Young people struck back against the Internet tax and claimed victory for stopping the legislation in the House. But that victory might be a little premature, according to a statement from House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.).
In an online effort organized by Generation Opportunity, a nonpartisan group advocating economic opportunities for young people, thousands of commenters “bombed” Goodlatte’s Facebook page on Monday to protest the Marketplace Fairness Act, POLITICO reported.
The proposal, which passed the Senate, would permit states to compel online retailers from out of the state to tax purchases made within state borders. The House Judiciary Committee would have had to approve the proposal before it went to the floor.
Comments on Goodlatte’s page varied. Some were small business owners who feared the impact of the legislation on their businesses, others were consumers who wanted to keep their own money, but many simply said “No internet tax.”
And it seems the comments worked — or so many thought.
On June 6, a Virginia NBC affiliate reported that Goodlatte chose not to consider the bill in his committee. In a press release, Evan Feinberg, president of Generation Opportunity, claimed credit on behalf of his group and young people across the United States.
“Today was a good day for young people,” he wrote. “My generation sent a loud and clear message to Washington that we will oppose efforts to tax or regulate the Internet. The Internet tax would have disproportionately harmed my generation, as we do a greater share of our shopping online than older generations.”
But Goodlatte disputed the claims, directing people to a statement released by the Committee back in May.
” I am open to considering legislation concerning this topic…” the statement read.
