Amazon Fallout for Colorado Dems

Despite the best efforts of Colorado statehouse Democrats to turn around and point the fingers at the e-e-e-eeevil Amazon.com, they (with the exception of Sen. Gail Schwarz) are all responsible for paying no heed to the warnings and ultimately killing many small Colorado Internet businesses.

Speaking of difficulty in taking responsibility, WhoSaidYouSaid has posted a YouTube video of Democrat state senate leader John Morse going ballistic at Amazon. Sadly, for the overwhelming majority of people whose businesses have been affected, this just doesn’t ring true.

Turning in his Kindle for an iPad is John Morse’s prerogative. But venting at a business for following through on a rational decision caused by his own vote won’t ease the pain of Colorado’s Amazon affiliates. Although it might inspire a few to volunteer on behalf of John Morse’s Republican opponent Owen Hill.

While lame duck Governor Bill Ritter similarly has professed his indignation, more attention properly has been given to gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper — who, as the Denver Post‘s Chuck Plunkett points out, seized the moment to show a lack of leadership. As fellow RMA blogger Don Johnson points out, though, it’s this entry yesterday by the Post‘s Jessica Fender that is carrying the brunt of reader outrage.

Nine more weeks for the legislative session to end can’t come fast enough. Statehouse Democrats not only are causing havoc and harm with their bad policies, they are doing Republican strategists’ work for them — ticking off more easy talking points to be lobbed back against the majority throughout the fall campaign season.

Property tax … car tax … fees, fees, fees … clamping down on families and small businesses … killing job growth …. In light of this, I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: State-level races are where the Tea Party groups can have the greatest impact.

Update: T.L. James of the Peoples Press Collective has a more eloquent and entertaining take on the Amazon.com tax and the John Morse video … yes, he’s really in the comment trenches of his YouTube video arguing with everyone over the finer points of the tax and the state constitution.

Update II, 3/10: Don Johnson has more on the Amazon Tax, says it’s designed in part to enrich union leaders. Meanwhile, Joshua Sharf has a somewhat different take on Amazon’s actions to repeal its Colorado affiliates program.

Update III, 3/10:> Bookmark the Repeal the Amazon Tax website as an information resource, and get involved.