McConnell’s Web Push For An Internet Tax Ban
October 4, 2007, 7:50pm
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has taken his push for a permanent ban on taxing Internet access to the very forum that the ban aims to protect. The Kentucky Republican yesterday released an online video that touts such a ban, and today he made the case for the ban on Internet’s talk radio portal, BlogTalkRadio.
Taxes on Internet have been banned in most states under a moratorium that was first enacted in 1998 and that has been renewed twice since then. The current moratorium is set to expire Nov. 1.
“Letting the moratorium expire is nothing more than a backdoor tax increase,” McConnell said in the video. “Democrats in Congress are hoping you won’t notice when your bill goes up. But I’m here to stop them. We need to permanently ban taxing Internet access now, before it’s too late.”
Past moratoriums have been imposed by bipartisan majorities and key opponents of a permanent ban include Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, a former governor of Tennessee, but McConnell continued to blame Democrats for blocking a permanent ban in his interview with Heading Right Radio.
McConnell encouraged people to sign his petition against Internet taxes. “I think hearing from people would be very helpful” in ensuring that a permanent ban is imposed before the moratorium expires, he said.
Other issues covered in the interview included:
- The veto of a bill to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. McConnell said the Democratic majority is trying to expand the program to children who are not poor and to adults.
- Continued funding of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. McConnell said that despite Democratic resistance against continuing such funding, Congress will not adjourn for the year without providing more money. “How much is enough for these people?” he said. “The president has already begun the drawdown of troops.”
- Iran’s actions in the Middle East. “We know they’re up to no good,” McConnell said.
- Trade with China and the safety of the products that nation imports into the United States and other countries. “One thing about the Chinese is they want to do business,” McConnell said, and they are learning that they have to satisy customers by offering products that are safe for consumption.”
- The record of the Democratic Congress. He criticized Democrats for their support of tax increases, trial lawyers and even the political philosophies of the French. “They want to turn us into France when even the French are having second thoughts,” McConnell said.
Categories: Podcast of the Week, Kentucky, Health, Technology, Mitch McConnell, Taxes
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