[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by tartuffe

Brick and mortar invest in communities, employ personnel, pay utilities and local taxes. B&M are the inneficient economic pumps that help communities spend the same money multiple times. I say that has earned them the right to a level playing field. How about the local mom and pop tackle store? They too don't deserve a level playing field either?

Well, since ALL big brick and mortar stores have their own internet sales departments I'm sorry but your arguement doesn't hold water. They can (and do) make just as much (or more) money on the internet as the little guy because they have the name and so people go to their sites more often.

And yes, B&M's are large economic pumps...but they are also large 500 lb gorillas that come into a community with drastically low prices that the local guys can't compete with, (Look at the business model for Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart, etc.. it's all the same...they'll deliberately lose money for a year or two until the competition is gone) drive them out of business and then they have an economic stranglehold on that community. Then they start raising their prices and cheapening their merchandise. After all, who's there to compete with them? Don't you see??? They are not interested in a level playing field...they want the whole playing field. They want it ALL!! You think that's fair?

Here's an idea...how about we make it so that they cannot do that? Wouldn't that level the playing field? Lets pass laws that large B&M's cannot sell things at lower prices and drive out competition. Sounds kind of silly right? Yet that's exactly what they are trying to do to the little guys right now with this tax BS.... drive them out of business so they can have the whole internet playing field to themselves. And the government doesn't care... they're gonna get more revenue...so they're happy... Like I said, it's the consumer that ultimately is gonna lose out, which is why we need to fight this thing.