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Census: A Little Too Personal

Admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00:47 -0600

Last week Congress voted to encourage participation in the 2010 census. I voted "No" on this resolution for the simple, obvious reason that the census- like so many government programs- has grown far beyond what the framers of our Constitution intended. The invasive nature of the current census raises serious questions about how and why government will use the collected information.

It also demonstrates how the federal bureaucracy consistently encourages citizens to think of themselves in terms of groups, rather than as individual Americans. The not so subtle implication is that each group, whether ethnic, religious, social, or geographic, should speak up and demand its "fair share" of federal largesse.

Article I, section 2 of the Constitution calls for an enumeration of citizens every ten years, for the purpose of apportioning congressional seats among the various states. In other words, the census should be nothing more than a headcount. It was never intended to serve as a vehicle for gathering personal information on citizens.

But our voracious federal government thrives on collecting information. In fact, to prepare for the 2010 census state employees recorded GPS coordinates for every front door in the United States so they could locate individuals with greater accuracy! Once duly located, individuals are asked detailed questions concerning their name, address, race, home ownership, and whether they periodically spend time in prison or a nursing home - just to name a few examples.

From a constitutional perspective, of course, the answer to each of these questions is: "None of your business." But the bigger question is -- why government is so intent on compiling this information in the first place?

The Census Bureau claims that collected information is not shared with any federal agency; but rather is kept under lock and key for 72 years. It also claims that no information provided to census takers can be used against you by the government.

However, these promises can and have been abused in the past. Census data has been used to locate men who had not registered for the draft. Census data also was used to find Japanese-Americans for internment camps during World War II. Furthermore, the IRS has applied census information to detect alleged tax evaders. Some local governments even have used census data to check for compliance with zoning regulations.

It is not hard to imagine that information compiled by the census could be used against people in the future, despite claims to the contrary and the best intentions of those currently in charge of the Census Bureau. The government can and does change its mind about these things, and people have a right to be skeptical about government promises.

Yet there are consequences for not submitting to the census and its intrusive questions. If the form is not mailed back in time, households will experience the "pleasure" of a visit by a government worker asking the questions in person. If the government still does not get the information it wants, it can issue a fine of up to $5000.

If the federal government really wants to increase compliance with the census, it should abide by the Constitution and limit its inquiry to one simple question: How many people live here?

DPRK orders army, people prepared for warfare

Admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:02:28 -0600

DPRK orders army, people prepared for warfare

Netherlands: New Building for World Court

Admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:02:00 -0600

Netherlands: New Building for World Court

ID Card for Workers Is at Center of Immigration Plan

Admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:01:36 -0600

ID Card for Workers Is at Center of Immigration Plan

Barak on Iran: We must keep finger on trigger

Admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:56 -0600

Barak on Iran: We must keep finger on trigger

N.Korea to boost nuclear weapons capability - KCNA

Admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:21 -0600

N.Korea to boost nuclear weapons capability - KCNA

N.Korea to boost nuclear weapons capability - KCNA

Admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:59:49 -0600

N.Korea to boost nuclear weapons capability - KCNA

IRS to Track Online Sellers' Payment Transactions Beginning Next Year

Admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:27:51 -0600

Internet sellers who don't report their sales will no longer be under the radar. Starting next year, any bank or other payment settlement company that processes credit cards, debit cards, and electronic payments such as PayPal will have to issue information returns telling the IRS what merchants receive. The new returns are Form 1099-K, Merchant Card and Third-Party Payments.

Purpose of Reporting
The IRS believes that many online sellers fail to report their transactions. Some don't report because they mistakenly believe that Internet sales are invisible. Others do so because they are trying to evade taxes.

The IRS has found that using information returns, such as W-2 forms for employees, Form 1099-MISC for independent contractors, and Form 1099-INT for bank interest, goes a long way toward improving the reporting of income. IRS computers can match income reported on these information returns with the income reported on tax returns.

Who's Subject to Reporting
All merchants who accept payments through credit cards, debit cards, gift cards and PayPal will receive information returns telling them - and the IRS - the gross amount of the merchant card transactions. This will be broken down month by month. While the form uses the word "card," the IRS has made it clear that this is interpreted broadly to include third-party network transactions (i.e., PayPal).

Exception: Very small merchants won't be issued information returns. "Small" for this purpose means annual gross sales on merchant cards of no more than $20,000 or 200 or fewer transactions. In other words, reporting is required only if gross amounts for the year exceed $20,000 and there are more than 200 transactions.

Mechanics
As it now stands (proposed regulations have not yet been finalized), gross amounts reported for merchant transactions do not take into account any adjustments for credits, cash equivalents, discount amounts, fees, chargebacks, refunded amounts, or any other amounts. It will be up to sellers to report on their returns the full amounts reported to them and then make adjustments or explanations to account for differences in what is ultimately taxable to them.

For example, a seller who is paid $1,000 by credit card for a particular transaction does not necessarily have $1,000 profit even though $1,000 will be included on Form 1099-K. The $1,000 must be reported so the return will match what's in the IRS computers, but this amount will then be reduced on the merchant's return by the cost of goods sold (what it costs for the inventory sold), merchant account fees, and other costs.

Providing Your Tax ID Number to Processors
Merchants will have to provide their federal tax identification numbers to the companies processing their transactions. If they fail to do so, they may become subject to "backup withholding," which means these companies will have to deduct and withhold income tax from reportable payments. Backup withholding won't go into effect until 2012.

Sellers who don't wish to provide their social security number to payment processors can obtain an EIN (Employer ID Number). Note that you can obtain an EIN even if you are a sole proprietorship. See the IRS website for more information.

More information on Form 1099-K
You can find more information about Form 1099-K, the new information return that payment settlement entities will use to report the gross amount of merchant card or third-party payments, on this IRS web page (PDF format).

See also, "What Every Merchant Should Know about New IRS Reporting Requirements" from this May 2009 EcommerceBytes article.

Source: http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y210/m03/abu0258/s03

Two MU students arrested, suspended

Admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:25:55 -0600

Two students at the University of Missouri-Columbia were suspended Wednesday after their arrests in a case of cotton balls thrown across the lawn of the campus black-culture center.

Campus police on Tuesday evening arrested the students, one of whom is from the St. Louis area, on suspicion of a felony hate crime. The two were released on bond, and charges were pending.

The incident happened early Friday at the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center, near the middle of campus. Nathan Stephens, the center's coordinator, said students were offended because of the "symbolic violence" that harkened to days of slavery on cotton plantations.

University Chancellor Brady J. Deaton suspended the two students on Wednesday, identifying Zachary E. Tucker and Sean D. Fitzgerald as the ones arrested in the case.

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Tucker is a senior from the St. Louis area majoring in psychology, according to university records. Fitzgerald is a freshman from western Missouri majoring in political science.

Tucker and his family could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

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The university soon will begin an inquiry into the men's conduct, and punishment could range from a reprimand to expulsion.

"The chancellor thought (suspension) was in the best interest of the entire university community, including the two students, while this process can be completed," said university spokeswoman Mary Banken.

On Monday evening, about 300 people attended a forum at the Black Culture Center to discuss the incident, said Stephens. "People were angry and upset," he said.

Stephens said that unlike incidents involving nooses or burning crosses as racist statements, he had not heard about cottons balls before. "It befuddled me as well," he said.

Campus police Capt. Brian Weimer said officers received a tip Tuesday offering names of the suspects. He declined to describe evidence supporting a hate-crime charge, saying only, "The information we gathered lead to those charges being appropriate."

Weimer said cotton balls were strewn across the lawn and sidewalk near the front door of the culture center, probably between 1:30 and 2 a.m. Friday.

Ryan Haigh, an assistant Boone County prosecutor, said late Wednesday that he was awaiting more police reports before deciding whether to seek charges.

"We want to make an informed decision," he said.

Haigh said hate crime cases were rare in Boone County, and he could recall only one or two in the last 18 months. He said cases referred by police didn't necessarily lead to charges of hate crimes.

In one recent case, he said, police arrested two high school students on suspicion of a hate crime for spray-painting inappropriate words on a church. Haigh said the county did not charge them with a hate crime for several reasons, including their ages and lack of criminal records.

Source: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/C2E855FA8CEE84E6862576DC000AED60?OpenDocument

Beijing studies severing peg to US dollar

Admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:23:53 -0600

Beijing studies severing peg to US dollar