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A National Sales Tax would be suicide. It may be the "fairest" way but fair and practical are two different things. The first thing that would happen with enacting a National Sales Tax would be a spending spree followed by a collapse when the tax goes into effect. The tax would be high and would inhibit consumption which in turn would wreak economic havoc.

Collection would be onerous as businesses deal with local, state and then federal sales taxes. The tax would be especially regressive so consideration would have to be given to exempt lower income folks. Now we start to get complicated again. Etc, Etc, Etc.

Better yet would be a Flat Tax. You fill out a postcard that says I earned this much and owe this much. If my earnings are less than, let's say, $36,000 I just enter 0. Above that a calculator, ball point pen and stamp are all that is needed. Oh, someone has to collect it. Sure. We can scale the IRS down from tens of thousands of employees to a few to collect and post the tax. That's it

trust me the world will not collapse with a National Sales Tax - Canada introduced it in 1990.......we're doing fine.....but I believe you must cut income taxes at the same time you introduce the tax.......

in Ontario we pay 8 per cent provincial sales tax on all goods, then the 7 per cent GST on most goods and services for a total of 15 per cent

many European VAT taxes are much higher than 15 per cent and they have high income tax rates.......which I wouldn't recommend.......

Sorry - away from the keyboard. I respectfully disagree. If you had a consumption tax on everything (*hit, we pay on everything now), across the board (for everyone) it is fair.

For example, I make "x" and I spend "x" therefore I pay "x". It's the only fair way.

I have spent a lot of down time thinking of this issue. I do have an accounting degree too. :)