[Texas Federalist]

"It is a signal advantage of taxes on articles of consumption, that they contain in their own nature a security against excess. They prescribe their own limit; which cannot be exceeded without defeating the end proposed, that is, an extension of the revenue.

-Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers

This "limit" that Hamilton talks about is well below 28%. I am wholeheartedly for reform, but can you point to any examples where a sales tax as high as 28% was ever successful? I think the FairTax needs to be about 10% or 12% if it is to work. Therefore, there is an intermediate step. Before we institute a 12% sales tax we have a lot of spending to cut.

[ancient_geezer]

This "limit" that Hamilton talks about is well below 28%. I am wholeheartedly for reform, but can you point to any examples where a sales tax as high as 28% was ever successful? I think the FairTax needs to be about 10% or 12% if it is to work.

What programs would you like to get rid of so the tax rate can be that low?

23%........... Effective total federal tax rate with respect to consumption expenditure

14.91% ..... rate if Social Security and Medicare were eliminated
14% .......... rate if Nat'l Endowment for the Arts were eliminated
11.9%........ rate if Dept. of Education were eliminated
10% .......... rate if welfare were eliminated
9.8%.......... rate if foreign aid were eliminated
etc.

End the entitlements and Congressional spendfest, and the rate can drop.