FITUG e.V.
Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft
FITUG e.V.Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft |
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------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 19:11:09 -0500 To: politech@vorlon.mit.edu From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com> Subject: FC: Final report on Internet tax commission meeting Send reply to: declan@well.com
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[I am back in DC after a much-too-brief trip to SF to cover this meeting. Hmm. Why am I living on the east coast again? --DBM]
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http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,33119,00.html
Choosing Names a Taxing Battle by Declan McCullagh
7:45 a.m. 16.Dec.1999 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- What's in a name? Or rather, what's in e-name?
For groups hoping to win the votes of a Congressional advisory commission, the answer seems to be -- confusion.
Proving that a catchy title is the _sine qua non_ of modern-day campaigning, pro-Internet tax and anti-tax groups picked e-fairness and e-freedom as cute but vague names for their coalitions.
But which is which? Besides, who can be against fairness? And what Samuel Adams-swilling American would ever criticize freedom?
It turns out that e-freedom is the conservative-libertarian axis. They're not fans of taxes on Internet or mail-order purchases. And they think that the e-fairness folks are poaching on their turf.
"The term e-fairness isn't accurate. It's not about fairness," complains Sonia Arrison of the Pacific Research Institute, which is part of the e-freedom coalition.
Arrison said that her side had their name first, and -- when pressed -- the e-fairness folks 'fessed up. Their coalition, a spokeswoman admitted, is just over a month old.
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http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,33109,00.html
Internet Tax? Maybe, Maybe Not by Declan McCullagh
7:45 a.m. 16.Dec.1999 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- Take a peck of politicians, add a cayenne-hot topic like Internet taxes, season with presidential politicking, and agitate.
The result? A meeting that falls flatter than a building on landfill during a California earthquake.
Instead of voting on any of the topics surrounding Internet and telecommunications taxation, controversy-shy members of a Congressional advisory panel decided to dodge the issue.
The 19-member commission on Wednesday postponed all decisions until its next and final meeting in Dallas, Texas in March 2000.
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