I said…. Kinda sounds like the old major league baseball Reserve Clause, eh? (laugh)

That one worked for a while and saved the owners a lot of money.

I read in a church bulletin once: THE WORST SINS ARE THOSE OF WHICH I AM NOT GUILTY. I’m pretty sure the idea was that we excuse what we do but not what others do.

As far back as my failing memory will take me people have assured me you are allowed to go five miles over the posted speed limit to allow for possible mechanical calibration errors. Then they shoot by you as you drive the posted limit as if you are going five miles per hour too slow. Okay, actually they act like you are going at least fifteen miles per hour too slow, but I assume it is based on the “five is legal since they don’t enforce it concept and then five more would become legal since it’s only five above that and then five more…..” until they are airborne and swearing they were driving “legally.”

I hydroplaned on US 29 and Black road June 1972, spun around, ended up half on the road, half in the ditch. I explained to my father that I wasn’t speeding, that I was doing 50 at the time. He explained that the posted speed limit is the limit under perfect conditions but we should use some brain power and slow down for flooded roads and suchlike. In other words, don’t see what you can get away with, see how well you can do all you do.

David missing Daddy, world’s most patient man
two days before the third anniversary
of his death

David…..if we are reduced to “some might say” then we have no basis for discussion on most any subject, because “some might say” anything.

The extension of “my” thought is this….if you ain’t gonna enforce it, repeal it. If you are gonna enforce it, then don’t blame it on your predecessors . The folks who are planning to enforce this one are already saying “err…we didn’t pass this, so let’s blame it on someone else when we put it into effect”. If they are truly against tax increases, then repeal it rather than enforce it.

Anyway I won’t argue either but not because I never do. It’s because I ain’t crazy enough to think I would win one with you.

Vigorous enforcement of speeding laws would not anger me. I have been driving for 40 years and my next ticket will be my first. One of the things that puzzles me about “law and order” folks is their driving habits. I suppose most of us break some of the laws we don’t agree with.

I can’t argue with that, not that I ever argue anyway. I’m perfectly happy with blaming it on a Bush–George, Jeb, or even GHWB if it makes you happy.

Still— if we extend that thought, if they begin vigorous enforcement of speeding laws after being lax in some areas, some would say they just passed speed limits.

In fact, there are a bunch of laws which aren’t being enforced vigorously and to my way of thinking, that’s the worst kind of laws. People ignore unenforced laws and then officials can arrest them for infractions whenever they wish. Selective enforcement or selective prosecution can be used to abuse power. Many laws would be revoked if everybody had to obey them, but they stay on the books if only a few have to do so every so often. (Consider our immigration laws: our president–whose duty is to execute our laws–laughs about them. Many businesses would shut down if they were enforced. Food prices would rise.)

It looks like the legislature is trying to enforce what they enacted. I’m still not convinced they have the legal standing to tax cyberspace. The federal government could do it, but I’m just not sure about the state level laws.

I can imagine them passing a law and letting it sit for a few years then deciding to enforce it and saying, “Well, it’s been on the books for years, why are you just now complaining?” It could be they realized how much business is being done online and figure it’s time to get in on the action.

David considering
motives and methods

I said….I suppose that could be the interpretation of the following, fro Merriam Webster…”a : based on or marked by a strict or legal interpretation”.

But you are certainly right that the government can and will get either you or what you have to satisfy a tax. So when/if the republicans push this one through they will be the ones pushing the tax increase. If it ain’t being paid now that’s zero. If they force it to be paid later, that’s increase.

There is a noticeable difference. People running the government in those countries seized power by force of arms. Those who replace or replaced them will do so by force of arms rather than free elections. People running the governments in this country were elected by those who chose to vote.

We don’t need to revolt. We MIGHT need to vote for other leaders if we ever decide we don’t like the direction the ones we put in office are going.

We have the power.

We are responsible.

David knowing we have taxation WITH representation

Possibly depending on the nature of the flat tax. I remember seeing the joking proposed tax form:
1. How much did you make last year?
2. Send it in as your flat tax amount.

Thus gathering more of your money by a simple means isn’t really helping you.

They say it’s to level the playing field but in a perfectly level field, water never drains off. That’s a metaphorical way of saying if there is no benefit to online purchasing, folks won’t do it. Even with the taxes, the field isn’t level because you can buy what you need without driving many miles, risking wrecks, buying fuel, having wear and tear on the vehicle.

So if they were really trying to level the “playing field” they would make you pay that difference as well.

AND:
” “this is not a new law” statement. While technically true–”

If it is technically true, it is factually true. The question could be raised, though, how the state can charge taxes on purchases not made in the state. The Supreme Court has ruled that cyberspace does not exist in one single place, thus online sales and purchases do not take place in Florida or any other physically existing place. They can tax the individual bringing in the things bought elsewhere, but that might be the USPS until it shuts down.

That being said, if they put you behind bars in a physically existing place for not paying what they claim you owe them, it doesn’t matter if you are right and they are wrong. You’re still locked up.

David pondering
the imaginary fields and spaces