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State Efforts To Regulate VoIP Thwarted Again
VoIP carriers win USF debate in Nebraska
A few years ago several states noticed that they were losing tax revenue as users ditched their second (or sometimes first) landlines. To try and make up for this shortfall, a number of them (like Minnesota) tried to exert their regulatory authority over VoIP providers, even if those providers had no actual physical presence in that state. That push was thwarted in 2004 when the FCC exempted VoIP providers from state-level regulation and again in 2007 on appeal. Techdirt directs our attention to the fact that VoIP providers have now won a similar case in Nebraska aimed at forcing VoIP providers to contribute to the Universal Service Fund (USF).
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

1 recommendation

pnh102

Premium Member

Good

We pay enough in taxes already.

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

1 recommendation

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

too much stupid

You know if you tax people TOO much people will find a way to go around it, in turn the state loses more money then it was worth.

States already piss enough money away in stupid programs. I have a better idea quit the wasteful throwing away part. hell they tell us not to piss money down the tubes look at them.
me1212
join:2008-11-20
Lees Summit, MO

me1212

Member

Re: too much stupid

"States already piss enough money away in stupid programs. I have a better idea quit the wasteful throwing away part."

^This.

mrkevin
Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.
Premium Member
join:2007-08-07
Aurora, ME

mrkevin

Premium Member

why

why do these people keep getting re-elected? they certainly don't represent the people.
VOTE THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE!

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: why

said by mrkevin:

why do these people keep getting re-elected? they certainly don't represent the people.
VOTE THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE!
Sometimes I wonder if we've reached the tipping point where the majority of voters either pays no taxes or is on some kind of government assistance. If that's the case... then sadly these politicians do in fact "represent the people."
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: why

said by pnh102:

Sometimes I wonder if we've reached the tipping point where the majority of voters either pays no taxes or is on some kind of government assistance. If that's the case... then sadly these politicians do in fact "represent the people."
Remember only Fundies (who get told to go and vote or burn in hell forever for not doing "God's work", usually for a particular candidate by their clergy) and senior citizens vote (gotta have that medicare and SS).

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

1 recommendation

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: why

said by patcat88:
said by pnh102:

Sometimes I wonder if we've reached the tipping point where the majority of voters either pays no taxes or is on some kind of government assistance. If that's the case... then sadly these politicians do in fact "represent the people."
Remember only Fundies (who get told to go and vote or burn in hell forever for not doing "God's work", usually for a particular candidate by their clergy) and senior citizens vote (gotta have that medicare and SS).
Not true. But IF it was, whose fault is that?
Austinloop
join:2001-08-19
Austin, TX

Austinloop to patcat88

Member

to patcat88
Patcat, are you suggesting that these two groups should be denied the vote? How interesting! And did you know that the senior citizens have been paying into medicare and SS, with few exceptions, since they started working. You might want to direct your invective toward the Congress of the United States for their mishandling of the SS funds, rather than b*tch about senior citizens voting.

sturmvogel6
Obama '08
join:2008-02-07
Houston, TX

sturmvogel6

Member

Re: why

said by Austinloop:

Patcat, are you suggesting that these two groups should be denied the vote? How interesting! And did you know that the senior citizens have been paying into medicare and SS, with few exceptions, since they started working. You might want to direct your invective toward the Congress of the United States for their mishandling of the SS funds, rather than b*tch about senior citizens voting.
Mishandling the Schutzstaffel funds could get quite deadly. They were quite nasty by default.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102 to patcat88

Premium Member

to patcat88
said by patcat88:

Remember only Fundies (who get told to go and vote or burn in hell forever for not doing "God's work", usually for a particular candidate by their clergy) ...
Given the results of the past couple of elections, I think we can conclude that is not the case.

Bassistguy
Alrighty Then
Premium Member
join:2001-07-14
Ballwin, MO

Bassistguy

Premium Member

It's annoying

Watch, one of these days they're going to try to tax us for breathing! WTF.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: It's annoying

Personal property tax anyone? Income tax? Close enough to breathing.

I think even a homeless bum has to pay income tax on paper for the food he gets at a soup kitchen since its a gain.

clide
@comcast.net

clide

Anon

it's a narrow holding

Keep in mind that the opinion is actually quite narrow, applying only to "nomadic" VoIP. The court declined to address "fixed VoIP" -- the type typically provided by cable et al.
travelguy
join:1999-09-03
Bismarck, ND

travelguy

Member

Careful!

The story summary is not exactly correct. The Nebraska decision pertains to a state USF, not the Federal 'Gore Tax' USF.
cyclone_z
join:2006-06-19
Ames, IA

cyclone_z

Member

just get rid of the phone tax altogether

Why don't they just get rid of the stupid phone line tax anyway. It was started during the 1890's to pay for the dumb Spanish American war, which was started by yellow journalism. Back then, telephones were considered a luxury. Today? Not so much.