Comments on: Avoiding an Internet Sales Tax Cartel: Why Congress Must Protect Interstate Commerce & Reject the SSTP

By: The Progress & Freedom Foundation Blog

The Progress & Freedom Foundation Blog — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:30:28 +0000

States - Leave No Taxable Opportunity Behind...

The recession has been many things to many people. For most of us, these are trying times, to say the least. But like a newscaster or mortician who profits from some of life's worst experiences, the states see the recession......

By: Polisonic Blog

Polisonic Blog — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:11:52 +0000

[...] colleague, Adam Thierer, has written extensively about this here and here, not only pointing out the complexity of these malingering issues, but in doing so also [...]

By: R. David L. Campbell

R. David L. Campbell — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:58:26 +0000

While I appreciate the impassioned argument for origin-based taxation, I feel it is flawed.

To follow your premise:

" If a business in New Hampshire sells a product, online or at the drive-thru, it always collects the local sales tax. It’s fair — after all, that business and its workers use services the taxes support."

While this would be correct and fair in the drive-thru, it would not be fair for an online purchase, particularly if I were purchasing from that business and I was in another state.

Before I continue, the New Hampshire business really would never collect sales tax, because New Hampshire has NO sales tax ("live free or die" is their state motto).

But presuming I was purchasing from a business in a state that did have a sales tax, and I lived in a different state, well then I would certainly disagree with paying the businesses local sales tax, because I did not vote on our approve that tax. Charging an out-of-state consumer a sales tax they did not approve of results in taxation without representation - one of the most fundamental revolutionary causes of our nation!

Instead, in the context of online purchases, the business should simply look up the local sales tax rate based upon the purchaser's zip code, and then collect and remit that amount to the purchaser's state.

Our company is building a service which will manage this process for merchants at absolutely zero cost to the merchant! We are currently pending certification under SST rules, but soon we will be able to provide local sales tax calculation, collection, remittance, and simplified electronic returns to all jurisdictions in the country!

By: R. David L. Campbell

R. David L. Campbell — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:58:26 +0000

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By: E-Commerce Sales Tax Unworkable Critics Charge

E-Commerce Sales Tax Unworkable Critics Charge — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:13:20 +0000

[...] Avoiding an Internet Sales Tax Cartel: Why Congress Must Protect Interstate Commerce & Reject th… - The Technology Liberation Front Bookmark & Share: [...]

By: bradencox

bradencox — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:21:28 +0000

Sales taxes do hurt sellers. It's a big (and for now, unconstitutional) burden on remote sellers, particularly small online sellers, to collect and remit sales taxes to the 40+ states with sales taxes, and each of these states have varying definitions, classifications and rates. The states were supposed to simplify to minimize the interstate commerce burden, but they haven't gone far enough.

By: bradencox

bradencox — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:21:28 +0000

By: thegooru

thegooru — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:45:37 +0000

New Hampshire doesn't have a sales tax.

By: MikeRT

MikeRT — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:44:37 +0000

Federalism is about state independence, not state collusion.

Now you're just twisting definitions to support your argument, Adam. Federalism implies a separation of powers between the federal government and the states, not between the states. The states already cooperate on a number of issues ranging from respecting each other's traffic laws, to extradition of criminals. Perhaps the implementation of this is bad, but the idea itself is sound. Why shouldn't the residents of a state that has a sales tax, by law, have to pay the sales tax when they have the package delivered there? The only reason I can think of is the typical libertarian argument of "more taxes, no matter what they are, are always--always--bad."

The problem with your argument is that sales taxes don't hurt the seller, they hurt the buyer. If the buyer doesn't vote for candidates that will lower taxes, then that's their problem. If they can't, they can move to another state. Excise taxes are fundamentally fair because most of the time you can avoid paying them by altering your buying habits. They aren't based on pure greed like the income tax, especially since everyone pays the excise taxes when they buy the goods and services associated with them. We need more of that. About 50% of the adult population pays no taxes. It's time that America's so-called "poor" pay their fair share. They are, after all, the primary reason why we have most government in the first place.

By: Tnomeralc Web Design Toys

Tnomeralc Web Design Toys — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:13:49 +0000

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