Impeachment averted: Political genius postpones plan to tax Amazon
posted at 9:15 am on November 15, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Terrible policy idea foisted on an unsuspecting electorate? Check. Embarrassing reversal after its unpopularity becomes apparent? Check. Scapegoat identified to deflect blame from the governor’s own idiocy and political tin ear? Checkity check. Behold what we New Yorkers call … Spitzermania:
Yesterday, just hours after The New York Sun reported on the new revenue collection scheme, the Spitzer administration announced that it was burying it for the time being — at least until after the Christmas shopping season. The move saved New York City shoppers from having to pay an additional 8.375% on many Amazon.com goods…
“We [were] going to call it the Grinch tax,” a Republican senator of Long Island, Dean Skelos, said. “It’s outrageous that he’s trying to push this through right before the Christmas and Chanukah season. He’s just doing it on his own like he tried to do with driver’s licenses for illegal aliens — without consulting with the Legislature, without really consulting with the public.”
Told that Mr. Spitzer had changed his mind, a spokesman for Mr. Skelos said: “‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ does have a happy ending.”
[Spitzer's budget director, Paul] Francis, in an interview, said the governor was unaware of the new tax policy, which the tax department quietly issued with a memorandum on Friday. It was supposed to go into effect next month, in time for the holiday shopping rush.
“The governor really wasn’t aware of this. My focus is to raise revenue, and the governor has a broader perspective,” Mr. Francis said. “It’s a big government, and in hindsight, we probably should have made sure he focused on it. It’s one of those things, so you live and learn.”
He’ll bring it back next year sometime, after the public forgets about his attempt to make New York’s immigration policies more “tolerant” than, ahem, Mexico’s. Exit question: What to do with that extra five bucks I’ll now be saving on Assassin’s Creed? Pocket the money and apply it to the nascent iPhone fund? Or say “damn the Super Saver” and have this puppy delivered via regular shipping, the way the rich people do?
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“The governor really wasn’t aware of this”.
He’s the gift that keeps on giving.
LtE126 on November 15, 2007 at 9:18 AM
Get Amazon Prime, dude. Super Saver is for poor people living in huts in third world countries.
frankj on November 15, 2007 at 9:20 AM
Get the regular shipping for sure. Then start shopping for a new place to live!
Ordinary1 on November 15, 2007 at 9:20 AM
Who knew people that read, don’t like paying taxes?
So that’s where I get it from!
Hening on November 15, 2007 at 9:21 AM
Join the elites, AP. Just once, feel how the other half lives.
And then let the rest of us know what it was like.
Slublog on November 15, 2007 at 9:21 AM
Michigan already demands that taxpayers confess to online shopping and add any sales tax due to their income tax when they file.
Of course you are encouraged to cheat since the state has no way to check on how much is owed.
Of course, this lends credence to the idea of ‘tax cheats’ who don’t pay their ‘fair share’.
It really is insidious.
rockhauler on November 15, 2007 at 9:26 AM
“Uh, we just do whatever we feel like doing without telling ,like, the guv or anything, and if we don’t get caught it’s cool.If we do,all we have to do is come up with some lame excuse. It’s not like we’re actually accountable or anything, so chill peeps”
/typical civil servant
bbz123 on November 15, 2007 at 9:27 AM
Who are these racists who do not like to pay taxes?
Wade on November 15, 2007 at 9:28 AM
Well, from where I sit in Wisconsin, it seems the governor isn’t really aware of anything going on around him.
I’d recommend people start streaking past him at press conferences to see if notices. If not, our hypothesis is confirmed. Allah, are you going to volunteer to be the first?
Nethicus on November 15, 2007 at 9:30 AM
True.
Jaibones on November 15, 2007 at 9:30 AM
Chimpy McBushitler lapdogs, of course.
amerpundit on November 15, 2007 at 9:31 AM
Dude, why are you buying Assassin’s Creed from Amazon? Ever heard of GameStop? Reserve it, pick it up and you’ll be playing it before Amazon has even unpacked them.
Leonidas Hoplite on November 15, 2007 at 9:32 AM
Spitzer seems to have the Clinton “Plausible Deniability” down. Of course the Governor of a state wouldn’t have been aware of such a stupid “Grinch” tax. Darn low level government numbers crunchers, making the Boss look bad!
Doug on November 15, 2007 at 9:33 AM
o/t AP did you see georgia got rain?
zane on November 15, 2007 at 9:35 AM
I’m older–never played a vid. game. But I have made a boat load of money in Gamestop stock. There’s more than one game out there. Invest, don’t consume.
JiangxiDad on November 15, 2007 at 9:38 AM
So, when the Amazon tax does happen, will they require Amazon to collect the tax at the time of purchase, or will they ask consumers to pay the tax to the government on some kind of honor system? How would that work–just one state and just one web site?
If NY somehow requires Amazon to collect the tax, Amazon should refuse to do business with New Yorkers for some period of time and let New York voters go into an open revolt because they’re being denied Amazon. (I’d be out in the street with a pitchfork and torch if the government caused my Amazon to go away.) I’m just guessing, but I bet a lot of people value Amazon.com a lot more than they value their government. Seems like Amazon could also sue the government of NY over discrimination or something, since they’re apparently the only business being targeted by this punitive tax that will cause its revenues to drop when people choose cheaper places to buy their stuff. Amazon can’t drop its prices much more to try to offset an 8% tax rate and remain competitive. And you know if NY does it, other states will be right behind them (What a great idea! Soak the most successful online business and cause it to fail! Then blame Amazon for the high prices, just like we do Big Oil! Fantastic!)
aero on November 15, 2007 at 9:40 AM
He should go back to his old job of fighting corporate corruption.
AlexB on November 15, 2007 at 9:43 AM
I don’t buy from amazon. Jeff Besos(msp?) is a dyed in the wool uber lefty.
LtE126 on November 15, 2007 at 9:50 AM
Damn. Didn’t know that. I hate Yahoo, Google and GE for same reasons. I mostly only buy from Amazon (don’t like going shopping). What has he done?
JiangxiDad on November 15, 2007 at 9:53 AM
So does Maine. They have a helpful equation to help you figure it out and everything. It’s called the “use tax.”
State’s gotta get its piece, you know.
Slublog on November 15, 2007 at 9:55 AM
LtE126- You just gave me an idea. Know how the lib Wall Street as*hats now have these “green” and “socially correct” mutual funds that invest in companies with the “right point of view”?
I think it’s time for a fund with “conservative values”. Not a bad name. The Conservative Values Fund.
JiangxiDad on November 15, 2007 at 9:57 AM
We go to Costco alot too. It kills me. They’re leftys too.
LtE126 on November 15, 2007 at 9:57 AM
Actually, so did NY, for one or two years. But it was gone in ‘06, maybe even in ‘05. Don’t know if it’s back on the ‘07 state form.
JiangxiDad on November 15, 2007 at 9:59 AM
*I moved this comment from another thread because it applies to this story*
I think Spitzer’s budget director mis-spoke when he said:
Spitzer promised not to raise taxes, right?
right?
ITmonkey on November 15, 2007 at 10:02 AM
My focus is to raise revenue
Not balance the budget. Not control spending. Not control cost but RAISE revenue. RAISE taxes. Beautiful.
TheBigOldDog on November 15, 2007 at 10:04 AM
Spitzer’s a ruthless, devious rat. He lives in the same hole as Ed Rendell, and either one will eat our lunch if we let him.
petefrt on November 15, 2007 at 10:10 AM
You could buy one or even two iPhone case covers with that $5 and even have them delivered with Assassin’s Creed. Even though you don’t have an iPhone yet, you can put a cover in the spot where you will put the iPhone when you have it.
Heck, then you can even misplace one or lose it to get that out of the way so you won’t do it for real.
Dusty on November 15, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Argh, how can a avid political junkie not buy Call of Duty 4, instead? You’ve got Russian ultra nationalists supplying a nuclear weapon to a middle eastern country with British Special Forces and US marines (your characters) trying to track it down and stop it. It was like playing an action movie…a really good one. Good characters, lots of memorable sequences. One of which was the detonation of a nuke on a conventional battlefield; sobering and very well done. Give it a look anyway.
austinnelly on November 15, 2007 at 10:52 AM
On that website that a couple years ago colored companies based on the party where corporate donations went to, Amazon showed up as red because so many of the VC people that funded Amazon are conservative. It may have changed since the Dems took Congress.
pedestrian on November 15, 2007 at 10:55 AM
a mirror reflection in the big apple of the entire DNC.
what a show to watch this clown, then blame the vast right-wing conspiracy.
madmonkphotog on November 15, 2007 at 11:10 AM
New Yorkers love big government- just not all liberal policies implemented at the same time.
Another Spitzer teachable moment.
Valiant on November 15, 2007 at 11:57 AM
Saved the best line for last:
Deep.
Vizzini on November 15, 2007 at 12:09 PM
This guy is our best secret weapon.
Buzzy on November 15, 2007 at 12:12 PM
Next to tax is the Family
Christmastree.Kini on November 15, 2007 at 12:35 PM
MA does the same thing. I haven’t met anyone who provides this information.
Mooseman on November 15, 2007 at 2:35 PM
I always use the cheap shipping, and usually get things in two days anyway.
doufree on November 15, 2007 at 4:05 PM
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