OT: Tax-Free Internet Shopping Days Numbered?

[Thomas Rogers]

If your well-meaning politicians have their way it will be so:

 

[TomT]

a Democrat-controlled Congress is seen as more likely to agree to the idea than one controlled by Republicans

Just one more reason not to vote for a Democrat.

You would thing congress would first tackle the Federal income tax problems.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Remember, to most Democrats, when taxes are cut the government LOSES money. To most Republicans when taxes are cut citizens get to KEEP more of THEIR money.



It's fundamentally a difference in opinion on who the money belongs to.



Yeah, yeah, I know the current administration has been spending money like rural Kentucky lottery winner (sorry for the slam) and is about as fiscally responsible as a crack-whore with a 20 dollar bill (on a roll here), but let's not point fingers.



TJR

 

[Tom Schindler]

Funny, the article talks about a Democrat congress, but rules on the state level? The Feds have already said it would be a to big of a burdon on a business to charge sales tax. Lets not forget that not only is there a state sales tax, but a county can also add a tax on top of it. What will those counties do?



I agree, fix the Federal sales tax problems before you go any further.



I highly doubt this will pass. Contact your Senator and Congressman and tell them what you think.





Tom

 

[Gavin Allan]

You would thing congress would first tackle the Federal income tax problems.

No kidding. I am another convert to the fair tax. My tax witholding this year was more than $5000 insufficient to cover my tax owed, even though I had checked the appropriate boxes on the W-4 for my situation and was having an extra $300 witheld each month. How could the freakin' W-4 witholding be so far off?



The US tax system is BROKE. :angry:

 

[Johnny O]

For my business, PA already requires that I file a "Use Tax" along with the Sales Tax I collect. Use Tax is the sales tax for anything I buy out-of-state or online, then I have to send the state the 6% Sales Tax that I was not charged.

Not a big deal for me since I buy most of my supplies and equipment from the franchisor who charges me PA Sales Tax anyway.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Caymen, even more reason why our FEDERAL govt, just as it created an interstate highway system in the 30s and 40s to spur trade, should do the same with a federal sales tax "system" that more efficiently allows states to tax sales and to track them across state lines.



If such an obstacle were removed, it would be a first, big step towards inacting the fairtax.



TJR

 

[Tom Schindler]

When a Democrat takes back the presidency in 2008, there is the national debt to pay back before another Republican can cut tax's than bring it back up.





Tom

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Gavin,



Wow, that stinks.



I wonder if AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) took a bite out of you. If you cross that 150K annual line it can smack you hard.



TJR

 

[Gavin Allan]

Nope, no AMT. I'm quite a long way from $150k!

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Gavin,



Their is something is seriously messed up. What do you declare as total # of exemptions on your W-4?



I've found that for most people you actually do have to declare less than the number of folks in your household, including yourself.



To be 5K short isn't right.



Tom

 

[Gavin Allan]

I isolated the problem to the pension my wife started receiving last year. Apparently the pension's W4 tables must be withholding at a much lower percentage than regular employment (retired folks are in a lower bracket?). I took her pension out of the income and it came out within $50 Fed and State. So even though the pension was witholding taxes, it was way not enough...

 

[Thomas Rogers]

That makes sense, Gavin, especially if you are making a decent salary. You will have to increase her withholdings significantly.

 

[WXMotorSports DecalsPartsAccs]

State of WA just passed that as well joining 21 other status. In 2008 I believe I have to start charging sales tax no matter where the order is coming from.



If I buy any equipment out-of state I have to declare it on my State Sales Tax and pay taxes on it! This has been going on since 2004.



Gavin - any kids and do you own a home? Even when I was not self employed I always got a tax refund. It was either I owed very little or got back a few hundred dollars. Which in my mind is perfect since the IRS doesn't pay you interest on your money. I'd rather invest it and get a better return and owe a little at the end.

 

[TomT]

When a Democrat takes back the presidency in 2008, there is the national debt to pay back before another Republican can cut tax's than bring it back up.

Or, we could just cut welfare but of course that's the democrats votes.

 

[Johnny O]

Or, we could just cut welfare but of course that's the democrats votes.

Actually not as much as you might think. People on welfare do not vote in large numbers. This is why Bill Clinton signed the welfare reform bill to get re-elected. If anybody knows where the wind is blowing and sails with it, it is Bill Clinton (and the missus). Most urban areas are Democrat-majority simply because they always have been.

 

[A K]

For my business, PA already requires that I file a "Use Tax" along with the Sales Tax I collect.

I'm fairly certain ordinary folks are also subject to this law. Of course, like a 35 MPH sign at 2:00 a.m., it's more of a recommendation than a mandate...

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

When a Democrat takes back the presidency in 2008, there is the national debt to pay back before another Republican can cut tax's than bring it back up.

That's why the income to the government is higher now than ever before in history.... whoops.... I guess facts tend to throw arguements out the window....

Ever since the Senate approved the last major tax relief bill, in 2003, revenues have increased every year. In 2004, they went up 5.5%. Last year, they rose 14.5%, the largest increase in nearly 25 years.

(USA-Today, 2006) http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-02-20-debate-oppose_x.htm

Republicans' decision to reduce taxes on capital gains and dividends provides a good case study in effective tax policy. When we enacted these measures in 2003, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that revenues would decline by $27 billion over the next two years. Instead, it turned out that the tax cut stimulated investment and increased revenues by $26 billion — a $53 billion difference.

If we really want to avoid burdening our children and grandchildren with debt — which does represent a major problem — we need to reform entitlement programs. Within the lifetimes of today's college students, the combined budgets of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will consume all federal revenues, leaving nothing for defense, education, housing or any other program

.

 

[user 64972]

To heck with the fair tax....we need a flat tax for EVERYONE! Eliminate almost all deductions. Get rid of half the IRS. Companys send a report at the end of the year saying their employees all paid say 10 - 15 % of their wages. Only self employed persons file returns or pay quarterly payments. The rest of the IRS could go after drug dealers and crooks fulltime. If you make $1000 you pay the same percent as you would if you made

$10 million. Flat tax...the best way IMO!



Gary

 

[Keith Lewis]

You guys do know there is a state with no state sales tax, right? Alaska has no state sales or income tax. Anyplace that has a sales tax, that tax is a city sales tax, not state. So a federal sales tax would impact those folks more then ANYONE else.