Another tax! lol

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So, I used to offset the costs of hv20.com with an affiliate program from B&H. Was very decent, and they made it very easy to set-up and administer.
After I moved to China & upgraded the software, I stopped most ads, which included the B&H ones.

Was thinking of starting it up again, when I get this nice email:

"Notice to B&H Affiliates Based in Pennsylvania
As you are a member of the B&H Affiliate Program, we are notifying you that as a result of the Affiliate Sales Tax Legislation passed by the State of Pennsylvania, we are currently pausing the entire Affiliate Program in the state, and will no longer be paying any referral fees for customers referred to B&H Foto & Electronics Corp by Affiliates from the State of Pennsylvania."


Another tax. How lovely. I know California passed one too.
Amazon dropped all their affiliates there last year.
USA running out of money. Solution? A new tax!

Taxtaxtatxtatxtatxtatxtatxtatxtatxtatx.....

[Dr. Benway]

USA running out of money. Solution?

A solution à la NZ? Sell land to Chinese vampires.

[1]

Haha, yeah, well, land is maybe all that's left.

[Dr. Benway]

That's certainly the case in NZ where one politician said, regarding Chinese interest in NZ, 'That if you don't own your land what else is there?' Essentially you cease being a country. This one of the concerns as we hurtle into 'globalisation'.

[blondandfun]

Don't you live in Beijing? I heard most locals there don't even consider themselves Chinese. I heard ya'll and Putin are teaming up to destroy democracy as soon as the energy crisis hits the U.S. I have credible internet sources from some 80 year old curmudgeon I've been stalking online.

[cgbier]

Democrazy needs neither the Chinese nor Putin to do that. It does it to itself already.

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...teaming up to destroy democracy

Well, at least the USA won't have to worry then (since it's form of government is not a democracy).

[Dr. Benway]

at least the USA won't have to worry then (since it's not a democracy).

Exactly. To an outsider many aspects of the U.S. seems downright nasty. Now the U.S. is not alone in that, but for all its hoopla and self-reverence the U.S. lets itself down - 'your' politicians are total scumbags.

[1]

democracy

Aye, although I meant it literally: the USA is a Republic, not a Democracy.

[Dr. Benway]

the USA is a Republic, not a Democracy.

True. Very splintered and politically complex.

[Almohada]

I remember those ads!

[Gillvane]

Aye, although I meant it literally: the USA is a Republic, not a Democracy.

Actually, a Republic is a form of democracy.

It would be correct to say the US is not a direct democracy. It is a representative democracy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varieties_of_democracy

I like the Fair Tax.

It's progressive (those under the poverty level pay ZERO taxes) and it's simple.

23% inclusive tax on all goods and services. No income tax, no payroll tax, no corporate taxes. It's much easier to monitor, because now you must monitor EVERY person in America, and EVERY business. Under the Fair Tax, you only monitor the businesses.

Imagine how many people would have an easier time starting a new business if they didnt' have to worry about teh IRS shutting them down.

No deductions, exemptions, exclusions, loop holes, no need to hire accountants and lawyers to do your taxes.

Business collect 23% inclusive tax at point of sale. Just like they collect State sales tax now. And that's it.

http://www.fairtax.org/site/PageServer

No more taxing this, and not that, picking winners and losers with the tax code.

[Janke]

Business collect 23% inclusive tax at point of sale

European VAT rates vary, but most are between 20-25%. In Finland, it's exactly 23%...


The "Fair tax" is not progressive at all. The poor still pay the same percentage of their meager income on every purchase, as do the rich (who can afford it).

Of course, to compensate, there would have to be some form of "dole" or "rebate" for the poor, but that wouldn't encourage productivity at all... people are inherently lazy; would you rather work at a grueling low-income job, or rather do whatever you want - and receive the same money as benefits?

"Opponents argue that a national sales tax would be inherently regressive and would decrease tax burdens paid by high-income individuals."

[Gillvane]

European VAT rates vary, but most are between 20-25%. In Finland, it's exactly 23%...


The "Fair tax" is not progressive at all. The poor still pay the same percentage of their meager income on every purchase, as do the rich (who can afford it).

Of course, to compensate, there would have to be some form of "dole" or "rebate" for the poor, but that wouldn't encourage productivity at all... people are inherently lazy; would you rather work at a grueling low-income job, or rather do whatever you want - and receive the same money as benefits?

"Opponents argue that a national sales tax would be inherently regressive and would decrease tax burdens paid by high-income individuals."

This is completely false.

I'm talking about the FAIR TAX.

Don't know what Tax you are talking about. Please inform yourself if you're going to comment on it.

Under the Fair Tax anyone under the Poverty level pays ZERO TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, that's the Fair Tax. Don't know what tax proposal you are referring to, but under the Fair Tax those under the poverty level pay ZERO TAX!!!


When presented with an estimated effective tax rate, the low-income family above would pay a tax rate of 0% on the 100% of consumption. The higher income family would pay a tax rate of 15% on the 75% of consumption (with the other 25% taxed at a later point in time, as savings is tax-deferred).[33] Thus, according to economist Laurence Kotlikoff, the effective tax rate is progressive on consumption.[3] A person spending at the poverty level would have an effective tax rate of 0%, whereas someone spending at four times the poverty level would have an effective tax rate on consumption of 17.2%.[33]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FairTax..._of_tax_burden

[Janke]

"Opponents argue that a national sales tax would be inherently regressive and would decrease tax burdens paid by high-income individuals."

The above quote is taken directly from the very same FairTax Wikipedia article you linked to. Did you read it?

It also says: "the FairTax would be progressive on consumption, but would also be regressive on income at higher income levels (as consumption falls as a percentage of income)"

From the same article:

The FairTax is a tax reform proposal for the federal government of the United States that would replace all federal taxes on personal and corporate income[1] with a single broad national consumption tax on retail sales. . . . The sales tax rate, as defined in the legislation for the first year, is 23%

Under the Fair Tax anyone under the Poverty level pays ZERO TAXES!

No, they pay the same 23%, but get a "prebate" or "dole", whatever you may call it.

"The proposal also calls for a monthly payment to all family households of lawful U.S. residents as an advance rebate, or "prebate", of tax on purchases up to the poverty level."

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Actually, a Republic is a form of democracy.

Wow, looks like you ARE CORRECT!!!

After some further reading I found out that
the USA became a[n apparent] democracy in October 2009!!!

As part of the 100 Civics questions, #78 used to be: What kind of government does the United States have?
A multiple-choice question, with REPUBLIC being the correct answer (DEMOCRACY, being one of the WRONG ANSWERS).
I know, I took the test (in 2008).

Further investigation reveals, however, that the amended test in October 2009 does not ask that question anymore.

More curious is that about.com, has the [old] test's answer WRONG: http://usgovinfo.about.com/blinstst.htm#78
(something wrong on the internet? Who would figure!)

[Dr. Benway]

After some further reading I found out that

George Lucas - that great political seer.