When he said “I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.” Partisan ideology, never-ending campaigning, and empty rhetoric is no substitute for leadership, competence, and good management. The Keystone Cop character of the “we first heard about it when we read about it in the news” Obama administration is […]
WHO Are You to Raise the Tobacco Tax?
Black-and-white images of soldiers abroad brandishing “victory cigars” in the fight against a cruel and oppressive enemy lit up television screens in homes across the nation, and “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” by Merle Travis was a national hit on the air waves. Cigarettes were an icon of glamor with a hint of rugged sophistication, and America was very much the land of the free and home of the brave during World War II.
Marketplace Fairness Is Not A Fair Option
On July 15, 2014, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 3086, the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act. This legislation would make the current moratorium on Internet access taxes, which was first enacted by Congress in 1998. However, Democratic leaders in the Senate allowed the bill to languish in an effort to appease a few […]
The Secret’s Out about Plain Packaging
Award-winning author Madeleine L’Engle wrote in her 1968 novel, “The Young Unicorns,” that “[t]o take away a man’s freedom of choice, even his freedom to make the wrong choice, is to manipulate him as though he were a puppet and not a person.”
Senate Plans Short-term Fix to Taxes on Internet Access
If Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.) gets his way, taxes on Internet access and other discriminatory or duplicate taxes will only be staved off until 2015, rolling the final decision on whether to make it permanent or to attach other more controversial measures onto the bill either for consideration during a lame duck session or until […]
House Passes Permanent Ban On Internet Taxes
Consumers across America are increasingly using the Internet to shop, apply for jobs, perform schoolwork, and email one another. In 2012, the Federal Communications Commission found in its annual report on advanced communications capabilities that 95 percent of Americans have access to broadband Internet services. According to the International Telecommunications Union, 84.2 percent of individuals […]
Tick Tock Goes The Clock – But H.R. 3086 Passes First Hurdle
On June 18, 2014, the House Judiciary Committee ordered reported to the House of Representatives by a vote of 30 to 4, H.R. 3086, the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act. The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) sent a letter to committee on June 17, 2014 supporting this legislation and urging final passage before […]
The Clock is ticking on Internet Taxation
Less than six months from now, citizens across the country could face new taxes. That is when the moratorium banning taxes on Internet access and discriminatory duplicate taxes on Internet services expires. While legislation to make the moratorium permanent has been introduced with bi-partisan support, the clock is ticking leading up to the November 1, […]
IRS Should Not Create Software That Already Exists
While very little gets done in Washington during an election year, deadlines must be acknowledged and addressed, such as the expiration of the Internet tax moratorium on November 1, 2014. Two days prior to that critical date, a lesser-known but nonetheless important matter is scheduled to come to an end. On October 30, 2014, the […]
Tax Day – For Some of Us
For most Americans, April 15 is a day of fear and loathing. It is time to account for all of the taxes owed to various levels of government. If someone has overpaid, money will be coming back. If a taxpayer has underpaid, a (sometimes large) check must be written. But if someone earns money that […]