Didn't notice I wasn't logged in when I posted that ... so here is my post on the Chattanooga area geek's mailing list spawned by this ridiculous law's passage:

I've been trying to bite my tongue as well (and obviously failed).

My daughter had to deal with mandatory prayer in her elementary school until that principal retired. I ended up having to avoid the campus because of my "blasphemous nature" (his words) ... funny how I got along exceedingly well with the new (non-bible-thumping) principal that replaced him. Thing is, the prayer itself wasn't my problem. I'd had it myself back when I was in school (you could get suspended for "sacrilegious behavior" then too). But he shouldn't have punished those that chose not to participate nor risk wasting my tax dollars on a lawsuit should someone have pushed it to that.

Even now my son has to be careful in his high school since there are both students and faculty whom actively persecute anyone that's a "non believer". Back when my daughter was there, she was refused permission to leave for an appointment to the health department. The school's attendance officer actually called me and gave me an earful, screaming in front of everyone there, about my daughter getting birth control (as if it was any of her business in the first place). She said my daughter wouldn't be doing it if I had her in church and that I was responsible for her going to hell. If she had been the youngest, I might have actually pressed charges on that one.

So, yes, it's a problem throughout the state and I don't see that changing any time soon. Especially given the widespread indoctrination still prevalent in many school systems.

<sacrilege>
My favorite bait for ID folks is to get them to state that we are the way we are since "God designed us" (usually doesn't take long). Then, since "God" is supposed to be infallible, I ask why we have a blind spot in our vision. The reply, if there is one, is usually something along the lines of "because it was the best way to do it" (having the optic nerve connected on the retinal front). I counter with the fact that an octopus doesn't have a blind spot since their optic nerve is connected to the rear. And at this point they usually get angry, call me a heathen and tell me I'm going to hell.
</sacrilege>

Amazon is already leaving Texas. Or, at least, they are closing their distribution center there. See this article (or just google it). They are presently building new facilities in Tennessee near Charleston (about 10 miles away from me at the moment) and Chattanooga. There is already talk in the Tennessee state legislature about passing a new law expressly to renege on the sales tax exemption granted as a condition to building the distribution centers here. Just goes to show that all state representatives are clueless -- it's not limited to California.

As some have already mentioned, collecting sales taxes cross-state is a significant burden since, in some states, the rates may differ even from one side of a street to another. Using ZIP codes does not provide enough granularity to determine the proper rate. With this in mind, several states started the "streamlined sales tax project" which aims to provide the data for determining the proper rate, a single point of reporting and indemnifying businesses from errors in the rates supplied. If every state which imposed a sales tax adopted this system, it would practically eliminate the burden facing Internet (and traditional mail-order) businesses today.

That said, enforcing the use of this system would require Federal legislation and, even then, there will still be the issue of purchases from other countries. I'm not so sure that it's a good idea to get the Federal government involved anyway since they might be too tempted to add a Federal sales tax as well.

There already are Truth in Advertising laws.

It's been my experience that, when you think "there ought to be a law ...", there already is one. The problem is the law being either selectively enforced or not enforced at all. And, typically, the more a law favors the public over corporations, the less likely it will be enforced.

But ... IANAL (so what do I know?)