Quote Originally Posted by dbasnett
and make congress do what we have to do, live within a budget.
If we could do that piece alone, it would solve lots of our problems. However, the last time Congress voted in such a thing, they quickly voted it back out again. For one thing, fighting a war within a budget means losing a war. Therefore, to open the purse strings all the way: Declare war on somebody, and Congress will patriotically throw out any spending restraints. Once the restraints are off, ALL spending is permissable.

As for the national sales tax, the solidly conservative National Review ran articles blasting it as being pure duplicity, and they were persuasive. The basis of their argument was that the rate would have to be around 25% to replace the income tax revenue. Makes sense, as the pool of money being taxed would be lower (domestic consumption only). With a sales tax that high, they were arguing that the incentive to cheat the tax would be ENORMOUS, and the means to cheat would be legion.

If the left AND the right hate the idea, then I can't say that I support it all that much. The people who seem to be pushing it appear to do so through deceit, and appear to be those who would benefit the most.