Copyrighted Image? DMCA | The corporate front group American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) likes to claim that it's about "free market" ideas. But if that were true, it wouldn't be fighting against conservative lawmakers to manipulate tax policy to harm mom and pop stores in favor of giant corporations (who just happen to be their corporate donors).
Here's how they do it. Right now, massive online retailers like Amazon.com or Newegg get away without charging sales taxes in most states that they operate in. That's bad for mom and pop, brick and mortar stores, which are required by law to charge sales taxes. So, for example, a brick and mortar clothing store in Atlanta might have to charge a four percent sales tax by law, but Amazon will be able to draw customers by bragging that it can save people money by not charging these taxes. |