The Day That Freedom Died in China

Twenty-three years-ago today, June 4, the Tianamen Square Massacre took place. On this day, thousands of protestors were murdered by the Communist Party that controled the Chinese government. The people of China wanted democracy, but instead they got a hardline crackdown and now nearly a quarter-century of continued Communist rule. I remember. Do you? And for those of you too young to remember, what do you know of the Tianamen Square Massacre? The events still have a major impact upon the world and our culture and society today. Never forget.

Amazon.com to Cut Ties With the Citizens of Illinois

Thanks to the boneheaded state government (which is supposed to be in a "lame duck" session), Amazon.com is going to eliminate all of its Amazon Associates who live in Illinois. For those who don't know, the Amazon Associates program is a program that Amazon has that allows people to place links for Amazon on their websites. If someone goes to Amazon through a link on an Associates site and purchases something at Amazon, the Associate gets a small fee (usually one or two cents). Lawmakers in Illinois have voted for a 6.25% tax on online retail purchases. The levy, which still needs the governor's approval, would apply to goods bought through affiliates of online retailers that take in least $10,000 worth of annual sales in the state. To avoid the hassle of dealing with 9,000 affiliates who live in the state Amazon has decided to terminate all Amazon Associate accounts in Illinois. Amazon is just the first company to do so and Overstock.com has announced they will follow suit and several other large online retailers are planning the same.

Here is a copy of the email I received today:

Greetings from the Amazon Associates Program:

We regret to inform you that the Illinois state legislature has passed an unconstitutional tax collection scheme that, if signed by Governor Quinn, would leave Amazon.com little choice but to end its relationships with Illinois-based Associates. You are receiving this email because our records indicate that you are a resident of Illinois. If our records are incorrect, you can manage the details of your Associates account.

Please note that this not an immediate termination notice and you are still a valued participant in the Amazon Associates Program. But if the governor signs this bill, we will need to terminate the participation of all Illinois residents in the Associates Program. After that point, we will no longer pay any advertising fees for sales referred to amazon.com, endless.com and smallparts.com nor will we accept new applications for the Associates Program from Illinois residents.

The unfortunate consequences of this legislation on Illinois residents like you were explained to the legislature, including Senate and House leadership, as well as to the governor's staff.

Over a dozen other states have considered essentially identical legislation but have rejected these proposals largely because of the adverse impact on their states' residents.

Governor Quinn's office may be reached here.

We thank you for being part of the Amazon Associates Program, and wish you continued success in the future.

Sincerely,

Amazon.con

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There's a chance that the legislation can be stopped, but only if the governor doesn't sign the legislation. Contact Governor Quinn's office here and ask him not to sign the bill.

Why Government Is Evil

As the bloated behemoth we know as the federal government threatens to swallow even more liberty, property, and freedom on its unsustainable course to an extinction that could destroy us all, let us take comfort in the words of one of the Founding Fathers of our country, that great patriot Thomas Paine. His pamphlet, COMMON SENSE, was read bought by 20% of the entire population of the United States and by conservative estimates read by 70% of the people in the country. In relation to the population of the country at the time (about 3 million people total--including 600,000 who were slaves and another 1-1.5 million who were indentured servants)--it is the best-selling piece of literature in American history outside of the Bible. Below are some of his words. Read them and hold them close because they contain part of the essence of what makes our country what it was, what it is, and what it should be.
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"Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.
Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer!"
--Thomas Paine