Joe Biden: there would be"no legal reason"why taxing violent video games would be an issue

[aGameOfThrones]

United States Vice President Joe Biden has suggested there would be "no legal reason" why taxing violent video games would be an issue.

The Vice President's*declaration came in response to a suggestion made by Reverend Franklin Graham at a gun legislation strategy meeting held at the White House recently. Graham, who attended the meeting alongside 19 other religious representatives, put forth the idea that violent video games should be taxed. According to Politico.com, attendees at the meeting said that Biden responded favourably to the Reverend's idea, going so far as to say there would be “no restriction on the ability to do that, there’s no legal reason why they*couldn't."

It was suggested by Graham that proceeds of the tax would go towards victims of gun violence and their families, according to the website's sources.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/15/joe-biden-sees-no-legal-problem-with-taxing-violent-video-games

[qh4dotcom]

Are they going to start taxing the free smartphone and tablet game apps?

[talkingpointes]

They will absolutely burry the industry. Games now cost more then ANY OTHER media. Games are in the 200 MILLION range now - that is more then Hollywood movies to make. Here's an example.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/star-wars-the-old-republic-cost-200-million-to-develop-6348959

That's one title. They are all tipping the 100 mark easily, and this is maybe 200-300 employees. The game bull market is over. It's all about apps now and hardcore computer gamers. Console games rely on their parent's and that market dried up years ago.

[Weston White]

"there’s no legal reason why they*couldn't"

Sure thing gumshoe Joe, no reason, none whatsoever! But say, how about that U.S. Constitution in conjunction with case law as your precedent? Hence, to do so absolutely violates the federal governments powers of taxation.

Besides, video game purchases are already being taxed, via the states sales tax and the businesses income taxes. And neither video game manufacturers nor their customers have any business holding the moneybag for victims of violent crimes--that is such a dumb suggestion it truly is beyond all belief.

[talkingpointes]

Most guys I know don't buy most games anyways. We usually play them (dl through the pb) and if they are good buy them.(or only multi) 70$ Brand new is some bullshit. I'll buy at the 19-30$ range. We all know they would love to make millions by charging a dollar, but they obviously can't and adding more to the tag is going to kill release days. Which can make or break and overall title release.

[Warlord]

PROOF that religious people are not conservatives and want to tax you, go to war etc.

No legal reason... try the commerce clause!

[Ranger29860]

They will absolutely burry the industry. Games now cost more then ANY OTHER media. Games are in the 200 MILLION range now - that is more then Hollywood movies to make. Here's an example.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/star-wars-the-old-republic-cost-200-million-to-develop-6348959

That's one title. They are all tipping the 100 mark easily, and this is maybe 200-300 employees. The game bull market is over. It's all about apps now and hardcore computer gamers. Console games rely on their parent's and that market dried up years ago.

None of that is true. Very few games cost that much to produce. SWTOR was an example of exactly why most games don't cost that much. Even EA has made a killing off that game anyway. Most big budget games are in the 10-20 million range make there money up on the first day of sales. Piracy really has not hurt the gaming industry all that much.

The gaming industry is not all about apps right now. Its just people who would normally not publish something due to oversight (as in companies would not let them put crap on there system) is non existent in the android market. So you have a flooding of the market very similar to the flooding done in the 80's.

But for consoles this is not an issue since there is a barrier of entry and Microsoft and Sony and Nintendo know better than to let the app market thrive on their systems. I am not going to even begin getting into the crowd sourcing now or the FTP models some games are taking. Needless to say the gaming industry is not in any trouble and is doing better than it ever has (probably the real reason they want to tax it more).

*edited for really crappy spelling :P*

[jkr]

EXTORTION

[ds21089]

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7425111808/hA5BCC6E4/

[JorgeStevenson]

It wont be a tax...it will be a fee!

[ds21089]

It wont be a tax...it will be a fee!

It'll be "an investment in our children's future."

[V3n]

It's really just a tax on red pixels, red pixels are the most violent of all pixels. All game makers have to do is change the red pixels to beige pixels, and it is no longer violent. Beige pixels are peaceful.

http://www.filibustercartoons.com/mk.gif

[ninepointfive]

more reasons to sail the high seas......

if I didn't know any better, these politicians want to shut down the economy. may nothing be spared.

[economics102]

If I were the ESA (videogame lobbying group) and the government started taxing videogames and donating proceeds to families of gun violence victims, I'd sue the government for defamation.

Imagine if the government started requiring warning labels on cigarettes in absence of scientific proof that cigarettes smoking causes lung cancer. That's pretty much what Idiot Joe wants to do with videogames.

[Christian Liberty]

We could, and of course, we have every right, to say Joe Biden is a scumbag. And we all know that.

I want to point out, however, that Franklin Graham is also an idiot...

[oyarde]

I support a Biden tax , whenever he speaks , taxed one months salary .

[paulbot24]

It's really just a tax on red pixels, red pixels are the most violent of all pixels. All game makers have to do is change the red pixels to beige pixels, and it is no longer violent. Beige pixels are peaceful.

http://www.filibustercartoons.com/mk.gif

Is that Scorpion? Personally, I think the double uppercut, followed by the spear in his chest, and then the roundhouse kick as his victim falls is his best combo.

[sailingaway]

freedom of speech.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

video games are already taxed. It's called sales tax, and most states do it.

[Cutlerzzz]

They will absolutely burry the industry. Games now cost more then ANY OTHER media. Games are in the 200 MILLION range now - that is more then Hollywood movies to make. Here's an example.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/star-wars-the-old-republic-cost-200-million-to-develop-6348959

That's one title. They are all tipping the 100 mark easily, and this is maybe 200-300 employees. The game bull market is over. It's all about apps now and hardcore computer gamers. Console games rely on their parent's and that market dried up years ago.

Most games aren't anywhere near that.

http://vgsales.wikia.com/wiki/Most_expensive_video_games

Edit: I was beat to it.

[fr33]

It might help kids grow up hating the government.

[Antischism]

Uncle Joe being an idiot again. This would lead to more piracy, thus giving government more ammunition to put blocks and censorship on the Internet in the name of stopping piracy. Nothing good would come of this.

[V3n]

Is that Scorpion? Personally, I think the double uppercut, followed by the spear in his chest, and then the roundhouse kick as his victim falls is his best combo.

Indeed! In the early 90's Nintendo censored U.S. game releases. The picture is an actual screenshot of the Sega Genesis version next to the SNES version. (I always thought the beige pixels represented pop-corn!)

You can read all about Nintendo censorship here: http://www.filibustercartoons.com/Nintendo.php


Instead, when the characters smacked each other gray blobs of "sweat" flew out of their bodies- a rather awkward compromise. As well, the gory "fatality" moves, in which characters could formally execute their opponents with such acts as decapitating them or ripping out their heart, were all removed. The game was a huge commercial failure for Nintendo compared to the success of the uncensored Sega Genesis version, and the episode is credited with promoting a significant shift in Nintendo's attitudes towards video game violence.

And so let the free market speak!!

[Sonny Tufts]

"there’s no legal reason why they*couldn't"

Sure thing gumshoe Joe, no reason, none whatsoever! But say, how about that U.S. Constitution in conjunction with case law as your precedent? Hence, to do so absolutely violates the federal governments powers of taxation.

Rubbish. The Constitution specifies only one thing (exports) that Congress can't tax, and caselaw would clearly support such a tax. See, for example, The License Tax Cases, 72 U.S. 462 (1866) (taxing lottery tickets and liquor); U.S. v. Sanchez, 340 U.S. 42 (1950) (taxing marijuana); and U.S. v. Kahriger, 345 U.S. 22 (1953) (taxing bookmaking -- i.e., the acceptance of wagers).

Having said that, it would not be good policy.

[Intoxiklown]

Of course, there is the issue about youth violence DROPPING since the advent of those games, hence meaning any complete dipshit trying tp purport video games cause violence among the youth are full of previously stated shit.

Before video games it was tv, before that it was rock n' roll, and before that it was comic books. Maybe some kids are just batshit insane?

[Grubb556]

INB4 games where you play as federal agents raiding farms are not considered violent and not taxed.

[juleswin]

When they came for the alcohol drinkers, I said nothing
When they came for the cigarette smokers, I said nothing

And then they came for me and my video games.