk e-mail filters. With more than 65 million household broadband connections we're looking at more than $3 billion in new taxes if the Internet Tax Moratorium expires at the end of October. . . .

The Internet and broadband are not limited by geographic borders; they are global networks. Putting taxes on a connection that is so interconnected in the U.S. and elsewhere seemed too unwieldy. The decision to keep the Internet tax free would seem to have been a good one. . . . Congress should make permanent the tax moratorium on the Internet, or, at a minimum, extend it . . . [Read More]

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