Amazon drops Illinois associates thanks to economy-killing Democrats

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Paging John Galt.

The following letter is quoted in its entirety. If you live in People’s Republic of Illinois and believed you were economically protected by the Interstate Commerce clause of the Constitution, you thought wrong.

Hello,

For well over a decade, the Amazon Associates Program has worked with thousands of Illinois residents. Unfortunately, a new state tax law signed by Governor Quinn compels us to terminate this program for Illinois-based participants. It specifically imposes the collection of taxes from consumers on sales by online retailers – including but not limited to those referred by Illinois-based affiliates like you – even if those retailers have no physical presence in the state.

We had opposed this new tax law because it is unconstitutional and counterproductive. It was supported by national retailing chains, most of which are based outside Illinois, that seek to harm the affiliate advertising programs of their competitors. Similar legislation in other states has led to job and income losses, and little, if any, new tax revenue. We deeply regret that its enactment forces this action.

As a result of the new law, contracts with all Illinois affiliates of the Amazon Associates Program will be terminated and those Illinois residents will no longer receive advertising fees for sales referred to Amazon.com, Endless.com, or SmallParts.com. Please be assured that all qualifying advertising fees earned prior to April 15, 2011 will be processed and paid in full in accordance with the regular payment schedule. Based on your account closure date of April 15, 2011, any final payments will be paid by July 1, 2011.

You are receiving this email because our records indicate that you are a resident of Illinois. If you are not currently a permanent resident of Illinois, or if you are relocating to another state in the near future, you can manage the details of your Associates account here. And if you relocate to another state after April 15, please contact us for reinstatement into the Amazon Associates Program.

To be clear, this development will only impact our ability to continue the Associates Program in Illinois, and will not affect the ability of Illinois residents to purchase online at www.amazon.com from Amazon’s retail business.

We have enjoyed working with you and other Illinois-based participants in the Amazon Associates Program and, if this situation is rectified, would very much welcome the opportunity to re-open our Associates Program to Illinois residents.

Regards,

The Amazon Associates Team

Gov. Quinn and Illinois socialist Democrats, go soak your heads.

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• Amazon Drops Illinois Affiliates To Avoid Web Tax (thenextweb.com)
• Amazon.com takes on Illinois (bizjournals.com)
• Amazon Closes Illinois Affiliates After Quinn Signs Online Tax Bill (chicagoist.com)
• Ill. Gov. Slaps Tax on Internet Purchases… (blogs.forbes.com)
• Amazon Takes Action in Illinois as War on Sales Taxes Continues (voices.allthingsd.com)
• Illinois Gov. Quinn Flaunts “Fairness” in Passing Nexus Tax, Cuts off Nose to Spite Amazon (revenews.com)
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• Amazon ends affiliate program in Illinois (news.cnet.com)

Good news! Sen. Reid says paying taxes is entirely voluntary!

You can tear up that 1040 form, burn that 1099, and shred that corporate income tax filing for 2009. Senator Harry Reid said so in an interview posted a year ago:

Now, of course there is a lot to sift through with a YouTube video in terms of whether it was edited out of context, whether it was posted legitimately, and, most critically whether the parties involved are rotting in a federal prison somewhere for speaking out against the tyranny of the IRS.

If you have desires to act on this in a manner that puts you in direct conflict with the IRS, you have my prayers.  But, as with the patriot recruitment effort of the Revolution, until I see that a significant enough force of the population at large is ready to come to the aid of any individual who decides to challenge the IRS head-on, I’ll still be filing my 1040 and leaving the judgment up to God.

15 ¶ Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.

17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

21 They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

In the meantime, I will work hand-in-hand with anyone who will help me lawfully and peaceably bring to an end the tyranny of the progressive taxation system and replace it with the bare minimum needed to defend our borders from foreign enemies through a fair tax system.

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IRS To Enforce Obamacare Taxes

Socialized Health Care Can STILL Be Stopped! Send your faxes, people.

via IRS To Enforce Obamacare Taxes.

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• Obamacare Gives Irs Broad New Powers (healthcarebs.com)
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