Intertax. Will The Gov't Ever Tax Individuals for Surfing the Net?

I was sitting around watching Sunday Football and my roommate and I began to talk about Facebook and the rumor about charging subscriptions.  We then spoke about an article from the New Yorker about Facebook wanting to be a one stop shop for internet users. They will be adding music, video games, timelines ect.  It doesn't really matter if people like or dislike the changes because any type of buzz is good buzz. After all, Facebook is and has been the #1 website where people spend the majority of their time.  After a million thoughts raced through my brain about Facebook's impact on the world, I wondered if the government ever sat down with Mr. Zuckerburg and discussed their plans.  

We all know the United States is not in the best shape financially right now. Between Wall Street, major car manufacturers, and now the debt ceiling...where will the money come from? Taxes will play a major part in the near future. But what kind of taxes? I was reading CNN the other day and it described how the middle class median salary decreased a full $10,000 from last year.  Immediately, I thought of a stat a week earlier that 15% of America is living in poverty right now. With these numbers top of mind, and America needing to squeeze more money out of its people, what is the only thing that people use everyday that the government doesn't really have their hand in? The Internet.

I'm sure Mark Zuckerburg has been approached many times by the government to discuss their impact on American Society as well as their global presence.  Facebook alone records over 700 billion minutes on their website a month. This stat alone leads me to believe the government sees internet usage as a very lucrative opportunity. They could tax individuals based on how many times a day, week, month, year surfing the internet. They could tax based on how many websites your going to. They could even tax based on how many family members you have registered. Think of it as a family plan from T-Mobile. This could be universal across all industries and very easily monetized. 

The internet is the only thing that the government really doesn't touch. In America's past, the "it" factor would always include the government. If the government didn't like their piece of the financial pie, they would take the company to court on tax evasion or shut it down. Remember prohibition? Why do you think cigarettes are still legal when they are 100% proven to kill you. It says it on the package! 

The Intertax may not be a bad thing. Everyone uses the internet and the majority of us pay for it anyway. What's an extra $2 or $3 dollars a month for taxes. I want my government to create opportunities for the less fortunate. At the moment, they are taking away opportunities for growth. While the rich get richer, the poorer gets poorer and if something doesn't change with the current system, 15% poverty will turn in 30% poverty.  Not to mention the value of the dollar decreasing day by day. If the America Dollar is no longer the benchmark for the world currency,(Federal Reserve) Our way of life will change dramatically. Everyday expenses will sky rocket. That is something I urge you to research yourselves. 

I'm not a radical conspiracy guy, I love the United States.  I also consider myself lucky to be an American citizen. Ever visit a third world country? Visit Nicaragua and then come back and shop at Costco or Sam's Club. I promise you will never tweet about a long line again. People say the internet is the Wild Wild West. This is true for the moment. Once settlers built their own houses, grew their own crops, and dug for their own gold, the government was ready to intervene. Facebook and Google are the Lois and Clark's of today-researching the landscape, boundaries, and dangers. Just remember that Thomas Jefferson(President at the time) commissioned the journey. 

-Cory Kapner