"And FreeRepublic is in public."
An anonymous blog is not in public.
"It is easy to get people all riled up with promises of wonderful things but the FairTax can't deliver on the main thrust of the book which is 'keep 100% of your paycheck, prices stay the same'."
That isn't, and wasn't the main thrust of the book, nor of the proposal. The main thrust of the proposal is that we can have a much simpler and more efficient method of taxation which is more consistent with our constitutional principles and less of a drag on our economy than the current one. I have seen no evidence to indicate that isn't a realistic and reasonable expectation.
My personal main thrust is that we are moving into a totally different economic environment than any that we have known before, globalization is already a huge economic factor and is only going to get bigger, and we can't afford the luxury of a tax system that holds us back in the world marketplace.
And the SQLs are reduced to arguing that costs have nothing to do with prices. I am embarassed for them that they continue to hold onto that ridiculous economic nonsense. Is that your position, also? Do you agree with YN that costs and prices are unrelated? Louie has espoused that bizarre economic notion in the past, also. He may have taken such a battering that he has abandoned it by now, however.
You and I must have read a different book, to my eye this is the way that the plan is being sold to the masses.
Do you agree with YN that costs and prices are unrelated?
Yes, of course I agree with YN that prices are set by the markets willingness to purchase an item regardless of what it costs to make said item. Prices are based on what value the market places on items and what competitive options exist. The cost is only relevant to whether the seller makes money, and whether he remains in business.
This is basic stuff Phil, you shouldn't have such trouble understanding.
Seller: I have these fine shirts for sale-- $500 each.
Buyer: That's a lot for a shirt. Fred's down the street has shirts for $25.
Seller: Does Fred pay his employees $100 per hour and give them 8 weeks vacation a year? Does Fred serve caviar and champagne for lunch free of charge for his employees every Friday? Does Fred have more employees than are needed? My costs are higher so you'll just have to pay my price.
Buyer: Sure, now that you put it that way, no problem.
Louie has espoused that bizarre economic notion in the past, also. He may have taken such a battering that he has abandoned it by now, however.If you're going refernce me with your wanton idiocy you can at least shed your cowardice and put my name in the "To" box. I know HTML is too much for you to comprehend but certainly you know how to follow the instructions printed right above the "To:" box.
There is no absolute for cost VS price. Costs, taxes and wants don't dictate prices moron. If they did we wouldn't be talking about corporate losses.
Having auto dealers pay 23% of their gross income in taxes from every sale isn't going to help the auto companies lagging sales.