The 30% number arises when you add in state taxes to the final retail bill
Bzzzzt. Wrong.
The 30% tax on the item is BEFORE the state taxes are added in. The bogus 23% rate is based on a sales tax formula NOT used in any of the states.
A dollar item is taxed 23%. Then the tax is taxed 23%. Then the tax on tax is is taxed 23%. Then the tax on the tax on the tax is taxed 23%. And so on....
Well your correct in noting that the Fair Tax shills use a deceptive and misleading tax forumula that most people are unfamiliar with. But your example is wrong.
The Fair Tax shills use what they call the tax "inclusive" method, meaning:
Just one of the myriad ways "Fair Tax" tries to pull the wool over the Peoples' eyes.
Functionally equivalent.