Online Sales Tax Collection

In today's internet driven world we all research and know about thousand of products and product options that in previous times we never would have been exposed to.  With ebay, Amazon, buy.com, craigslist, and the such we can also purchase the products we want.  Many of us don't realize the effect it has on our local economies.  Your neighbors bookstore may have the same book you are getting from Amazon. The local bike shop more than likely has the bike with the same specs and features.  If we do realize that the option to purchase locally exist we are still likely to make the purchase online.  Why because that retailer shifts the burden of responsibility to the buyer to pay Uncle Sam the sales tax.  I'm not going to speak for everyone but I know that I have never sent one check or added the amount to my year end tax bill.  It only makes sense that the retailers online and at brick and mortar locations would be placed on somewhat level playing fields.  The simple solution would be to abolish the tax laws all together and put a flat consumption tax and have it applied across the board to all retailers online and brick and mortar.  If not that solution then at least implement another tax law requiring the online companies to charge either the tax of the local municipality where they are located or the tax of the municipality (much more complicated) of the address of the buyer.  There are many other blogs on the subject matter in This link. that are worth reading.  We all want to see our communities streets lined with restaurants, retailers, and small offices where we can handle our daily business.  I am all for an emerging internet marketplace, with the number of products that exist we cannot expect our local retailers to carry all of them so that gap can be filled by the internet vendors let's just insure it is not at the expense of our neighbors and neighborhoods.