posted on February 14, 2003 08:30:21 AM new
NY was losing a lot of tax money due to internet sales of cigarettes, after NY raised the tobacco taxes in the state. So they outlawed the sale over the internet with the thinly veiled reason it was to prevent children from getting cigarettes.
The Supreme Court has suggested that the use of a credit card for an online purchase satisfies any question the product/service is sold to an adult. The selling to children argument is gone if the venders accept only credit card purchases from NY.
This should be a good case if it goes to the Supreme Court. If the Court uses the credit card reasoning, NY is back to square one in collecting the cigarette sales taxes. If they accept NY's argument, then states which come up with any "rational" basis can incumber/outlaw sales of any internet merchandise they can make a case against. Any item that can be claimed to cause some sort of harm can be outlawed.
posted on February 14, 2003 11:50:05 AM new
Now, credit card companies are offering cards to minors with parents signature. As young as 16... Maybe younger. I doubt the court will allow this to continue.
There will be no economy with out taxes for the long term. It is just a matter of time.
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. B. Franklin
posted on February 14, 2003 12:35:24 PM new
Do you know that in the future, our sun will turn into a Red Giant, and the earth will be toast? I'm having a hard time putting into perspective what I am more worried about, being a small ebay seller and the possibility some day of a national internet sales tax, or the earth being toasted by an expanding sun in about 5 billion years...
