Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Got a blog? Pay up!

If a private group attempted anything similar it would be rightly seen as extortion, which only proves once again that ALL government is nothing more than organized "legal" crime.


For the past three years, Marilyn Bess has operated MS Philly Organic, a small, low-traffic blog that features occasional posts about green living, out of her Manayunk home. Between her blog and infrequent contributions to ehow.com, over the last few years she says she's made about $50. To Bess, her website is a hobby. To the city of Philadelphia, it's a potential moneymaker, and the city wants its cut.

In May, the city sent Bess a letter demanding that she pay $300, the price of a business privilege license.

Got a blog that makes no money? The city wants $300, thank you very much.




Of course, most blogs will never make any serious money, but then, most people who start a blog aren't in it for money. But think of all the other ways you might be able to earn an income (and having such options will become critical as this economic depression widens and deepens) if not for all the roadblocks (such as licensing laws) that the state puts up to make it difficult if not impossible.

12 comments:

  1. I was going to post about this.

    First of all, the city is within its rights, since it is income. You just have to stop putting up ads, which would cost you nothing and you would miss out on very little gain. You can still blog for free.

    That said... Philadelphia didn't care about any of this until they found themselves so deep in debt and unable to pay for anything that they started shutting down libraries. Trust me, I lived there, the blogging thing is way less annoying than the fact that every street is now permit-only or metered parking.

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  2. All's that needs to be done is vote in city/state government people who do away with licensing fees. Seems simple enough if you can find them. In this day and age that shouldn't be too hard to find if it's truly what the npeople of those communities want!

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  3. Or they could just take their ads down...

    Philadelphians would never elect people who do that, especially since this issue isn't one of much importance to people in Philly. I think they should just tax the churches, that would balance their budget.

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  4. [Don't get me wrong, it's ridiculous and the desperate effort of a broke city, and clearly justice would dictate there should be a special kind of business lisence (if any) for a business never designed to earn much money. They should just apply for non-profit status.]

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  5. Come on, Bretginxalan. How can you defend this? Take down the ads? Are we not free anymore? Jesus Christ. It's ridiculous that the government would do this. Absurd even regardless if it's income. That's exactly what it is: A racket.

    And like you lived in Philly (Go Eagles), I've known mobsters over the years (long story) and they would joke what they did was no different than the government in terms of knowing how to "get their cut." Bottom line is IT'S NOT THEIR EFFEN MONEY.

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  6. By the way, I say this admitting you're probably right about the law - it doesn't make it right.

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  7. For one thing, I hate sites with ads.

    *ouch* I just got hit by this giant bat with "hypoc-" or something written on it.

    I've always been one who believes online transactions should be taxed and handled seperately from regular brick-and-mortar establishments, but the traditional merchants have worked hard to prevent it.

    To me, the government should get a certain percentage of income over a certain amount. Clearly $50, $100, or even $5k is not an issue.

    Have you heard about the Philly officials hasselling the cupcake truck near UPenn? Now if you mess with cupcakes, that's my line.

    Phuck you Philly.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ads: Me too. But we all do it.

    I actually had NO ads for over a year and now trying my luck with it. I may one day remove them all again. Last thing I need is the girv'nment taking it to give it to some loafer. ;<)

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  9. Yeah... some loafer... who works two jobs where they get treated like shit and still earn below the poverty line... and she never gets to see her kids... who grow up without a mother...

    I love how oblivious conservatives are to reality. I mean, it's pathetic and sad, but it's also funny in a dark sort of way.

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  10. Yeah. Liberals are more "real." Good luck on that term paper proving this.

    Everyone is out to lunch.

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  11. Yeah, all those "liberals" at universities who collect data and observe what's happening on a scale larger than their immediate acquaintances. They don't know what's going on, they don't even watch Fox News!

    I wouldn't really call myself a liberal. Liberals today are too conservative from decades of stagnation without a new idea. I suppose I'm a liberal in the sense of it's etymological root of "free," because I believe in the individual's right to steer their life as they see fit, so long as they don't crash into others (a little bumping isn't a bad thing).

    I also have an appreciation for the etymological root of liberal pertaining to being generous.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Another way of saying 'classical liberal?'

    Generous like in recipe books? Liberally sprinkle pepper...

    Ok, liberal guy. Since you're willing to let people govern themselves, do you or do you not support the state legislating, say, laws against smoking?

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