Slog Tipper Joe wants to make sure that we see this good MSNBC article on the internet and state sales tax. Joe says, "A really good point is made within, love it or hate it: the tax loophole gives online retailers very often a pricing advantage over local shops."

“The Internet retailer, when they’re not collecting that sales tax, they’ve got a 5 percent advantage,” said George C. Peyton, vice president of the Virginia Retailers Federation, which is backing an Amazon law in Virginia.

For Amazon and other online outfits, “it’s almost like having a sales tax holiday every day,” Peyton said.

There's a sidebar listing the 12 states that are considering making e-retailers pay state sales tax. Washington is not on that list.