Sunday, March 13, 2011

Amazon vs. Illinois: Bloggers Lose.

Bloggers and websites absolutely love Amazon.com, because if someone purchases a book, or cup that was featured on their domain, and was the original referrer - they get a small commission. I call it technological Capitalism.


However, Illinois calls it potential revenue.


Which is why Governor Pat Quinn signed a new law yesterday that requires online retailers help the state collect sales taxes on all intrastate purchases. The Amazon affiliates in Illinois would be impacted most, because they are the targeted salesmen under this new law. Obviously, Illinois is without sympathy for those making a little extra money online.

And now, no money at all.

Amazon.com has announced that their affiliates in Illinois will no longer receive a commission of any kind - avoiding the tax and taking a stand against sales taxes on online retailers, which they call unconstitutional to begin with. An estimated 9,000 affiliates have been cut off from revenue that is vital in this economic recession.

I hope the State of Illinois is pleased. They have pushed one of the most successful companies in America to cut off 9,000 of their own citizenry from vital revenue during an economic reccesion, all because of their own greed for power and revenue. Then again it's quite hard to feel sorry for folks who elected these fools in Illinois in the first place.

What say you?

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