Marita, I hope you are right, but having fought the battle locally for several years I am not encouraged.

The American Dream, the American Miracle is finished. Time to join the only free people left. Give it all to the government and move under a bridge with your new brothers in freedom.

By George, I believe you are correct! Sharp eyes.

Lower case O's. Nice touch.

Your bum has discovered the one basic truth of modern America, THE ONLY FREE PEOPLE LIVE UNDER BRIDGES.

Me too.

Kim, Thanks for the compliment. Should I type more slowly so you can keep up? MAYBE I SHOULD TYPE LARGER?

Internet sales taxes are not new taxes. Each state has procedures for collection from residents. In TN we are supposed to report all out of state purchases and pay the taxes. Needless to say, few of us do. Still, the current system allows out of state merchants to compete unfairly with in state businesses. After more consideration, my solution is to require each online seller to report all purchases to a central collection agency for every state. This adds no new taxes, only facilitates enforcement of existing laws. Then the states can either choose to enforce collection or reject it. This shifts the responsibility for sate taxation back to the respective states, a federalist system that ties taxing decisions to more local...

I have struggled with the internet sales tax issue for a while now. I see the unfairness to 'brick and mortar' businesses as well as the enforcement problems associated with an internet tax. I would be in favor of less taxes all around. However I do favor a sales tax over most other forms of taxation in that it taxes all equally (food stamp purchases exempted). I was thinking that each seller should just collect taxes for his state to eliminate the collection problems presented by so many different state rates and requirements. This would also encourage states to lower their rates to stay competitive and lure online sellers. Internet sales taxes are not new taxes. Each state has procedures for collection from residents. In my...

Too much common sense in this column.