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I like to focus analysis on a single issue at a time. I know, it's not Zen, but it helps me understand. Of course my before tax savings (under 401K, etc.) may not be significantly affected by the change - I haven't really considered the implications of that asset class, the value would apparently be compensated in that now I don't have to pay income tax on the funds, but I would have to pay sales tax - just another form of taxation for those funds from a cursory glance.

But at my point in life I've acquired lots of after tax assets. If our tax system is changed to a sales tax system, I will not be able to buy as much stuff with those assets - I say that is not fair at all - it is theft of my property. Acknowledge and compensate me for that reduction in value, I might be able to move on to support this kind of gross change in the way we fund government.

I would suggest easing into such a change, because the dislocations and personal rearrangements that would result from an instant gross change of this sort would send violent shock waves through our economy.