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Barack Obama's letter explaining Amazon visit sparks criticism Barack Obama's letter explaining Amazon visit sparks criticism
(21 days later)
Booksellers in the US have given a cool response to a letter from Barack Obama explaining his visit to an Amazon fulfilment centre.Booksellers in the US have given a cool response to a letter from Barack Obama explaining his visit to an Amazon fulfilment centre.
Obama was accused of offering his support to the online retailer's aggressive tactics by taking a televised tour of an Amazon facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in July. Amazon Kindle Singles released an interview with the US president after the visit.Obama was accused of offering his support to the online retailer's aggressive tactics by taking a televised tour of an Amazon facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in July. Amazon Kindle Singles released an interview with the US president after the visit.
In a letter to Steve Fischer, executive director of New England Independent Booksellers Association, Obama writes: "Dear Steve … I am committed to creating an environment where these engines of job creation [small businesses] can grow and prosper …"In a letter to Steve Fischer, executive director of New England Independent Booksellers Association, Obama writes: "Dear Steve … I am committed to creating an environment where these engines of job creation [small businesses] can grow and prosper …"
Obama also describes his track record on small-business investment initiatives, cutting red tape, supporting leadership and entrepreneurship training, and creating a single department to make it easier for businesses to interact with government.Obama also describes his track record on small-business investment initiatives, cutting red tape, supporting leadership and entrepreneurship training, and creating a single department to make it easier for businesses to interact with government.
The letter does not address the concerns of independent booksellers about levelling the playing field for businesses big and small, or about Amazon's tactic of deep discounting and fighting sales tax.The letter does not address the concerns of independent booksellers about levelling the playing field for businesses big and small, or about Amazon's tactic of deep discounting and fighting sales tax.
In a note sent to the White House website in July, the American Booksellers Association and the New England Independent Booksellers Association challenged Obama's decision to take the high-profile visit.In a note sent to the White House website in July, the American Booksellers Association and the New England Independent Booksellers Association challenged Obama's decision to take the high-profile visit.
His response was called "the most vanilla and generic form letter" by Fischer in the Atlantic Wire, where he added: "It doesn't event bother to pretend to have read [my] letter."His response was called "the most vanilla and generic form letter" by Fischer in the Atlantic Wire, where he added: "It doesn't event bother to pretend to have read [my] letter."
According to the US publishing industry magazine Publishers Weekly, the president's note is "a wordy, form letter, with no mention of Amazon … he, or more likely a staffer, used the letter to highlight Obama's commitment to job creation and particularly to helping small businesses … grow".According to the US publishing industry magazine Publishers Weekly, the president's note is "a wordy, form letter, with no mention of Amazon … he, or more likely a staffer, used the letter to highlight Obama's commitment to job creation and particularly to helping small businesses … grow".
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