Pubdate: Sat, 04 May 2013 Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) Copyright: 2013 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. Contact: http://www.timesdispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/365 Author: Gary Shapiro VIRGINIA 2.0: SEX, DRUGS AND TAXES RESTORE RESPECT FOR THE LAW Sometimes the government just doesn't get it and the people do. When everyone is violating the law, it's time to change the law. Consider three areas where the government has it wrong and needs to change: Internet sales taxation, marijuana use and outdated laws regarding consensual sex between adults. Internet sales tax Sales taxes on online purchases have been a contentious issue for years, but mostly at the federal level. States like Virginia and 10 others have passed measures that treat online retailers, like Amazon, the same as brick and-mortar stores: everyone collects state and local sales taxes on behalf of state and local governments. Right now, Internet sales are already taxed. Consumers are supposed to pay taxes on their annual tax returns, but most don't. In fact, a recent National Public Radio story noted most consumers didn't even know about this, and only about 1.6 percent of taxpayers actually do pay these taxes. This means states could come down arbitrarily on non-compliant citizens who fail to pay the tax. States like Virginia have passed laws on Internet sales in order to apply the tax law equally, with the intention of simplifying consumers' taxes. We are now seeing Congress swinging in the same direction, with the Senate embracing this simple solution. Recently, in a 75-24 vote, a majority of senators demonstrated support for the Marketplace Fairness Act, a measure that would remove the burden from consumers and make sure taxes are collected at the point of sale. This is a step in the right direction, and it is time for the federal government to catch up with the times and come up with a nationwide solution that works for the digital age. Decriminalizing marijuana For the first time ever, a majority of Americans - 52 percent - support marijuana legalization, according to a national Pew Research Center poll. The argument for legalizing marijuana has gained traction at the federal and state level. Recently, we heard evolving marijuana statements from congressional lawmakers. Sens. Mitch McConnell, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley and Ron Paul all support legalizing hemp production. In Virginia, even conservative gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli has come around. He recently implied during a University of Virginia political science talk that he might be open to marijuana reform. Hopefully, he and others will accept that pouring billions of dollars into the "war on drugs" has been a failure by all accounts, sapping law enforcement, imprisoning millions of Americans and hurting our Hispanic neighbors to the south. The next governor of Virginia should decriminalize marijuana, giving Americans the same options they have with other substances and allowing the state to tax it. This would allow government to increase revenue and focus limited law enforcement resources more effectively on violent crimes. Keep government out of the bedroom Finally, consider the recent debate on whether the government has the right to pass laws about sexual acts between consenting adults. Cuccinelli has made headlines for his defense of Virginia's anti-sodomy law as constitutional. Though the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the law in March and denied Cuccinelli's request to reconsider its ruling, his stance could have devastating consequences for Virginia's ability to attract and keep top employees, if the state - long considered a top business state - is viewed as inhospitable to gay people. Once again, it is time for popular opinion to influence policy to change our outdated laws. When large numbers of Americans are engaged in traditionally "illegal" behavior, it is time to change the laws. Just laws lose their force when silly or outdated laws cause citizens to question the legitimacy of any legislation. Democracy has no legitimacy if we become a nation of habitual lawbreakers. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt