newsobserver.com projects - Hackney not bothered by Amazon - Comments

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

Isaac136 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:51:19 -0400

"Ridicule" isn't an apt characterization of the quote you cited.

You need better ammunition when you're shooting at a saint, fella'.

Keep scrambling.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

cdtew — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:07:41 -0400

Quoth Saint Joe:

"House Democrats responded honestly, forthrightly and without demagoguery to do the extremely difficult job of balancing our state's budget. Our Republican counterparts stood on the sidelines and refused to cut spending or raise revenue; they just said no to every option."

A statement Hackney made fully knowing Republicans haven't been given a choice and will never be given a say as long as Hugh Holliman, Marc Basnight and Tony Rand run the GA.

Aw, why all the worry about Hackney. I feel bad for the guy, honestly. Democrat leadership surely has his family jewels in a box under lock and key. I just wish he'd flex this "independence" and "fairness" more often.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

Isaac136 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:26:41 -0400

Joe Hackney is also one of the most effective speakers, and is widely respected by everyone who works with him, both Republican and Democrat.

Your charge that he works to prevent Republicans from having a say is untrue, which is why both Republican and Democrat party activists acknowledge that he is also the most fairminded speaker we've had in a hundred years.

I am unaware of any instance of his openly (or privately) ridiculing anyone.

Finally, Joe Hackney is not carrying any cards for anyone, owes no one any favors, and is among the most ethical public servants you'll find anywhere in government, whether at local, state or federal levels.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

cdtew — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:25:29 -0400

Joe Hackney is the most independent Democrat Speaker that this state has had in 100 years. I'll agree to that.

He isn't, however, willing to challenge the machine as it exists. He allows the Democrat machine enough breathing room to work, and does everything he can prevent Republicans from having a say - and indeed, to ridicule them openly.

For those reasons, he might as well be a card-carrying member of the Red-Shirt Democrats.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

Isaac136 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:37:07 -0400

Anyone who thinks Hackney is part of a machine has a lot to learn about the party machine and much, much more to learn about Joe Hackney.

Efforts to paint Hackney as part of a machine or as beholden to anyone other than his contituents demonstrate a startling ignorance on the part of such accusers.

Insiders from both parties know this.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

cdtew — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:58:24 -0400

Exactly. People who've lived here a total of 10 or less years really don't understand a dang thing about this state's government. Until the machine is kicked out, there will be no goodness or ethics in state government.

If you moved here since Jim Hunt left office, then read Rob Christensen's book "The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics" and reconsider before voting for another stupid machine candidate. Otherwise, what you know about politics is useless, and you're better off absentee voting in New York or Ohio.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

rapidtransit — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:17:34 -0400

Hackney's comments remind me of the old days of the powerful Democratic Machine. When I hear bravado like this I can hear the machine's engine quietly idling in the background. But if you have all that power in the engine you might as well put it to the floorboard every once in a while and show them who's boss.

Re: Hackney not bothered by the concerns of NC citizens

gercohen — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:17:06 -0400

playbyplay says:
"If states could come up with a system that was less complex across all states, then we could maybe talk about having a tax on internet purchases. But as long as every state has its own ever changing tax rules, I can’t see how a company who is not part of the physical commerce in the state can be required to keep up."

Fantastic idea -- already done!
http://www.streamlinedsalestax.org/
NC is one of 22 states in an interstate compact to avoid your nightmares.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon-nor anything else!

CheeseburgerInParadise — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:02:56 -0400

Typical strong arm tactics that the citizens of North Carolina have learned to love......or least live with. The Democratic leadership can say what they want to say and with any tone they choose.

You complainers would be better served to learn to open wide when something is being rammed down your throat. Language like this is just scratching the surface as to how this state is really run.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

Isaac136 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:43:46 -0400

Poor CitOp. You make yourself sillier with each post, particularly when it comes to commenting on Hackney. Ya still got nothin' on him, and ya ain't gonna get nothin'. Here's a hankie.

Re: Hackney not bothered by the concerns of NC citizens

PlaybyPlay — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:45:08 -0400

The courts have already spoken and they said it is not reasonable for businesses to be required to keep up with the over 4000+ tax rules that are different in every state and constantly changing if they do not have a physical presence there. Don’t be fooled by the way this story is presented. If you go to polo’s website or Barnes & Noble’s website, you pay taxes on those purchases. To act like all internet commerce is using shady loopholes to try and evade paying taxes is false.

The burden of compliance for this would be outrages. Say when the state decides to have a tax holiday and the many business who do not have a physical location in the state now collect taxes illegally because there are too many floating variables to always collect it correctly, what would the head line be. “Big Corporation stealing millions from North Carolina citizens.” Beyond big corporations, what about the small companies who sell items over the internet but are not located in NC, will they have to hire a team of lawyers and accountants to keep up with 50 states worth of laws on collecting taxes in case someone from any other state happens to find the website and buy a product.

Imagine the documentation that would be required for a small business to collect and file the proper paper work for every state. I know keeping up with all the tax requirements in just one state can be overwhelming. It would be at least 50+ different forms, due at different times for different tax rates. Not including all the special exceptions that politicians love to put into the tax code for their friends. What a mess that would turn into.

If states could come up with a system that was less complex across all states, then we could maybe talk about having a tax on internet purchases. But as long as every state has its own ever changing tax rules, I can’t see how a company who is not part of the physical commerce in the state can be required to keep up.

It always seems that politicians will go to such great lengths to come up with some new way to raise more money, maybe they could spend more time on how to use the money they have more efficiently.

Joe should be ashamed at this comment, there are real NC citizens who make a living and pay taxes because of the internet and to just dismiss them after giving a huge tax break to Apple for a few jobs just seems apathetic/dismissive towards the concerns of citizens in NC.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

bnartist — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:03:05 -0400

Joe Hackney ran unopposed. He needs no coattails.

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

scharrison — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:28:11 -0400

Um, Rob? Yeah, Stevie wrote that song about Richard Nixon...

Re: Hackney not bothered by Amazon

CitizenOpinionated — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:13:25 -0400

Isaac - the reason people choose to direct attacks at Hackney is because he is the speaker of the house and a liberal member at that... He campaigned, as did all Democrats, on the coattails of President Obama, who has lied to us, and continues to promotes Obama's agenda.

Stimulus Not Work:Why is Vice President Biden Suprised?

Until the Democrats realize that they need to stay away from Obama then Hackney should face the wrath of the people...

I thought you alluded to the fact that you were politically in touch...

what stevie would say

robdarich — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:56:25 -0400

We are amazed but not amused
By all the things you say that you'll do
Though much concerned but not involved
With decisions that are made by you

But we are sick and tired of hearing your song
Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong
'Cause if you really want to hear our views
"You haven't done nothing"!

It's not too cool to be ridiculed
But you brought this upon yourself
The world is tired of pacifiers
We want the truth and nothing else

And we are sick and tired of hearing your song
Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong
'Cause if you really want to hear our views
"You haven't done nothing"!

We would not care to wake up to the nightmare
That's becoming real life
But when mislead who knows a person's mind
Can turn as cold as ice

Why do you keep on making us hear your song
Telling us how you are changing right from wrong
'Cause if you really want to hear our views
"You haven't done nothing"!

Hackney not bothered by Amazon

bniolet — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:44:13 -0400

House Speaker Joe Hackney isn't too worried about Amazon.com's objections to a proposal that would have required the company to collect sales tax within the state.

Mark Binker, Dome's colleague at the Greensboro News & Record, reports that Hackney is not paying attention to Amazon's decision to end within the state a program that paid Web site owners for referring customers to Amazon.com products.

"Amazon has a history of acting that way. I think they did that in New York and then they backed off and reversed themselves so I’m not sure we should take that too seriously. I have my own way of dealing with it, which is I just won’t deal with Amazon," Hackney told Binker.

Presumably, Hackney will not be purchasing a Kindle soon.