Tax-Free for You and Me
It looks like the scheme of the deliciously-named Rep. Robert Goodlatte (R-Va.) and his colleagues to make the Internet a permanent tax-free zone isn't going to fly, despite the fact that the bill has 238 cosponsors in the House. Instead, the ban on taxing Internet access (first enacted in 1998) will likely be extended for four more years in a vote today.
Since a bill cosponsored by half of the House has good odds of passing once brought to the floor, the Democratic leadership has deep-sixed it with procedural measures instead.
"Basically, what the Democratic leadership has said is, 'Here's four years, take it or leave it,' " said Republican Robert W. Goodlatte of Virginia, cosponsor of a bill that would permanently ban Internet-access taxes. "Congress will probably take it, but I don't know. We'll have to wait and see what the vote is."
Four more years isn't ideal, but it's practically miraculous that Congress has restrained itself (and the states) from taxing this tempting target as long as it has. We'll just have to keep up the chant (rarely heard in electoral politics these days): Four more years! Four more years!
More on Internet taxation with or without representation here and here.