CSE activists across America have been voicing their views to politicians at all levels -- from the presidential candidates to local mayors -- that they are opposed to the various schemes that have been put forward to place discriminatory taxes on the Internet. Taxes already apply to e-commerce the same as they apply to catalogue and mail order sales. The Internet is the driving force behind the best economy in American history and taxing the Internet only threatens this success.

"I am for those means which will give the greatest good to the greatest number." – Abraham Lincoln, February 12, 1861 Introduction Mr. Chairman, and members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to share my views on H.R. 3011 and H.R. 3022 – the Truth in Telephone Billing Act, and the Rest of the Truth in Telephone Billing Act. Both pieces of proposed legislation share a single attribute. Namely, public policy should not impede the flow of information so that consumers can make the best decisions possible.

After meeting with the nation's governors for two hours yesterday, President Clinton told them that states should be responsible for solving the Internet tax "problem." A White House spokesman immediately clarified the president's position and explained that the president is opposed to any discriminatory taxes on the Internet or taxes on Internet access. We say, good for him. Pernicious Internet access taxes already increase the cost of getting online. Just to mention a couple, there is the multi-billion dollar Gore tax and the federal excise tax on telecommunications services.

Copley News Service, 02/11/2000 In the titanic clash under way between Old World thinking and New, the greatest debate is over Internet taxation. The fundamental question is whether to allow state governors to impose a uniform sales tax on on-line purchases nationwide. Congress has empaneled 19 corporate executives, policy experts and public officials to make recommendations by April.

A lawsuit a day keeps innovation at bay

Governor Bush wants the first decade of the 21st Century to remain Internet Tax-Free. CSE has asked all Presidential candidates to sign the E-Freedom pledge, which includes making permanent the current moratorium on Internet Taxation. To date, Steve Forbes, John McCain, Orrin Hatch and Gary Bauer have signed the pledge. Governor Bush has declined to sign pledge.

Pledges to Fight Internet Taxes NASHUA - Today, Senator John McCain signed the e-Freedom declaration in which he pledged to support making permanent the current ban on Internet taxation. See Senator John McCain sign the declaration on CSE TV.

Just Say no to Internet taxation Today on CSE-TV, Senator John McCain will sign the e-freedom declaration pledging to eliminate discriminatory taxation on the Internet. We can give consumers the full benefits of high technology by removing obsolete government barriers to competition and innovation. To do that we must protect the Internet from burdensome new tax schemes and remove existing taxes and barriers that are preventing Americans from getting online.

In late 1999, there are more than 100 million American adults using the Internet, up from 65 million in mid-1998 and 84 million at the end of 1998. According to a University of Texas study, Internet-economy revenues are expected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2002, rivaling health care as the nation's largest industrial sector. Between 25 and 33 percent of America’s economic growth in the 1990s has been due to the information-technology sector.