
Should readers of ebooks be taxed to subsidize stores that sell printed books? - apress
http://www.rexblog.com/2012/03/12/47066
======
vrotaru
Bastiat would certainly loved such a question.

Even I can invent a lot similar questions, like: _Should married couples be
taxed to subsidize night clubs?_

------
TYPE_FASTER
That should really read "should the internet be taxed to subsidize brick and
mortar retailers?" because that's the next step if the e-book publishing model
is taxed.

~~~
electromagnetic
I'm all for it on one solitary condition; no taxation without representation.
All brick and mortar retailers must carry all the costs for my ebooks to be
sold as real books in their stores, including a small inventory in all their
stores ensuring that the hardcopy is always available for any customer to buy
at any time.

I think it's entirely fair. If publishers and book stores want to be paid by
ebook consumers, then the consumers should have a reasonable expectation for
access to any and all hardcopy versions of any ebook they could otherwise buy
from a major reputable ebook retailer (AKA amazon) and have no expectation to
wait for a copy to be mail-ordered in.

------
cafard
First off, and I write as somebody who is about to walk to a bookstore, No.

Second, trust me, Amazon is about as shy as John Rockefeller when it comes to
squeezing suppliers.

------
brianbreslin
I'd argue we are already being taxed if they charge us the same price for
kindle vs print.

~~~
bsphil
I believe that's an issue with Apple though.

