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When Politicians Tax Violent Video Games

Posted by samzenpus on from the hands-in-the-cookie-jar dept.

talien79 writes "Taxing video games has a storied history in state legislatures. The reality is that video games, violent or otherwise, simply make too much money to be stopped. But taxing them is a viable compromise, a 'sin tax' of sorts similar to that levied on cigarettes. This article reviews the time-honored tactic of politicians pandering to their base: taxing violent video games."

6 of 315 comments (clear)

  1. Re:stupid by Red+Flayer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why not tax for having ides, next?

    Uh-oh, March is gonna be screwed come tax time.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  2. Constitutional? by Hatta · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Would the Supreme Court find a content based tax constitutional? I can see how states would get away taxing all video games, but taxing one type of video game based on its content seems like a first amendment issue. Are there other types of media that get this treatment?

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    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  3. Re:but but but, it's for a good cause!! by rackserverdeals · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, that's exactly what's going to happen.

    They plan on showing them computer simulations of violent acts to illustrate how bad violence is.

    I've seen the prototype of the simulation. It's pretty neat. It's from a first person perspective of someone running around killing people and being shot at. And it progresses. First you get to see what the horrors are of killing people with a pistol. Then you pick up a shot gun and see how horrible it is. Then you pick up a machine gun and see that atrocity.

    There's even a little number at the top that keeps count of how much you've learned.

    --
    Dual Opteron < $600
  4. Ahem... by momerath2003 · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is a perfect example of a sin tax error.

    Thank you, I'll be here all night.

    --
    I had but a simple dream, to destroy all humans.
  5. Re:Tax my Toilet by GNUbuntu · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm pretty sure anyone except for people who are trying to nitpick non-issues knew that Obama was only talking about Federal taxes. There are plenty of good reasons to bash Obama, this one is just flat out stupid.

  6. Re:but but but, it's for a good cause!! by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 5, Funny

    So next time I pick up a hooker, it'll be OK if I beat her on top of screwing her, as long as I give her an extra $40 or so?

    I thought the lesson of video games was that if you beat up the hooker, you got your $40 *back*.