Illinois recently passed legislation that would require Amazon.com to start charging sales tax because it had affiliates located in the state. The Land of Lincoln was just the latest state to pass this type of legislation championed by big box retailers. To all this, I say, "Leave my damn Amazon alone!" While states see this as a way to generate millions of dollars in additional sales tax revenue, and the big chain stores look at it as a leveling of the playing field, I look it as yet another attempt to keep me from enjoying sitting around in my PJ's buying books and DVD's or finding some trinket on Woot.com that I don't really need, but sounds so cool from the description that I just have to have it.

I don't need to pay more state sales tax. I pay sales tax on anything and everything as it is. If they could figure out a way to make me pay sales tax for walking outside of my door in the morning, the state would do it. The biggest problem with the economic crisis's being experienced in every state from sea to shining sea has a lot more to do with fiscal ineptitude and gross negligence on behalf of the state legislators. It might be impossible for the populace of the individual states to avoid having to pay for that mismanagement - which largely continues unabated today - but we can draw the line somewhere. Like millions of others, I enjoy my time perusing the wares at Amazon.com and I'm perfectly happy not giving a dime of that money to the state that I'm living in.

Plus, Amazon's answer to the legislation has been to sever ties with the state level affiliates that the company works with. So, essentially, the states are leveling the playing field for the brick and mortar store fronts, by driving out of business the online retailers that will likely make up the economic bedrock of future generations. Taxing the people, causing economic retardation, taking the easy way out to help put a band-aid on a mess of their own making…it's almost the Webster's definition of "politics." I want to buy my deluxe Blue Ray edition of "The A-Team" and I don't want to pay taxes on it. If state governments want to make up the difference, they can always just add another gas tax. We're already conditioned to accept that.

Let's face it, if you want to have a lesson in covering up your own mistakes while also raking in boatloads of cash, you can't go wrong with emulating the oil industry. Sooo High School!