Forwarded from Dave Farber's List ----------------------------------- I think the something at the WH has pushed them off the edge. How much you want to bet that it gives a lot more information than just the item costs. It will be used to police obscenity laws and censorship laws before it is done. Dave Ira Magaziner, President Clinton's senior Internet advisor, has proposed a new plan for tracking and taxing goods sold over the Internet that would use electronic "resident cards" and private-sector escrow agents around the world. Consumers would obtain digital cash at banks that would allow merchants to identify which country the buyer is in, but would reveal no other personal information. Consumption taxes would then be calculated, collected, and placed with an escrow agent who would then funnel the money to the appropriate government. "Governments would get their money more quickly... they would get a higher compliance rate... and the system would be easier to police," says Mr. Magaziner. (Wall Street Journal 11 Sep 98) ================================== Thanks! Bill Bill Stewart, bill.stewart@pobox.com PGP Fingerprint D454 E202 CBC8 40BF 3C85 B884 0ABE 4639