Clearing the Browser Tabs – Why Does California Hurt Its People Thursday Edition

What is it with Democrats and their desire to wring every possible cent of tax money out of the people they govern? California has become the latest blue state which legislature has cast its rapacious glance upon Google’s considerable revenues and decided it needs to tax the bejeezus out of it. The state’s government just passed a law that will require Google to collect state sales tax on any purchase made by a California resident.

Governor Brown and company hope to raise enough revenues that it’s deficit — caused not by too little taxation but far too much spending — will be a little less bad if it can get its hooks into the tens of millions Google makes from those sales.

Unfortunately, if Amazon has to collect sales tax for the state, it won’t continue its affiliate program, which generates income for well over 20,000 Californians who put Amazon ads on their site and reap a small percentage of every sale made to people who get to Amazon through those ads. Donald Douglas is one of those people and, very soon, he will be a little bit poorer because the government of California couldn’t leave well enough alone.

Go read Donald’s post, which explains the affiliate program and ask yourself why California would shut its citizens off from such a relatively easy source of income. It’s worth thinking about what sort of people might benefit from such a program, too. I’ll give you a hint: not rich corporate executives or mega-corporations.

And now, links!

• Bob Owens, who has been on the Operation Fast and Furious story pretty much from the beginning, ran down what might happen when acting ATF chief Kenneth Melson testifies next month.
• The Washington Post editorial board wants to know where Hugo Chavez is right now and wonderd what might happen to Venezuela if his rumored death is more than a rumor.
• I have no intention of watching the movie Bad Teacher. I’m not fan of Cameron Dias and the trailers I’ve seen are just plain uninteresting. However, Dan Collins thinks the movie might be revolutionary after a fashion. He could be right.
• The attacks on Michele Bachmann have gone from furious to desperate in less than a week. Has the left punched itself to exhaustion with Sarah Palin? Sings point to “very possibly”.
• Yes, folks, the iPad has reached the Vatican. If the Pope can launch a website from his own mobile device, I’m pretty sure everyone can. Also, this seems a point of evidence against the notion that new technology (and those social media platforms the new tech allows us to reach more easily) is just for the young.
• It wouldn’t be a bad idea to seek out a member of our armed forces this July 4 weekend and thank them for spending a few years in our service. If you happen to meet this Army Ranger, buy him dinner — the most expensive one you can afford. (via Mark Hemingway’s Twitter feed)
• Do you want a chance to win a million dollars? The contestant search team from “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire” will be in Washington, DC next month (among other cities). If you’re in the area, why not give it a shot?

Other Posts of Interest:

• Clearing the Browser Tabs – Running the Gunwalkers to Ground Sunday Edition
• Clearing the Browser Tabs – ‘Twas the Thursday Before Snowpocalypse Edition
• Clearing the Browser Tabs – The Divine Right of Bureaucrats Thursday Edition

Tags: Linky Love

Category: Links