Whether it's a wash is not relevant. What IS important is that of the total collected, the drug dealer now pays his share. Currently, he doesn't. Currently, his only pays a portion of his taxes.
You are missing the point. It is not that the total collected stays the same or not. It is that under the income tax, drug dealer doesn't pay all his taxes, we have to pay some of his taxes for him. But under the nrst, the drug dealer pays ALL his taxes, so we no longer have to pay any of his taxes... becuase he pays ALL HIS TAXES under the nrst.
Under the income tax, the drug dealer only pays a portion of his taxes.
Under the nrst, the drug dealer pays all his taxes - so we will no longer need to have a higher rate on the rest of us in order to make up for the drug dealer's taxes that aren't paid under the income tax.
As usual, your focus is so tight on th eincome tax, that you miss the point and look dumb.
That's not true, it is mostly the NRST worshipers who don't see the point. Besides, I really don't care who agrees with me, because I am absolutely correct on this.
Whether it's a wash is not relevant.
That's the whole point, so how can it not be relevant.
What IS important is that of the total collected, the drug dealer now pays his share.
He illegally does not remit the 23% of his gross sales, so I can't see how any rationale person can claim he pays his share. Who share is he pocketing then? No matter how you view it, he is liable to remit that tax and he does not.
Currently, he doesn't. Currently, his only pays a portion of his taxes.
He pays zero income tax on the money he receives from drug sales, just like he will pay zero sales tax on the drug sales. The amount is roughly the same.
But under the nrst, the drug dealer pays ALL his taxes, so we no longer have to pay any of his taxes... becuase he pays ALL HIS TAXES under the nrst.
Except the 23% of his gross which you seem in denial about. When the drug dealer finally makes legal purchases, he will pay the embedded taxes which will roughly be the same as the 23% sales tax. Or do you change your assumptions for different scenarios? That is very convenient of you, but very typical.