Rant 07102011
As people who know me know, I am very busy giving 150% to my clients in my service business (theaptconsultant-b2b.us) and have very little time to actually do any of my own marketing – hence you see this poor blog that is so neglected.
Well, I really made a decision to start adding some ‘multiple streams of income’ because I can always use more money. I figured since I am always saying I do fine when I am accountable to someone or have a project plan, I got this great course in the Internet Marketing Warrior Forum, aptly named just for me, the course was for ‘deadbeat marketers’ – I definitely fit the bill.
What’s more I could actually see myself following through and actually taking action. So I went through the course both basic and advanced. Then I went through it again and bought some domains, got the hosting and installed WordPress. Did a little research and got some hot products to sell. I posted my first blog and created a hub. Here we go right?
Wrong. Less than a week later I get a letter from Amazon saying that my state requires that they charge sales tax online, which they refuse to do, and therefore they are kicking all affiliates from my state out of their program so that they don’t have anymore conflict with our misguided government here. So, my new business is officially shut down. Deleted.
I am livid. My state has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. We have a number of things that are really terrible financially speaking. Now they are going to prevent us from making money with Amazon. Not that I am unemployed, but I know a few people who are educated, skilled and motivated to succeed that just can’t find a decent job for the past few years. The Internet is the perfect solution for people like this (not that I can convince either of them – but I am convinced – in fact I am proof).
In fact I got here 7 years ago when I lost my last job in a massive ‘workforce reduction’, and have enjoyed working from home online. I am doing well supporting myself. I pay my taxes and it’s all good. However, this is such a STUPID LAW they are thwarting our efforts to support ourselves with, and as Amazon says this is ‘unconstitutional and illegal’ and initiated by ‘big box retailers’ that feel the competition they are getting from Internet businesses like Amazon.
So Amazon is not spilling any tears right now as our absence will barely make a dent in their bottom line, but once again, it is the little guy who is paying for this miscarriage of justice and gross mismanagement by politicians. We are paying sales tax – more and more every day – and maybe rightly so – look at the pollution, traffic and parking problems that offline business creates.
Conversely Internet shopping saves the environment from gas fumes, clogged up infrastructure that is constantly needing to be upgraded, etc etc. I pay income tax and self employment tax – both state and federal. I pay local taxes for a business license. I pay more and more sales tax whenever ‘those people’ in the state capital decide they need to increase their revenues. I could spend more if I was allowed to make more!
People who are completely unemployed have it way worse than I do, I realize. At the same time prices for necessities are rising and rising along with the cost of gas, bridge tolls, etc etc. They are cutting public services – police and fire – how stupid is that? … and now people’s ability to earn money from alternatives to being unemployed!
It is a real shame that this new regulation is so short-sighted and mean-spirited. Figure out some other way to get ‘blood out of a turnip’ than interfering with people trying to make a living online, guys!
End of Rant (for now)
Yours,
Patricia
theaptconsultant
dba the3rdpartynetwork.com











