[snowsislander]

All these costs on business are a matter of everyday operating expense that businesses incur out of the complexities of the income/payroll tax system and effect the price of goods and services as well as wages to labor and bottom line return to the investor. All together with actual tax paid reflect the ultimate price the household must pay for an inefficient and comples tax system that is the federal income/payroll tax system we have all come to know and gripe about.

Our current system is an embarrassment. I don't understand why we go through so much silliness in order just to fund our government. A simple NRST would be far better.

I personally don't like some provisions of the Fair Tax proposal -- the prebate (which reminds me of McGovern's "negative income tax") particularly doesn't do much for me. It's a major flow of money back that if we didn't do, we could lower the rate from 23% down to something more reasonable; my quick back-of-the-envelope comes to something under 20%. Every point off that 23% will bring more supporters, also; not having the "negative income tax" aspect would help with more conservatives (although, to balance that, it probably has a powerful attraction for the left.)

But if the Fair Tax is our NRST proposal, I will go along with it. It certainly is far better than our current tax regime.

[ancient_geezer]

I personally don't like some provisions of the Fair Tax proposal -- the prebate (which reminds me of McGovern's "negative income tax") particularly doesn't do much for me.

Unfortunately there are issues that must be addressed to make any tax bill politically viable. When it is a choice between DOA and the potential for enactment, I'll take the later. Especially as the alternative of piecemeal exception of goods and services picked by pandering politicians would be a total disaster.