[governance] Hmmmm... Google: "Internet Freedom!"... (from taxes?

[Dominique Lacroix]

Please frankly, Milton, did internet begin in the US by free market or 
by the US Gov action?

@+, Dom


Le 03/12/12 19:29, Milton L Mueller a écrit :
>
> Just so you know: competition and liberalization have done more to 
> extend telecom infrastructure to the largest number of people than any 
> social equity program. Taxes and subsidies (at best) pick up the 
> margins/ high cost areas, the really poor, but the real work is always 
> done by the market. At worst, taxes and subsidies keep monopoly 
> incumbents in place, prevent new technologies from emerging, and raise 
> costs.
>
> *From:*michael gurstein [mailto:gurstein at gmail.com]
>
> I would be the first one to argue for a transparent, net neutral, open 
> access, free speech Internet but I'm also for an inclusive Internet in 
> a decent socially equitable environment with proper schools, and 
> healthcare, and an adequate physical and social infrastructure for 
> all, not just for the rich (or those in rich countries) and that means 
> that companies, like everyone else has to pay their fair share.
>
> Greed is greed and the best way to keep from paying taxes as you have 
> pointed out, is to make sure that there are no laws/regulations in 
> place to require you to pay taxes.
>
> M
>
> *From:*governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org 
> <mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org> 
> [mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] *On Behalf Of *Milton L 
> Mueller
> *Sent:* Monday, December 03, 2012 6:36 AM
> *To:* governance at lists.igcaucus.org 
> <mailto:governance at lists.igcaucus.org>; 'Dominique Lacroix'
> *Subject:* RE: [governance] Hmmmm... Google: "Internet Freedom!"... 
> (from taxes?
>
> Suresh, I think the debates are related. Now it is not just ETNO and 
> the old telecom incumbents who want to grab a share of the new wealth 
> being generated by over the top internet services, it's national 
> governments as well.  So what is new here? Governments want to tax 
> whatever they can for their own (political) self-interest, while 
> businesses (and most citizens) want to reduce their taxes as much as 
> possible.
>
> What's interesting is  how un-selfconsciously the Dominiques and 
> Gursteins of the world assume that more taxation = always better for 
> society. Not a shred of critical perspective on the governments' 
> demands for more revenue. And as usual, Gurstein approaches the debate 
> by attaching labels ("Reaganomics") rather than mounting a serious 
> argument.
>
> Do governments have some kind of right to these revenues? If so, what 
> is the basis? If so, what is a reasonable rate of taxation? How are 
> these revenues used? How do they benefit the internet users who 
> generated them? Might be good for you all to contemplate the answers 
> to some of those questions. The implication of your statement is that 
> more taxation is always better. You don’t have to be a supply-side 
> economist to understand that taxation can reach a point of diminishing 
> returns and that it can destroy economic activity as well as help 
> sustain social services. Please, a more intelligent perspective on this…
>
> Some Internet companies can escape taxes because their activities 
> aren't linked to territories. Others are linked to countries and pay 
> full taxes.
>

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