Shabbat Shalom 20 Nissan 5768

Big government all over Internet in New York
NY state to begin taxing Internet sales, retailer must collect

I recall an interview I saw a few years back with New York congressman Charles Rangel (D-15). The topic was taxes and Rangel was asked how much should people pay in taxes? He stated "about 50%," but then clarified the comment by saying that was for federal income taxes only, the states would have to address their rate separately. In other words, 50% was just the beginning. Who says Socialism isn't alive and well in the Democratic Party.

Keeping with the Rangel tradition, the state of New York will now begin taxing Internet sales for all businesses, regardless of their location. Currently sales tax is only collected by a business when the buyer resides in a state where that business is located or has a store. Since Wal-Mart is everywhere, all their Internet purchases include local sales tax. Amazon.com doesn't have stores, so their customers don't pay sales tax. That will now change if you live in New York state.

Most businesses in New York are happy with the recent change, believing this will even the playing field. They are in for a rude awakening. Instead of a resurgence of New Yorkers walking into shops and making purchases they used to make on the Internet, the free-market will once again triumph and Internet sellers will simply offer to pay the sales tax or offer necessary discounts.

This idea that sales tax is the main reason people buy online is nonsense. In fact it serves as another example of why bureaucrats in government don't have a clue about basic economics. Often sales tax savings is wiped away due to shipping costs. Internet companies sell in bulk and have lower overhead than the corner business. They sell their merchandise at a substantially lower price. Check out your local electronics store, pick any item and then compare the price to numerous Internet sellers or Ebay. You will see what I mean by drastic savings.

When it is all said and done the only winner will be the politicians. They will see an increase in tax-revenue due to their increased regulatory tactics. Internet businesses may see a slight decrease in New York purchases, but nothing noticeable. New York businesses will get excited over what will turn out to be false hope. They still won't be able to compete with bulk pricing and unless they are willing to match Internet sellers, they will experience limited or no sales increases.

Can you say going out of business sale and more political patronage jobs.


Wrong path toward conceal and carry
Cho's gun dealer addresses Virginia Tech students

Have you ever noticed how the media never interviews the cop on the street or one of the officers who arrived on the scene after a campus shooting spree has occurred? The reason is that the leftist media doesn't want the public to hear from first responders that campus or public violence such as the Virginia Tech massacre, Columbine murder spree or Lane Bryant killings may have been prevented or at least saved lives if fellow students, teachers, employees or citizens were carrying their own handgun.

After the dead are counted, police chiefs, administrators and politicians are featured on CNN, NBC or the local news and they all offer the politically correct line that guns kill people, instead of people kill people. We must get guns off the streets and have more gun laws is always the knee-jerk reaction.

Officer John Q Public who has 15 years on the force and understands the local community will tell you that lives would of been saved if a teacher, janitor, lunch lady or student could of taken the killer out before law enforcement arrived.

Your brilliant blogger has been an advocate for conceal and carry for law-biding citizens for decades. I'm not one of these individuals who don't even believe in background checks or registration of firearms. Sensible gun laws means that all law-biding citizens should be allowed to own and carry a firearm, while at the same time should welcome waiting 48-72 hours for a background check to make sure you aren't a convicted felon or mentally unstable individual. It's called common sense, especially in a post 9/11 world.

Yesterday gun dealer Eric Thompson spoke at Virginia Tech University as an invited guest of the student group Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. What makes Thompson such a polarizing figure is that he sold one of the weapons used during the VT massacre last year. Thompson also sold accessories to Steve Kazmierczak, who murdered 5 students at Northern Illinois University this past February.

Thompson's purpose on campus was to argue for the right to conceal and carry a handgun and to assist students in obtaining a firearm at dealer cost. While I applaud the students ultimate goal as well as Thompson's good intentions, his presence on campus is simply disrespectful to the victims family who have to relive the death of their loved ones because of the media spectacle brought on by Thompson's campus engagement.

The student group should of found another path to promote their cause and assist fellow students in purchasing a firearm. I'm sure the local NRA chapter or even national organization would of been happy to assist the concerned students. Many retired cops would of been happy to speak on campus as well as pro-conceal and carry legislators.

A more respectable avenue could of been taken.


Time for you to listen (you know who you are)
A refreshing view on responsibility, anti-Semitism, racism and America

I have never met Jeff Morton, had the privilege to shake his hand or converse with him over a beer and burger. However if I ever find myself in the Pacific Northwest, I will make it a priority to meet with him, buy him dinner and embrace him as a friend and brother.

Jeff first contacted me via the email sometime last year. He was responding to an article I wrote and was seeking advice regarding starting his own blog. Today Morton's Two Cents as well as his own published work, offers a much needed perspective from a black conservative point of view.

For too long the mainstream press has encouraged racism in America by promoting the voices of poverty pimps such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. These profiteers of the poor offer a perspective of blame and victim hood and have a history of anti-Semitism in their rhetoric. However if you need to find blatant hatred for Jews just examine the four-decade history of Louis Farrakhan and the recent revelations of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Did I forget to mention their disdain for America?

Morton offers a different view of the world. He proudly proclaims he is not a victim, promotes responsibility, faith and conservative/family values. At the same time he combats racism and enthusiastically expresses his love for America, support for Israel as well as his "Jewish brothers and sisters."

Is Jeff's opinion a minority view in black America? You would have to ask him that question? I tend to believe his perspective is one that the media chooses to keep under wraps, but is more mainstream in the black community than what appears on the surface. White guilt ridden liberals who dominate the media are the real pimps, while the race-baiters such as Jackson and Sharpton as well as many black politicians are their whores, who they promote and protect at all costs.

Barack Obama and his relationship with Rev. Wright, William Ayers, Nation of Islam members and anti-Israel foreign policy advisers is a prime example. In fact Rev. Wright's interview with far-left hack Bill Moyers is a perfect example of the media protecting their own and promoting a leftist anti-America agenda. The conversation airs tonight on PBS stations nationwide. Check local listings to see Moyers lips on Wright's ass.

It's no secret to my readers that I have been deeply concerned about Black/Jewish relations for a long time. I see a community that has forgotten how Jews stood by them during the Civil Rights movement and today their leadership offers anti-Jewish rhetoric instead of love amongst fellow human beings.

Morton offers an opinion that is adamantly pro-Israel rooted in love for the Jewish people. His voice is one of reason and real compassion, not hate and blame. Sound familiar? His name was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Check Jeff out and send him your compassion, love and gratitude.

Paulie