Congress takes an interest...

[Jarre]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Because they have control over the health service for being born, they add tax to funeral directors who put it on your family when you die and for the rental / buying of your plot and they take a cut of the value of your land, but with air they can't control it, they can''t claim anything on it as it covers the whole planet, and it would be imposible to enforce practically and would go against everyones human right to live, as it is a tax on being alive.

[Taskmage]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

But they do exert control over the atmosphere and your interactions with it. They can fine you if your car or business is outputting too much carbon dioxide, so I still don't see what's stopping them from demanding money for your head producing it.

[Ziero]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

If I read that article correctly, it would mean they *don't* want to impose taxes on things in game. It's also highly unlikely it can happen as it's not something that can really be controlled. It would be like the playing card tax that england put on the colonies where people would have to pay tax for each and every card they had in a deck. It's not something that would be done nowadays.

I honestly think it's a bit much for people to get riled up over this. Also, yes, this is rehashed news as it was mentioned something like this was happening a few months ago. And more or less the same reactions were posted then.

[Taskmage]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Because it's an excuse to vent our varying levels of dissatisfaction with institutions of government our our specific instance thereof.

[Sabaron]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Here in Illionis, they tax the water now.... Oh sorry, its a "fee" on watersheds. WRT Giltaxing--such a thing would be rather idiotic. First of all, implementation would be grossly complex especially on the beaurocratic end where the various economic values would be determined. Secondly, you have to force international entities to conform to standards that are not present in their own country's laws. The games themselves would have to implement separate systems for US and non-US clients for the income tax crap.

Obviously, whoever wrote that article is an idiot (or at the very least a luddite) and any congressman who was thinking that it would be possible or plausible to actually do this is also an idiot (or luddite). It is, however, entirely possible that the writer's intended audience includes people who might think that this was the plan as well...

[Ziero]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Obviously, whoever wrote that article is an idiot (or at the very least a luddite) and any congressman who was thinking that it would be possible or plausible to actually do this is also an idiot (or luddite). It is, however, entirely possible that the writer's intended audience includes people who might think that this was the plan as well...

But it never said they wanted to tax in game transactions. In fact they specifically said it was a 'bad idea' and made note that they had no intention of taxing anything. All the article said was that they were looking *into* the transactions in MMO games to see how they work and such. It said no less then four times through out that article that taxing MMO trades is not what they want to do.

[Sabaron]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

I realize that as I read the article, but there are allusions to certain persons, by way of heresay, that are thinking about it. The last sentence in the last paragraph is designed to "catch" your response by denoting that it may be the author's intention to defuse a wave of strife from a community of under-informed persons who read the article and infer therefrom that congress intends to tax in-game economics.

[Caspian]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Mog, this "current administration" said they didn't want to do it. Bush isn't quite as all powerful or the mad scientist genius many think he is.
TM: Actually there are a lot of pushes to do away with death tax. Its stupid and its very likely it will be gone or severely reduced in penalty in the next couple years.
And atleast here in the states, the government doesn't tax the undertaker who then passes it on to you, the government directly assesses taxes to all money and property that is in the deceased's name, up to 40%. Which can be a major kick in the teeth for decently small businesses.

[Feba]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Bush isn't quite as all powerful or the mad scientist genius many think he is.

Of course not, he's a moronic tool

[Jarre]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Here in Illionis, they tax the water now

They have only started? In the Uk everything that cost money has
17.5% VAT (Value added tax) on it.

Water has a 5% tax and has done since I was born, Electricity has 5% tax + Carbon emission tax (dependant on usage) and teh sky high prices that the electricity companies are charging (and there fat cat boses getting a big payrise (again))

Petrol has 40% tax rate and teh government controls the minimum cost of alcahol and cigerettes with raising "Duty" on them. Now £4.58 for a pack of 20 Superkings (thats about $8)

[x1ang]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Most likely the government just plans to tax those who convert ingame currency/goods into real life currency. Unless you're dealing with selling/purchasing virtual goods for cash, it shouldn't affect you.

[Caspian]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

Petrol has 40% tax rate and teh government controls the minimum cost of alcahol and cigerettes with raising "Duty" on them. Now £4.58 for a pack of 20 Superkings (thats about $8)

Why I think these anti-smoking commercials we have in the states are absolutely hilarious. A general pack of cigarettes costs around 4 or 5 dollars depening on where you are. The tobacco company gets about 1 dollar of that with maybe 20 cents being profit. All the rest of it is taxes or "sin taxes" as the government calls them (same with alcohol). The government wants people to stop smoking about as much as they want everyone to go on welfare.
Feba, thats what makes me laugh though, the same people who claim he's the diabolical genius that planned all of 9/11 also say he's a complete idiot who can't tie his shoes. You can't have both.

On-topic: They'll tax Ebay before they tax mmo players.

[greydaze]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

I realize that as I read the article, but there are allusions to certain persons, by way of heresay, that are thinking about it. The last sentence in the last paragraph is designed to "catch" your response by denoting that it may be the author's intention to defuse a wave of strife from a community of under-informed persons who read the article and infer therefrom that congress intends to tax in-game economics.

Which is exactly why I hate the current wave of news-telling that we have. It's all sensationalist, trying to "catch" you with assumptions about things that were never meant by the speaker.

BTW, is there any way we can keep this off bush-bashing? Sure, you may not like him, but honestly, what the hell does he have to do with this topic? He doesn't micro-manage every facet of government. He doesn't have his hand in every cookie jar. He isn't an all-knowing all-seeing evil that's looking for ways to screw you. If you really think Bush has anything to do with this topic... Well... -.-;;;;;

[M_X]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

If the govt starts taxing my adventuring income, I want them to provide disability pay, I want to sue them for not providing a safe work enviroment for everytime I die, I wanna be able to draw social security when my char hits 65 in Vanny years, and I think we should be able to elect Senators and Representitives (NO taxation without representation).

So on that note, I'd like to declair my canidacy for the Senate to represent Vana'diel.

[Sabaron]

Re: Congress takes an interest...

They have only started? In the Uk everything that cost money has
17.5% VAT (Value added tax) on it.

Water has a 5% tax and has done since I was born, Electricity has 5% tax + Carbon emission tax (dependant on usage) and teh sky high prices that the electricity companies are charging (and there fat cat boses getting a big payrise (again))

Petrol has 40% tax rate and teh government controls the minimum cost of alcahol and cigerettes with raising "Duty" on them. Now £4.58 for a pack of 20 Superkings (thats about $8)

Well, Water in Illinois has always traditionally been for use by the communities who live around it (i.e. Communal Property). Our current governor, Rod Blagojevic (D), implemented a grand fee system so that he could avoid raising taxes but still increase revenue. One of these fees was some sort of Watershed Fee that is charged to various communities for the State's gracious allowance for the people who live there to distribute the State's water. This is second-hand information, but there was quite a storm of controversy buzzing around it a couple of years ago by the City Councils of both Bloomington and Normal, Illinois. This is not associated with the Water Delivery Service Fees that are charged by communities to incorporated residence for their in-home plumbing. Farmers and other unincorporated property inhabitants have to install and maintain their own water delivery systems (e.g. wells) on their own property. I'm not sure if they're exempt from the fees--I'll have to ask my Grandfather who owns rural property. I don't have a reference for this information nor could I find one, so it may well be that all the hub-bub was over a bill that had not yet passed and was defeated or it may be implemented and operating as we speak--this info is all old and second hand.

We have huge government Ciggie taxes all over the US now too since they "proved" that smoking kills people. Apparently this does not make tobacco products so morally wrong that they should be illegal (like Marijuana which can be delivered in safe modes and has been shown to have an extraordinarily high fatal dosage amount, but I won't get into that except to say *cough*Cotton Industry*cough*Alcohol/Tobacco*cough*Pharmaceutical Industry (who incidentally synthesizes Marijuana chemicals and distributes them to AIDS and Cancer patients under the drug name Marinol*cough* excuse me, I seem to have had a rather large frog in my throat perhaps it was a Purrogo [digression over you may have lost your place]), but rather to become a product on which the Government can cash in... not to say that I think cigarettes should be illegal, but why does their inherent addictiveness and deadliness make moral cause to loot the coffers of smokers? It doesn't but it looks like they care which is all most government-types (either party) really care about--making money and appearing to care about the unwashed masses. Our gasoline tax is significantly lower than yours and we have the requisite Alcohol tax as well.