Leave it to local government to rip on internet shoppers for trying to find bargains. Yesterday, Maryland’s comptroller, Peter Franchot, made this absurd statement: “Online shopping is convenient, but unpatriotic. If you live in Maryland, get off the internet and come down and patronize these wonderful local businesses.” Franchot says that online shopping takes business away from local stores, and hurts state tax revenues.
Which, of course, is the point of shopping online. If you can avoid state tax legally, why not do it? But Democrats don’t understand that perverse incentive, and thus continue to raise tax rates across the nation, driving business and consumers elsewhere. Franchot and other Democrats, meanwhile, attempt to push a federal measure that would make all online purchases subject to state sales tax for the state of the consumer, thereby eliminating the competition.
No wonder so many businesses are moving abroad, and out of Democrat-dominated states.