Re:Didn't we do this already? (Score 1)

I'm confused: All this outrage, but not one "Yeah, so?" I've lived in both Virginia and Massachusetts - certainly opposite states with respect to economic policy. At the dawn of the Internet, buying things online was a great way to avoid sales tax. But over the years, more and more companies had to collect sales tax from me; I can't remember the last time I bought something online and paid no tax. ... But no? Is it just that most of these companies have a "substantial presence" in both VA and MA, so I ended up being taxed?

I don't know about your experience, but I almost never pay taxes on items I have shipped to MD. Or PA for that matter. MA and VA are popular locations for businesses to have locations, MA especially. So perhaps like you said they do have locations there, or perhaps there is something like this law there and they "voluntarily" choose to obey a law for a state which has no jurisdiction.