Senate passes "Marketplace Fairness Act aka Internet Sales Tax

Now it is up to the House of Reps, will they bow down to big government?

List of senators that voted for this new sales tax in link below.

At first some people might say, yes! internet companies should be taxed (include sales tax) just like business owners across the country who are subjected to their local state sales taxes. I would argue that we should NEVER encourage setting the precedent for more taxes, ever!

If we want to be more fair to small business owners, we should be introducing and supporting legislation that LOWERS sales taxes for business owners who currently suffer. It is not the business owners' fault that some states are SO deep in DEBT that they constantly have to raise taxes/sales taxes to keep up with their own WRECK-LESS spending.

How about something like a state government that is so fiscally responsible and efficient that they can even generate revenue and RETURN it to the PEOPLE? wow what a concept!


Maybe this illustration would help put things in perspective.






See who voted, here:

www.senate.gov...

I'm glad Rand Paul fought this bill, I received several action alerts from him in the recent weeks about calling my senators and asking them to vote no. My senators are Feinstein and Boxer in California, it is an extremely rare occurrence where they actually agree with Senator Rand Paul.

It doesnt matter. Let them collect the money while they can. Destroying small business and indipendent income will only further take what little most Americans have left. The time for self serving laws will soon be at an end.

Ahhh.... I've come to learn that when a bill has "Fairness" in the name? The only thing it's going to be "Fair" to is the Government itself. We never see the nice end of that fair concept. Just the big blunt end where the sun don't shine.

I now have absolutely no reason to shop online when the same product exists in a real store, anywhere within driving distance. The only benefit left was a bit of savings. Now? The offset falls in favor of a real counter and human being to go raise hell with when it breaks or never works in the first place. Nice forward thinking there, Congress. Oh yeah.... regular brainiacs up there.

This legislation will help mom and pop business's. It's hard to compete with the Amazon's in the world when they offer no tax on high (or even low) ticket items.

IMHO, this is a good thing. Those big internet warehouse business's bank on high volume and sliver profits. Now, they have to compete with the local retailer.

Let's bring back our big box and smaller retail outlets. The non tax element has killed many business's.

I'll be interested to see in the next year or so how different business is going to be. Will we see a return of our malls and plaza's or will the big shippers further cut their prices to the bone? I've certainly benefited from online purchasing. Only to the chagrin of small business.

It's going to be a blood bath. Hooray for the small business people!

Originally posted by SinMaker
This legislation will help mom and pop business's. It's hard to compete with the Amazon's in the world when they offer no tax on high (or even low) ticket items.

IMHO, this is a good thing. Those big internet warehouse business's bank on high volume and sliver profits. Now, they have to compete with the local retailer.

Let's bring back our big box and smaller retail outlets. The non tax element has killed many business's.

I'll be interesting to see in the next year or so how different business is going to be. Will we see a return of our malls and plaza's or will the big shippers further cut their prices to the bone? I've certainly benefited from online purchasing. Only to the chagrin of small business.

It's going to be a blood bath. Hooray for the small business people!

I think you literally got duped by the awesome socialistic name that this horrific bill was covered under.

I mean, you're essentially cheerleading a brand new tax, it doesn't create a level playing field, it just sets us back in terms of innovation, consumer deals, etc... Whatever happened to no taxation without representation?

More tax is NEVER a good thing, only good for the state and not the people they supposedly serve.

The problem is mom and pop's can't compete, online stores are still going to be king, except now people will be taxed. The free market is going to have to find a way to create a better shopping condition for the consumer (seems like the free market is always cleaning up big governments' mess).

As much as I'd love to support small businesses, they're on their way out as they have been if they haven't been innovating to stay alive in the age of the internet.

reply to post by eLPresidente


It's not a new tax. The media is selling this as an internet tax. Not true at all. This is an inter state commerce tax and the state coffers should not suffer from it. Those of you that live in non tax states don't have any worries.

How is this going to work exactly?
When I worked at a store in Virginia, it was frequented by tourists. If they showed their ID proving that they didn't live in Virginia, they didn't have to pay sales tax.
How is this going to work with the internet when most of customers are going to be out of state? Have they closed this loop hole for the internet?

Originally posted by SinMaker
reply to post by eLPresidente

 

It's not a new tax. The media is selling this as an internet tax. Not true at all. This is an inter state commerce tax and the state coffers should not suffer from it. Those of you that live in non tax states don't have any worries.

edit on 6-5-2013 by SinMaker because: (no reason given)

edit on 6-5-2013 by SinMaker because: (no reason given)

Not a new tax? When some online sales taxes go from 0 to more than 0, I'm pretty sure 9/10 people you ask on the street will tell you that is a new tax.

I don't recall there ever being a fairness tax on Wal Mart or any of the other large retailers in the USA. How is there anything fair about an internet tax?

reply to post by Afterthought


That also is a falsehood. If I buy a vehicle in another state, my state is going to charge me the appropriate state taxes. You can run, but you can't hide.

This makes no sense. Part of the whole purpose of taxes is to maintain infrastructure, but also to have a say in the local laws being passed.

As a business owner of a small or large business around the country I now have no say in the laws being made in a state I'm liable for taxes to. I also have the ability to be audited on a much larger scale and for the most part receive little to no benefit from the tax dollars those states are collecting.

It will also cost me a fairly large amount in my back office to hire staff to take care of this. The truth is, Internet shopping makes sense because it's the "modern way". It's more efficient on many fronts. It's the Amazon Grocery concept. I was reading last week that it's actually more efficient to have a Wal-Mart or Amazon delivery grocery service to your home because it saves all the back and forth travel of all the patrons going to and from the store by streamlining delivery operations similar to how FedEx operates.

For people that say Mom & Pop stores are better don't be deceived. Most Mom & Pop businesses go out of business because they are poorly operated. A good local store will always survive with good management and truly good service. The days of getting business by default because you're the only option are gone and will never come back.

Big Internet based companies also have things to offer. They have the resources to keep prices low and offer better consultation service and a wider selection of products at my disposal.

It's fine if the states want to go after tax that they're owed, but THEY need to be the ones collecting it and not rely on passing the buck so to speak to business owners across the country. Unless they're willing to reimburse the companies for the extra expense involved.

Originally posted by eLPresidente

Originally posted by SinMaker
reply to post by eLPresidente

 

Not a new tax? When some online sales taxes go from 0 to more than 0, I'm pretty sure 9/10 people you ask on the street will tell you that is a new tax.

I have to agree... I was off reading this and even the CRS Summary level makes it pretty clear what it's talking about and what it is. Oh, I know, Congressional language is never clear....but by their standards, this one is clear enough to get on the first read over.

reply to post by eLPresidente


Please research inter state commerce taxes. Your probably too young to know that it was common place prior to the 60's to pay taxes in accordance to where you llive (your state). It's not a new tax. Please research.

reply to post by SinMaker


Well, maybe what I'm discussing is a Virginia thing?
The store I worked at sold all handmade artwork. I was an assistant manager and whenever one of the cashier had an out of state customer, they had to call me to complete the sale so that it was tax exempt. Maybe for extra large purchases such as vehicles this wouldn't apply? We even sold expensive fine jewelery and the customers did get it tax free.

Originally posted by SinMaker
reply to post by Afterthought

 

That also is a falsehood. If I buy a vehicle in another state, my state is going to charge me the appropriate state taxes. You can run, but you can't hide.

No, I don't even know where you get this stuff.

Tons of people travel to no sales tax states like Oregon and Florida to buy consumer goods for the reason that they don't have to pay sales taxes.

Afterthought was RIGHT.

reply to post by eLPresidente


Thank you for backing me on that.
There must be loop holes in this tax as well. Somebody is going to have to read this bill and find them.

reply to post by eLPresidente


Buy a vehicle in Georgia and try to get it legal in Florida. You will pay your taxes according to the state dictates. I've lived in many different states, you can not get around sales taxes on vehicles. Ever.

sigh, just because you are not charged tax, online does not mean you are not being taxed, in theory I mean by LAW, if your buying something online, you still have to pay your state sales tax.. Its just so hard for states to enforce they do not really enforce it..

As far as the federal government, getting involved with internet sales, they are just going to screw it up, YES its a new tax, and if anything its going to hurt sales online and will effect the stimulation of the economy.. We can prob. call that a fact..

if you think the federal government is trying to pass a internet tax, to SAVE the mom and pop shops in small rural towns, thrifts stores etc, your living in a dream world and need to wake up...



Thank god air is still free.. I hope I do not live long enough to witness that..

The savings for online shopping is almost negated when shipping is added in. Online shopping can get you stuff you can not find locally but will now be over priced if you can find it at some big box store..If this goes through those who have stock in FedX or UPS might want to reconsider their stock options. Amazing how someone (government) says they know how to spend your money better than yourself and people just say, "OK since you put it that way take it"!

Originally posted by Esotarious
This makes no sense. Part of the whole purpose of taxes is to maintain infrastructure, but also to have a say in the local laws being passed.

As a business owner of a small or large business around the country I now have no say in the laws being made in a state I'm liable for taxes to. I also have the ability to be audited on a much larger scale and for the most part receive little to no benefit from the tax dollars those states are collecting.

That`s called taxation without representation, didn`t we already fight a war to stop that?