I get it!
In one, the federal government inserts itself into every retail transaction I enter into and extorts money from me to redistribute to its favored interest groups. Whereas in the other, the federal government inserts itself into every retail transaction I enter into and extorts money from me to redistribute to its favored interest groups.
You're right. They're completely different. In no way, shape, or form does one look like the other.
“You’re right. They’re completely different. In no way, shape, or form does one look like the other”
I know you think you’re being cute, but in case you didn’t know, you’re lying. Because if VATs insert themselves into retail transactions, it’s only in the same way that countless other taxes do so. Truly, the cost of a VAT would be reflected in a products final price, but so are corporate taxes, payroll taxes, excise or “sin” taxes tariffs, inflation (thanks to the Fed), income tax, and so on. VATs are yet another cost of business on the production side, and aren’t unique in showing up on your Walmart receipt.
Only sales taxes are specifically designed to tax retail transactions. Nice try, but VATs aren’t.