Trump is wrong to criticize Amazon

For those of you that dont know, Trump has came out criticizing Amazon for various things.

President Trump took aim at Amazon yet again.

The president on Thursday tweeted three misleading statements: 1) Amazon pays "little or no taxes to state & local governments," 2) Amazon's relationship with the US Post Office causes "tremendous loss" to the United States and 3) Amazon is "putting many thousands of retailers out of business."

Stock in Amazon (AMZN), the fourth most valuable company in the world, fell 3% Thursday morning.

money.cnn.com...

Now let me say in case people didnt know, I voted for trump and still support him (though many things he has done recently I have heavily criticized).

And I dislike Bezos who runs amazon, and the Washington Post which he owns.

However, Trump is dead wrong on this issue.

The first reason is because, as this article shows, he is factually wrong about all of his complaints.

Amazon does pay state taxes, it does pay the postal services and it a large reason it still exists in the way it does, and we shouldnt blame amazon for being a good comapny that out competed retailers. Thats the free market, something I thought trump was for.

The other reason this is bad is that the President has no business trying to influence peoples opinion of specific businesses.

We all know the real reason Trump is after Amazon; he hates Bezos and the washington Post. So for him to meddle in the free market over this is not only childish, but actual a very dangerous precedent.

Even though I may not like trhe people that run amazon, I will not let my personal feelings outwiegh my since if what is right; and Trump is absolutely wrong to be calling them out like this.

I'm in 100% agreement. I may think that Bezos' business practices are pretty sleazy but it's still the free market.

If Trump was actually serious about his comments and not just being a petulant child (again) he would also be calling out companies like Walmart for the same things.

I agree with Trump. We are loosing jobs here because of Amazon and other online companies. We used to have way more job openings around here before the big box stores and internet sales started putting businesses out of business.

If we had plenty of manufacturing jobs for people to work at, it would be fine, but we don't, too much imports.

First they changed the base of our economy from manufacturing to consumer base, they the consumer base economy is being disrupted from way too much buying on the net, this path is not even sensible, sooner or later no money will be left to buy anything with.

It isn't just Amazon, look at all the huge online stores around.

a reply to: rickymouse

So then what do you propose be done?

a reply to: Grambler


Check out how Amazon gets out of paying taxes! Trump is right! I love Amazon because I don't like being out in public and shopping, but why in the hell does Amazon get out of paying taxes like any mom and pop shop does?

I will pay more OR I will force myself to walk amongst the zombies foraging. Either way, Amazon should pay just like everyone else.

Edit to add: check into how Amazon has dominated and taken advantage of the US postal system to get a lower rate. Like I said, I love Amazon because of my Anti Social Behavioral issues, but why should they get breaks no one else does?

originally posted by: rickymouse
I agree with Trump. We are loosing jobs here because of Amazon and other online companies. We used to have way more job openings around here before the big box stores and internet sales started putting businesses out of business.

If we had plenty of manufacturing jobs for people to work at, it would be fine, but we don't, too much imports.

First they changed the base of our economy from manufacturing to consumer base, they the consumer base economy is being disrupted from way too much buying on the net, this path is not even sensible, sooner or later no money will be left to buy anything with.

It isn't just Amazon, look at all the huge online stores around.

Sorry I dont buy that.

This would be like saying we should have punished ford for developing the factory assembly line, or Mahindra or John Deere for taking away agricultural jobs.

That is how the free market works. Amazon found ways to provide a product to people cheaper and more conveniently, and did so within the confines of the law.

They should not be blamed or punished for that.

Once we open that box, we now allow Presidents or government to pick winners or losers based merely on their personal prefernce.

originally posted by: seeker1963
a reply to: Grambler


Check out how Amazon gets out of paying taxes! Trump is right! I love Amazon because I don't like being out in public and shopping, but why in the hell does Amazon get out of paying taxes like any mom and pop shop does?

I will pay more OR I will force myself to walk amongst the zombies foraging. Either way, Amazon should pay just like everyone else.

What taxes dont amazon pay?

State taxes? Thats up to the states, and almost all of them do force amazon to pay them, as the article in the OP shows.

Amazon collects sales tax in every state that charges one and remits it to the states -- and that's virtually every state

Years ago, when Amazon had few warehouses, it was able to get a competitive advantage by not charging sales tax. When retailers ship goods to states where they don't have a physical presence, they do not have to charge sales tax.

But Amazon has been adding to its national network of distribution centers, and last year it announced it would start charging sales tax in every state, whether it has a physical presence there or not.

Amazon also pays local property taxes on its distribution centers as well as on the Whole Foods stores it purchased last year.

The company has not disclosed how much its customers pay in sales taxes, but it is considerable. Its North American sales came to $106 billion last year, suggesting that it collects billions in sales taxes for various states.

originally posted by: seeker1963
...but why in the hell does Amazon get out of paying taxes like any mom and pop shop does?

Same way Boeing, Caterpillar and all the other Fortune 500's (and then some) do, they negotiate with the local governments for tax credits or reductions.

originally posted by: Grambler
Once we open that box...

Funny that you mentioned that. There's an investment company commercial and they target online shopping. Stating they are investing in delivery, packaging and recycling. Like you said, the market changes. Adapt or go the way of the dodo.

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: Grambler
Once we open that box...

Funny that you mentioned that. There's an investment company commercial and they target online shopping. Stating they are investing in delivery, packaging and recycling. Like you said, the market changes. Adapt or go the way of the dodo.

Exactly.

Its why I am against subsidies for example.

The field should be equal for everyone; not liking the guy that runs a company, or being mad that company put your job out of business is not a reason to interfere and punish them.

One day we can all work at Amazon. ...


yay.


But they didn't trust Microsoft lulz.

a reply to: Grambler

Amazon doesn't collect in-state sales taxes from 3rd party vendors so yes, they are working a loophole to avoid paying the taxes AND working that loophole puts them at an unequal advantage over local brick and mortar retailers. As for their USPS honeydeal, Amazon works the system. It isn't illegal, but it also isn't good for the overall economy of the system... www.freightwaves.com... the USPS is effectively subsidizing $1.50 of every package Amazon ships with them.

I can't disagree with Trump here. I also wouldn't shed any tears to see Bezos crescent kicked in the back of the head by a man wearing steel boots, but that's a position based on purely my personal feelings about the guy.

originally posted by: rickymouse
If we had plenty of manufacturing jobs for people to work at, it would be fine, but we don't, too much imports.

First they changed the base of our economy from manufacturing to consumer base, they the consumer base economy is being disrupted from way too much buying on the net, this path is not even sensible, sooner or later no money will be left to buy anything with.

Horse poo. I bet there's at least 3 factory job openings for every unemployed person out there. Just in my small town of about 15k people we have 6 factories. They're all always hiring.

a reply to: Grambler

Amazon will definitely charge you sales tax if you live in a state that requires sales tax for online purchases no matter their origin.

It is not hard to see that we can let amazon run things or we can run things ourselves.

Screw monolopy

Lol Jeff Bezos makes 107 million $$ a F##### day.. Amazon does cost small businesses like myself dearly.

Now they want to sell groceries for Christ sake.. Screw Amazon. Its ok to be billionaire in this country but he does not have to be the only one.

“I love the free market, except when I don’t.”

Common hypocrisy these days; Amazon is no worse than any other big company, the future rolls on, you adapt or you die.

Is it a shame mom and pop stores go out of business?
Sure is.
Trying to stop Amazon is an attempt to stifle market forces; many of the same people who likely didn’t agree with movements like occupy wall st. This is how the market works, love it, or leave it.

Lol Jeff Bezos makes 107 million $$ a F##### day.. Amazon does cost small businesses like myself dearly.

Now they want to sell groceries for Christ sake.. Screw Amazon. Its ok to be billionaire in this country but he does not have to be the only one.

I find it interesting that a lot of people supporting Trump on this are the same people that vehemently argue against wealth distribution and found no issue with Trump exploiting loopholes to get out of paying taxes.

a reply to: Grambler

I have never paid a cent of sales tax on anything we have gotten from Amazon or most online sales places. Only if they are within Michigan and by agreement, some adjoining states do we pay sales taxes. That info you posted is not correct, it is somehow twisted to make people believe something that is not true. It actually sounds like a WaPo tactic.