Should tax be applied to online businesses?

[GeneCosta]

Simple question.

[lombas]

Tax shouldn't be applied to any business.

[Aqualung]

Originally Posted by lombas

Tax shouldn't be applied to any business.

Agreed.

[eudaimonia]

Originally Posted by lombas

Tax shouldn't be applied to any business.

That sums it up for me.


eudaimonia,

Mark

[PureX]

I'm still considering how best the government should apply taxes in society. I'm considering the idea of only taxing purchases, but not taxing essential purchases like food, clothing shelter, etc. But I'm not sure about this, yet. I think income tax is OK, but it should be progressive, and not the same percentage for the rich as for the poor.

For now, I want them to leave the internet alone. And the reason is that our tax system in the U.S. is a total disaster. Let's fix that first, before we go trying to add more taxing methods to it.

[NoahideHiker]

I'd like to either see a flat tax where everyone pays the same percentage on income with no write offs and no loopholes. Or a national sales tax on all sales and no other federal taxes.

While I'm dreaming how about we shrink the fed gov by 80% so there's less need for federal taxes?

[CaptainXeroid]

Two thought come to mind. First, businesses do not actually 'pay' taxes. They collect taxes, and some do it more efficiently that others. Second, you still pay some kind of tax on internet purchases even if you don't see it tacked on at the end of the transaction as it is built in to the cost.

Originally Posted by NoahideHiker

I'd like to either see a flat tax where everyone pays the same percentage on income with no write offs and no loopholes. Or a national sales tax on all sales and no other federal taxes.

While I'm dreaming how about we shrink the fed gov by 80% so there's less need for federal taxes?

I'm dreaming the same dream. The rich aren't affected by an income tax because they 'out earn' the impact, and can afford to hire accountants and tax attorneys to help shelter their income in ways that us folks in the middle cannot. The poor don't pay income tax at all, and in many cases, due to exemptions and the earned income credit, many of them get a refund check that is more than the amount of tax they paid in.

One tip about the word loophole though......there is no such thing. The provisions in the tax code were written the way they were on purpose, usually because someone in Congress has a relative or friend who can benefit from it. Why do you think you can deduct mortgage interest on 2 homes? One in DC, one in the home state.

Thinking back to the simple question 'Should tax be applied to online businesses?'...I would support such a tax, payable in the state in which the seller is incoporated, if the personal income tax was eliminated and the 16th amendment was repealed. The former IRS could then be utilized in investigating tax fraud at the corporate level instead of harassing individuals.

[Scuba Pete]

A national sales tax with ONLY food and utilities exempt would be the fairest. John Q Public can retire their yearly tax return specialists, and corporate America can collect and send in the taxes. MUCH easier and this way the spendthrifts get taxed as well. We just have to figure out how to tax foreign sales.