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Jim DeMint: Online Sales Tax is Taxation Without Representation

A nationally-mandated Internet tax is anything but fair

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Randy...I assume then by your statement that you are a tax-and-spend democrat who sees the internet tax as just one more cash cow to milk. More money for the already bloated and near bankrupt state governments to spend on their over laden pork barrel projects. The states just need to clean up their acts, and assume some fiscal responsibility. Because right now they are spending the American economy into the ground. Dipping deeper into the pockets of the American consumer, during these economically challenging times, is not just stupid....it's criminal.

Dzerjinsky of IL 2:49PM August 21, 2012

No - There needs to be a big consideration for consumers, like myself. Fro some reason, taxes seem to be the way to milk people for more money for special interest groups. It's about time that consumers stand up to government. And, businesses should stand up for the consumers if they want to continue selling their products.

Richard of CA 2:19PM August 17, 2012

Eric of SC,

You pay first the sales tax in the state of purchase and then SC requires you to file the purchase, including sales taxes already paid, with the SC Dept. of Revenue. By comparing the amount of state taxes paid already with the amount of state and local taxes you would pay at home the SC Dept. of Revenue will determine an amount you owe in Use Tax. If you have already paid a sales tax higher than your combined state and local sales tax in SC then you will owe nothing but will still need to file. See the following form:

http://www.sctax.org/NR/rdonlyres/1D61933C-21AE-4283-A0FF-C7D104B9B615/0/UT3_3W_011912.pdf

This is already a law in place that is simply not enforced.

Rhett of SC 7:51PM August 10, 2012

It would absolutely be wrong to require retailers or consumers located in one state to pay sales tax to another state. It would be taxation without representation.

Fortunately, the Marketplace Fairness Act *does not* do this. It would simply let a state require online merchants to collect sales tax on purchases made by that state's resident, who already have to pay sales tax on online purchases anyway. The only difference is that retailers would collect and remit the tax instead of consumers.

The article frequently uses the word "pay" where it should use "collect," and that change completely misstates the nature of online sales tax collection. No online retailer or consumer would ever be required to pay sales tax to a state where they do not reside.

The sales tax consumers pay on online purchases goes to their own state, where they get to vote on the sales tax rate and what that sales tax revenue funds (fire and police departments, schools, services for children and the elderly, etc). This is the definition of taxation *with* representation.

Interestingly, I've found that the supporters of the Marketplace Fairness Act are primarily small local businesses that have to collect sales tax and who think their online competitors should, too. They're tired of people coming to their stores to browse and ask questions only to buy online to avoid sales tax (especially on high-end items like electronics and jewelry). Frankly, I don't think large national retailers that already collect sales tax, like Walmart and Best Buy, are threatened enough by small online businesses to have to worry about "crushing" them. It's not big business vs. small business -- it's small local businesses vs. small online businesses. Shouldn't they at least have to follow the same rules?

R. David L. Campbell of CT 10:52PM August 09, 2012

But Jim Demint had no problem taking out of state Grub from Patrick Byrne the CEO of Overstock.com

"Byrne has also given to the Senate campaigns of Jim DeMint (October 2004, August 2005, October 2008) "

http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2010/01/12/energy-corp-scana-bundles-contributions-to-senator-richard-burr/

Floyd of NJ 9:10AM August 09, 2012

If I, as a resident of South Carolina go to California and buy a kayak, am I exempt from California sales tax because I do not live there? Does the store get to not charge me tax when they see my SC drivers license?

www.canigetawordin.com

eric of SC 3:10AM August 09, 2012

I agree with you Jim. I prefer we go with a flat tax and cut out all special interests. Internet taxes will not only burden small business but will also invade people's privacy because their will have to be proof of what they purchased to determine what they owe. It's past time for tax reform.

Marie of GA 12:20PM August 08, 2012