Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin Tax

When a group of Democrats in Congress floated the idea of a whopping 25 percent tax on online porn last week, industry critics predictably pounced, calling the proposal unconstitutional. Legal issues aside, there's another possible roadblock: the religious right.

For one thing, the proposed legislation -- the Internet Safety and Child Protection Act of 2005 -- is a product of self-described moderate Democrats, with no bipartisan support. Republicans may be wary of being overshadowed by the minority party on a hot-button issue. Conservatives could also balk at the idea of potentially making hundreds of millions of dollars off the internet's bounty of X-rated material.

"We'd not necessarily be pleased if the U.S. gets into what some people would call a 'sin tax,'" said Rick Schatz, president of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families, a religious advocacy group. "There would be the concern that the government would change its focus to tax pornographic materials rather than control production and distribution."

Schatz reports that he recently met with Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez to discuss pornography. Republican opposition could easily derail the new twin porn bills, introduced by Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas) and other members of a Democratic Third Way alliance.

On the other side of the battle, the adult industry has about zero clout in Washington and is an easy target. --