Comments on: Taxes on tap for Internet chat?

CNET News.com's Washington watcher, Declan McCullagh, has the scoop on why IM and VoIP users may soon wind up paying the tax man--if certain politicians get their way.

Inaccurate analogies

This story is one with which I have a general agreement witht the conclusion. However, the analogies about forcing relevant products to subsidize irrelevant products do not make sense to me.
Rural areas are future suburban and urban areas. They are anything but irrelevant. It is cost effective to install(needed) hardwire before urbanisation occurs. The questions should be whether it will really be needed at the time they will be inhabited, and whether it is the proper role of government to force this action at all.
Dave

Inaccurate analogies

This story is one with which I have a general agreement witht the conclusion. However, the analogies about forcing relevant products to subsidize irrelevant products do not make sense to me.
Rural areas are future suburban and urban areas. They are anything but irrelevant. It is cost effective to install(needed) hardwire before urbanisation occurs. The questions should be whether it will really be needed at the time they will be inhabited, and whether it is the proper role of government to force this action at all.
Dave

[CBTaters]

Taxing

Why should their be any tax at all? They want us to help THe US postal service. THe cast of mail is way out of hand. When I was growing up postmen walked the did not ride. The mai l was always about the same time everyday. We already pay a charge for 911 where we use it a not. Its time to let the prople decide if they want more taxes not the reoersentives we elect. They have the ssumtion that wee gave the the right to write and pass tax laws we out our input. IT is high time we booted the members out of office and do away we the way they can put a president in to ofic eover the popular vote anyway. If we the people give a canidate the most vote then that man or woman should win. Democrat eor repulican..independent or other wise.This is suppose to be a country of we the people for the people not we the elected to get or way with out we the people having any say so.

May God Help us All
Larry M Lord

[Prndll]

the elected representative

All I can say to this-----BE CAREFULL WHO YOU VOTE FOR. I don't understand the "single issue voter", these people are in long enough to do alot of good or alot of bad; going way beyond that single issue. I would recommend going with someone that actually wants to do good for eveyone. NOT voting for someone that just sounds good, looks good (the right color or gender), or someone that has already proven an obviuos inclination towards selfishness (like the Clinton clan).

[CBTaters]

Taxing

Why should their be any tax at all? They want us to help THe US postal service. THe cast of mail is way out of hand. When I was growing up postmen walked the did not ride. The mai l was always about the same time everyday. We already pay a charge for 911 where we use it a not. Its time to let the prople decide if they want more taxes not the reoersentives we elect. They have the ssumtion that wee gave the the right to write and pass tax laws we out our input. IT is high time we booted the members out of office and do away we the way they can put a president in to ofic eover the popular vote anyway. If we the people give a canidate the most vote then that man or woman should win. Democrat eor repulican..independent or other wise.This is suppose to be a country of we the people for the people not we the elected to get or way with out we the people having any say so.

May God Help us All
Larry M Lord

[Prndll]

the elected representative

All I can say to this-----BE CAREFULL WHO YOU VOTE FOR. I don't understand the "single issue voter", these people are in long enough to do alot of good or alot of bad; going way beyond that single issue. I would recommend going with someone that actually wants to do good for eveyone. NOT voting for someone that just sounds good, looks good (the right color or gender), or someone that has already proven an obviuos inclination towards selfishness (like the Clinton clan).

Problem with analogy

The reference to USF contributions being like Henry Ford contributing to horse troughs makes me think of a similar analogy: When cars were introduced, was there a decision made as to whether or not they should have to pay the road fees/taxes to maintain/upgrade the public roadways designed for horse and foot traffic? USF funds are already being used to upgrade the "local loop" to facilitate broadband. If VoIP enjoys the use of them, they should pay as well.

Problem with analogy

The reference to USF contributions being like Henry Ford contributing to horse troughs makes me think of a similar analogy: When cars were introduced, was there a decision made as to whether or not they should have to pay the road fees/taxes to maintain/upgrade the public roadways designed for horse and foot traffic? USF funds are already being used to upgrade the "local loop" to facilitate broadband. If VoIP enjoys the use of them, they should pay as well.

Per person tax

I should be able to pay taxes like these per seat, not per device!

Per person tax

I should be able to pay taxes like these per seat, not per device!

They can tax it when they help develop it.

I am a software developer and its my opinion that they can tax it when they fund the development of it.

I dont see any checks comming from the federal gov while I sit 10 - 15 hours a day behind a keyboard peering over millions of lines of code. So why should they be the first in line with a hand out when I get it done? How about fitting the bill for costly test hardware and R&D time in pre-development? No wont see that anytime soon. Just like the gross abuse of temp staffing agencies that lock down IT jobs that pay 70 - 100K a year with benefits and farm it out for pennies on the dollar with no benefits.

The reason I started developing software on my own is because after 6 years in an IT job "through a staffing agency" the company sold the jobs over seas and because I was "temp" I was not technically an employee and did not qualify for separation benefits. I got a phone call saying I did not need to come into work "my contract was ended".

The Fed wants to tax something? Tax temp staffing on a graduated scale for employees over 1 - 2 year marks so that its more attractive to actually push for companies to hire on directly.

Its my opinion that the US and its corporate ideals have turned from competition and dog eat dog business tactic to parasite. Every new start up seems to target a way to get more from the US workforce and pay less for it. I wonder how long before they push a 50 hour work week?

They can tax it when they help develop it.

I am a software developer and its my opinion that they can tax it when they fund the development of it.

I dont see any checks comming from the federal gov while I sit 10 - 15 hours a day behind a keyboard peering over millions of lines of code. So why should they be the first in line with a hand out when I get it done? How about fitting the bill for costly test hardware and R&D time in pre-development? No wont see that anytime soon. Just like the gross abuse of temp staffing agencies that lock down IT jobs that pay 70 - 100K a year with benefits and farm it out for pennies on the dollar with no benefits.

The reason I started developing software on my own is because after 6 years in an IT job "through a staffing agency" the company sold the jobs over seas and because I was "temp" I was not technically an employee and did not qualify for separation benefits. I got a phone call saying I did not need to come into work "my contract was ended".

The Fed wants to tax something? Tax temp staffing on a graduated scale for employees over 1 - 2 year marks so that its more attractive to actually push for companies to hire on directly.

Its my opinion that the US and its corporate ideals have turned from competition and dog eat dog business tactic to parasite. Every new start up seems to target a way to get more from the US workforce and pay less for it. I wonder how long before they push a 50 hour work week?