So I've been reading up on the really badly written violent games tax bill coming from Missouri. My previous Post goes into it more. It basically levies a 1% tax on all violent games sold in the entire country, giving the proceeds away to "treat" non existant mental illnesses associated with the "exposure to violent games". But much more sinister is it's tax related "personal property" used, consumed or bought in "this state" (without saying what "this state" is, Missouri or USA). Basically it taxing anyone who is "purchasing", "using", "storing", or "otherwise" consuming violent games in "this state", to a tune of 1% of all the "personal property" that the person owns. I quote:
"144.1024. 1. In addition to any other tax provided for by law, there is hereby levied
upon persons storing, using, or otherwise consuming within this state, tangible personal
property purchased or brought into this state, an excise tax on the storage, use, or other
consumption in this state of all violent video games, based on the gross receipts or purchase
price of such property at a rate of one percent."
Here is the real issue. If someone lives in whatever the blue hell "this state" is, any property in this state would be have their value added into to the tax on any violent games they buy, use or otherwise consume... Everytime someone buys a violent game they could have to pay up to 100 dollars tax for this. I am not kidding. Here is a spreadsheet which I used to count what I own and it's price according to amazon.com.
The total value is around 5000 dollars. If I tried to buy, play, or store a violent game in "this state", I would have to pay an EXTRA 50 dollars tax each time!!!! That's ridiculous. What this could effect is insane.. Number 1, "this state" is not defined, so it is theoretically possible that It could be abused to prosecute anyone in the US. Even worse, every time I tried to even play a violent game, I would be required to play 50 dollars again! For people playing games a lot of the day, that could be a 500 dollar charge per run of a violent game.
Now you could say "this is not enforceable". Not true. All they need to do is stick a keylogger in anyone buying Internet access in "this state" that is designed to look for program names of games run, by screenshotting the desktop so that they can see what "violent" games are being played. Then apply the tax to the person who owns the computer.... It's not as "un-enforceable" as it seems.
Basically this is designed to punish people for merely owning violent games by, A) forcing them to pay obscene amount of money per game bought or played, and B) mandating "Treatment" for people who play violent games... Notice in the law it does not say treatment is only for children playing violent games, it is for anyone "exposed" to them. The tornado of bullshit is touching down. Contact your senators, it is really important!!!
