There is a new class of Americans that has been created . . . the political class. They live lifestyles more lavish than the 1%'s they tag with all the blame for the bad decisions the politicians (on both sides of the isle) make mis managing the money they tax out of those that are actually working.

As a business owner I personally have not taken a vacation in years (sure, I travel some for work), work 6-7 days a week, and get told by politicians who go on lavish vacations every month and bring hundreds of people with them on various jets that I am not pulling my weight or doing enough for my country. Blah Blah Blah. It gets so frustrating watching this country be ruined (yep, both parties are doing it fellas and the news media is helping them).

A lot of American political discourse is arguing about things that the rest of the world (I've lived in my fair share of it) sorted out a long time ago. Health Care and Guns are the two biggest ones that make me go 'huh?'.

The degree of anti-government attitiudes also surprises me: not the opposition to any particular one, but the idea that government in itself is a Bad Thing. Anarchy in the USA?

Hate to say it but total percent taxed is less now than it was in the past. (I'll flame suit today) I think as Americans we need to stop looking at the tax as a punishment to being successful but as a investment in infrastructure and education, once we actually start investing in those two things.......

^ that statement right there is what I believe "most"our tax dollars should be mostly spent on, (we need a strong standing military, and "some" welfare programs)

I feel the best way to get a return on a investment such as our tax money is to put it into roads, bridges, rails, ports, (proper green energy/ alterative fuels) since these things help push the economy along. Also while investing more in the education, since these people are the ones we want creating the next big invention or building the bridge.
This is what a feel and believe

I feel that buying products online is a trade off. You have to deal with shipping costs online and you have to deal with state tax if you purchase locally. Adding tax online is bullshit. It's time for new leadership in all of Washington. We waste millions on stupidity and sending money to other countries yet continuously punish ourselves. Meanwhile our elected officials make millions.

Good point but why is our vp and president taking $500k vacation trips? That's ridiculous.

Well if California is the economic model of success that should be the 1st clue.

Taking more money in tax dollars out of individuals after already taxed earnings further reduces a persons disposable income to purchase anything. Less money changing hands in the private sector for goods or services and just going to another government agency does not help the economy or goods or services market.

That's because they are entitled... you don't need a 500k vacation if your the president or vp. your tour of duty is 4 years, sometimes 8, maybe you get a week off in the middle, not including the holidays you already get.

It's not like our military members who are deployed get a real nice vacation during a 16 month deployment where everyone over there is trying to kill them constantly.

Id LOVE to get into a political rant here, but I'm biting my tongue

back on point:

I just read that Amazon.com is supporting this bill? I would have assumed just the opposite?

Amazon did oppose the Internet tax bills consistently until a few years ago. They flipped about the time that Texas and California won in court forcing them to collect sales tax for those states. They were one of the big targets of opportunity those states took the time to specifically sue to collect tax. Now Amazon being forced to collect tax has flip-flopped and fully supports collecting internet sales tax for all internet business. They are the 800lb gorilla and I guess they don't want any disadvantage vs others who are not likely to get sued.

Same here!
I'm going to have to start sending my UPS guy a Christmas card every year since I have gotten to know him so well.

I don't like any tax,it would be ok if they used our tax money efficiently but they DO NOT..

time for the tax system overhaul. Just like another overhaul we are currently engaged in, it is a train wreck waiting to happen. It'll create more jobs for the regulators and won't be very efficient...

But I digress - time to play a couple games on POTC before shoveling more snow.

Government breeds waste, graft, and corruption. It is a bad thing.

When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. - Thomas Jefferson

Technically, bartering is taxable.

sad but true

AMEN brother

US is spending $2.2 Billion of tax payers money on free Obama phone program. Yes, sure the answer is for us to pay more taxes, surely there is more free stuff people need. Why not free cars as well, nothing fancy, not talking BMWs or anything, but people need transportation and some can not afford cars so just saying why not?

They flipped. They have to collect it so everyone should, it's only "fair"...lest others be able to have that x% advantage. Never mind that they do $10M in business every 90 minutes. Never mind that their business model of high volume/low margins will inevitably cannibalize legions of jobs and turn them into low paid shipping/processing drones.

If an individual Amazon seller finds success, Amazon can, will, and has started carrying the products themselves and cut the seller out of the equation. I know I sound alarmist but supporting Walmart/Amazon cuts to the very heart of what country you want to live in. It's an experiment in unfettered capitalism with an obvious outcome.

But besides all that it's important to remember that we (small online businesses) are not fighting a tax. Our taxes are not being raised. What we are fighting is the FACT that the act of collecting these taxes is complicated and time consuming, and will fall in most cases on the very same people growing/nurturing the business (unlike Amazon, whose accounting dept gets marginally busier).

It also will add to inflation. Once the high volume low margin internet people are knocked out of the equation, inflation will increase. The government doesn't care though, they like inflation, it is a silent tax for them and most people don't realize it is a tax at all . . . so government is pro-inflation big time (but they will tell you by their manipulated metrix it is only running at 3% per year, haha!).

I think a good deal of this is a matter of business expansion plans for Amazon. Amazon wants to expand to having more staple items and provide them on a next-day (or even same-day) basis. In order to do this, they need more distribution centers in new states. Since they are already forced to collect taxes in more areas anyways, its better to join them (and help shape the outcome) than it is to fight. States are going to be more receptive to Amazon opening centers in their state if Amazon is supportive of the state getting more tax revenue - especially if they are able to get preferential treatment from the state they would otherwise have to fight with.