That would be amusing. I don't think it has a change in hell of coming about, but still, amusing. The sheer level of uncertainty would be paralyzing.
It would also drive KerryEdwards into a tailspin. Everything the Republicans suggest is evil incarnate, so the speeches of how the IRS is a force for good will be worth the price of admission.
I could use the extra bucks from not having taxes withheld, but how much more expensive will everything be? A few cents? A couple of bucks? I don't relish the thought of having a two dollar can of Pepsi and an eight dollar value menu at Burger King. but we do make millions of tiny transactions a day, and that's a lot of pennies to be flowing into federal coffers.
Who will enforce it? This IRS?
One thing will be obvious, and that will be the rate of taxes coming in will be more directly attuned to the economy than ever. When people spend less, the government gets less money, period. Taxing things further to increase revenue will fail in poor economic times, but in that respect it can act as a more dynamic brake on the economy.
What the hell am I talking about? I'm no economist. I'm a sleepy tech. Sleepy. The orbital mind control lasers are making me sleepy...must not comment on taxation...
But wait! A VAT or a sales tax is considered by many to be a "regressive tax", and our current "progressive" taxation is the only fair one. What bullshit is this?
Look, everybody in these United States buys stuff. We can't get around it. We can't do anything about that at all. If you want something, it must be bought. You cannot insulate yourself in such a fashon where gods and services are not bought and provided, unless you are a homeless bum or you live in some Federal parkland as a peasant. Repeat after me:«BLOCKQUOTE»«I»Rich people must buy things too. Some of these things are expensive, and they too will be taxed like everyone else.«/I»«/BLOCKQUOTE»See? Isn't that a simple concept?
Why is it that so many people wander though life thinking that rich people acquire money and goods and services via magical means? Does food just appear from the Rich Persons Nanofactory all successful capitalists own? No, they have shell out a couple of bucks for a pound of ground Angus just like the rest of us...only they pay a person to go to the store and buy groceries. The tax is paid, one way or the other. The wealthy are not exempt.
The rich would pay their fair share...and more of it. Imagine the taxes to be pid on a Gulfstream business jet, or a catamaran, or a palatial house, or cars...