@ NY
This is the best tax you ever had.
A state proposal to add a 4% tax for downloading movies and music will also apply to Internet porn.
Gov. Paterson recently suggested the so-called iPod tax to help close a $15 billion budget deficit, but few realized the levy would also apply to XXX-rated material.
The skin industry denounced the move as a cheap political stunt.
"The last thing any of us need isan additional tax," said Steven Hirsch, the CEO of Vivid Entertainment Group and self-proclaimed King of Porn. "These are very difficult times and nobody can afford to lose even one customer."
The new tax technically isn't a sin tax, since it applies to all "digitally delivered entertainment services."
It would also apply only to businesses located in New York State, leaving some to wonder if companies would relocate to avoid the tax.
A manager at DVD Video in Times Square said porn lures tourists to New York and helps boost the economy.
"When the tourists come, they come to us to buy things. We want to bring people here. We will make money, which is good for everyone," the manager said.
A cashier at World of DVD in Times Square said business has been falling during the past year.
"Customers already say they have no money," the cashier said.
Conservatives railed against the tax, but for a very different reason.
"By taxing it you're legitimizing it," said New York Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long, adding that government shouldn't profit from porn. "If you're taxing it - how can it be wrong? I don't know how you can sink much deeper."
State officials defended the proposed tax and said it has nothing to do with legitimizing porn.
"This is simply bringing the tax code in line with technology," said Matt Anderson, a spokesman for the state Division of the Budget.
"Regardless of whether or not an item is purchased at a brick-and-mortar store or online, it would be treated consistently."
Paterson also said last night that the rich will "share in the sacrifice" of closing New York's budget gap.
Paterson, in language almost identical to that used by supporters of the so-called millionaire's tax, said the wealthy will not be spared.
"Every New Yorker will share in the sacrifice to get this budget balanced," he told the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators.
Paterson has previously argued that spending cuts - not a new tax on the wealthy - should be the priority. His spokesman said the governor's new comments did not represent a shift in his position.
link
I hate all these stupid taxes, including income taxes.
They should just raise the sales tax across the board to like 20%- that way everyone has the opportunity to pay the same taxes each year, it's simple, and the people who consume more pay more in taxes
Just pay up and STFU!
I have an idea ...
Why would anyone pay for porn anyway there is tons of free stuff out there???
If they did that here Peewee would be hungry and homeless within a week!
All it took was tea.
Great idea!
Hey, they can't have all the fun....
you can find anything for free.
Suddenly, taxes are sexy
not going to affect the governor, since he can't watch it
I will kick your ass you IRS impostor
Great idea!
Everyone pays, and its fair across the board.
You wouldn't be able to cheat on it, and everyone wouldn't have to have a reason to stash money.
A national sales tax is a fantastic idea.
Actually it's a well thought out idea and Steve Forbes laid it out so well he tried running for President behind it. People against it really have a hard time arguing as to why it wouldn't work- but the main reason it won't happen is because all those tax companies lobbied so hard against it. It would eliminate most all of the IRS and end up saving tax money, yet make it simple and fair for everyone.Great idea!
I think Ron Paul had some of it in his plan as well, though I'm not 100% certain
Steve Forbes' flat tax was an income tax, not a sales tax. There would be no tax on unearned income. Increases in sales taxes are an unfair hardship on those who can least afford them.
Yeah, that'll do wonders for the economy, with people hoarding their money even more to get out of losing 20% of it.
The Fair Tax is the most re ed idea I've ever heard. I don't know how anyone can argue that it wouldn't strongly punish the poor and middle class who have to spend a way higher percentage of their income just to make rent, the house payment, the car, food, etc. It'll give the government the best of both worlds on the drug trade though; politicians could still be hypocrite assholes talking about how evil drugs are while taking money from tobacco and alcohol and still get their tax dollars from its trade.
It wouldn't be the answer to get us out of the mess now, but it could work. People spend more the more they have. If a guy makes a ton of money, he could very well save a bunch, but chances are he will buy multiple cars, homes, or anything else which means more taxes. The guys that make less money will have to pay more sales tax, but they would be getting more of their take home pay to offset some of that, but they should be paying something. Nobody should be given a free ride, if you buy anything, anything at all, you are paying a form of income tax. The people that are just scraping by will consume less so their taxes paid would be more reflective of their income level.Yeah, that'll do wonders for the economy, with people hoarding their money even more to get out of losing 20% of it.
The Fair Tax is the most re ed idea I've ever heard. I don't know how anyone can argue that it wouldn't strongly punish the poor and middle class who have to spend a way higher percentage of their income just to make rent, the house payment, the car, food, etc. It'll give the government the best of both worlds on the drug trade though; politicians could still be hypocrite assholes talking about how evil drugs are while taking money from tobacco and alcohol and still get their tax dollars from its trade.
So do you honestly believe the poor and middle class put the same percentage of income away in the bank as the rich do? Are you kidding me?
I don't remember all the details, but we studied it in an Econ class in college- here is an article on how it would work- obviously I'm not explaining it 100% correctly
http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-272.html
Ah, I remember that argument for why we should import from China even though it killed our manufacturing industry. How's that working for you up in Ohio?It wouldn't be the answer to get us out of the mess now, but it could work. People spend more the more they have.
it's not an argument, it's a fact. In General, people that make more money buy more stuff and own more stuff
/thread
CATO, are you kidding me? This tax is going to push the middle-class and the poor together while letting the rich ride away from the pack. 20% sales tax on a house? Joe Deskjob now pays $1.04 million instead of $864,000 for his $200,000 house on a 30 year mortgage at 5% (compounded annually). Hey, what's 175 grand between Joe and his friends in Washington?
That new $35,000 2009 Lexus he worked his ass off for? Say he takes a 5 year loan at 4%, compounded monthly: now he's paying $51,300 instead of $45,400 (with the Texas auto sales tax of 6.25%). Nice. It's his duty to pay 17% more to subsidize the rich.
Dream vacation with the wife to Hawaii? His hotel is taxed at 20% instead of 7%. That nice dinner he went to is taxed at 20% instead of 4%. His plane tickets are 20% instead of 8%. Wow, this is going to be an expensive trip.
In summary, Joe Deskjob has to buy a Joe Sixpack car, rent an apartment, and go on a vacation to the coast; then he becomes Joe Sixpack when his company goes overseas and he gets laid off.
Last edited by baseline bum; 02-17-2009 at 03:51 PM.
The tax system doesn't necessarily need to be an instrument of social justice and wealth redistribution. In fact, it shouldn't be: if you want to give back money to those with less, just use the other part of the fiscal policy, the subsidies. Your reasoning is the cause why tax systems are generally so messed up in the western world and some powerful special groups end up benefiting from it - screwing up the middle class and the poor.Yeah, that'll do wonders for the economy, with people hoarding their money even more to get out of losing 20% of it.
The Fair Tax is the most re ed idea I've ever heard. I don't know how anyone can argue that it wouldn't strongly punish the poor and middle class who have to spend a way higher percentage of their income just to make rent, the house payment, the car, food, etc. It'll give the government the best of both worlds on the drug trade though; politicians could still be hypocrite assholes talking about how evil drugs are while taking money from tobacco and alcohol and still get their tax dollars from its trade.
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