A sales tax is a percentage of GDP paid by the buyer. An income tax is a percentage of GDP paid by the seller.
Gosh - that's not the only similarity! There's more! Both are paid in dollars! Can you believe it? And what's really weird is that they are both intended to fund government! Wow! Who'd a thunk so much would be alike between an income tax and a sales tax?!
Seriesly, there are many similarities that are of no consequence - like the ones we've listed.
The difference to be recognized is the difference in how an income tax treats an illegal versus the way a sales tax would.
[...The difference to be recognized is the difference in how an income tax treats an illegal versus the way a sales tax would...]
You lost me.
OK, let's consider that. The illegals who provide lawn services to homeowners in my neighborhood currently don't pay income tax for their economic activity. If the system changed, I seriously doubt that the illegals would collect and remit a sales tax on their economic activity.
You see, under either system (an income tax or a sales tax), it is the producers that must remit the tax, not the consumers. Changing the statute does not change that fact. If you have dishonest producers (that is, producers that use illegal labor for example), it seems quite disingenuous to claim that a sales tax will suddenly make them honest.