Big Government from the Back Bench

Techdirt reports that last week's election results could spell doom for the moratorium on new Internet taxes.  Not because of the new Democratic majority—though it's likely they'll go along. 

Rather, it's because of a Republican.  Former Tennessee governor Lamar Alexander has had a decade-long grudge against e-commerce going back to his days as governor of Tennessee.  He resented the sales tax receipts his state lost when Tennesseans conducted business via the Series of Tubes.  He's fought to lift the moratorium ever since.

Alexander is likely to be elected Minority Whip for the next session, giving him considerable pull over what positions and priorities the GOP caucus will adopt.  That's leading to speculation that the moratorium may be dead when it comes up for renewal next year.