Politech mailing list archives
FC: Final report on Internet tax commission meeting
From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 19:11:09 -0500
********* [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] ********* 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. [...] 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. [...] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- the moderated mailing list of politics and technology To subscribe: send a message to majordomo () vorlon mit edu with this text: subscribe politech More information is at http://www.well.com/~declan/politech/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
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- FC: Final report on Internet tax commission meeting Declan McCullagh (Dec 16)