NPR did a piece today on the new law signed by CA governor Jerry Brown requiring online retailers like Amazon.com to start collecting sales taxes, even when they're not based in the state. Amazon argues the law is unconstitutional, says it won't collect the tax, and this week severed ties with roughly 10,000 small businesses and bloggers who reside in the state, and made revenue through Amazon.com affiliate links on their sites.
Search engine blogger Danny Sullivan, who was one of those bloggers receiving modest commission cash through the program, "suggests that Amazon's tactics carry a tinge of blackmail."
It felt like Amazon wanted to use the affiliates as a kind of a pawn in all this, that by cutting loose these people, that they will go forth and try to get the law changed.
Couldn't agree more. Audio here.
