“It’s fine to maintain interest in the homeland. But Illinois, not unlike Puerto Rico or Greece, has plenty of financial problems of its own. Precious time in Springfield could be better focused on our severe local woes rather than old-world beefs.”

In Illinois, Amazon and other e-commerce merchants are required to collect and remit the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax under the state “e-fairness” law that went into effect in 2015.