Jonathan Weisman, The New York Times:
The bill, known as the Marketplace Fairness Act, is that rare piece of legislation that has turned Democrat against Democrat, Republican against Republican and business against business, while uniting states as different as New Hampshire, Montana and Oregon — which have no sales taxes — against virtually every other state.
An odd confluence of events has swung the political momentum to one side. Less than a week after the Senate could not muster 60 votes to expand gun background checks supported by a vast majority of voters, lawmakers from both parties are poised to steamroll opponents and greatly broaden the imposition of sales taxes on the Internet.
Say goodbye to those tax-free purchases on Amazon. I’m surprised it took so long. States will receive increased tax revenue and brick-and-mortar stores hope for improved sales. However, I think these stores misunderstand why people shop online. Except for the occasional large purchase, I bet most consumers don’t really care about sales tax. The truth is, that for a comparable price, buyers get a fast and convenient sales experience - all while avoiding busy stores and pushy salesmen.