Congress Should Pass AICOA to End Amazon's Hidden Tax on Online Shopping
Source: "Sen. Grassley reintroduces AICOA bill to break Amazon marketplace grip | Fox News." June 13, 2026. www.foxnews.com
The Gist
Amazon and other Big Tech companies have rigged the online marketplace so they take huge cuts from every sale, forcing businesses to raise prices everywhere. Congress should pass laws to stop this hidden tax that makes everything more expensive for regular families.
Conclusion
Congress should pass the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) and related bills to break Big Tech's monopolistic control over online commerce
Premises
- Amazon charges sellers 45-50% in various fees, forcing them to raise prices across all platforms
- Amazon punishes sellers who offer lower prices elsewhere by burying them in search results
- This creates a hidden tax on all online purchases that consumers never see but always pay
- Amazon's marketplace favors cheap Chinese goods that dodge safety rules and taxes that American businesses must follow
- Amazon acts as a biased gatekeeper, removing books and throttling sellers based on political content
- Apple and Google take up to 30% of all app-related purchases while preventing competition
- Google controls digital advertising auctions while representing all parties, inflating costs for businesses
Assumptions
- Market competition naturally leads to lower prices and better outcomes for consumers
- Government regulation can effectively restore competition without unintended consequences
- Big Tech companies are acting as monopolies rather than earning market position through superior service
- The current system constitutes unfair market manipulation rather than legitimate business practices
- Breaking up Big Tech dominance will benefit American businesses and consumers more than maintaining the status quo