[Issaquahking]

Take a look at your paycheck if you work for someone else...

15.4% to social security till $97,500

6.2% for unemployment insurance

That's before Federal income tax, or state right now!

I'd recommend getting the book and give it a read.

[lewislynn]

Take a look at your paycheck if you work for someone else...

15.4% to social security till $97,500

6.2% for unemployment insurance

I hope that's not from "the book". Either way, it fits my tag line to a T

[Mr Rogers]

You didn’t answer my question. If we all pay an average of 40% now, then how can we raise the same amount of cash with a sales tax of 23%? Who is going to make up the difference?

And what makes you think Congress wouldn’t turn it into something incredibly complex, or raise rates later?

[wayoverthehill]

Your figures are wrong.

If you work for someone else, you pay 6.2% of your income in FICA taxes PLUS 1.45% for Medicare, or a total of 7.65% up to 97,500.

Individuals do not pay for unemployment insurance. Furthermore, the rate employers pay for UI is nowhere near 6.2%. In Texas, for instance, the highest rate is 2.7% and that is for new businesses with no past history of claims. If you have no claims, your rate goes down after a while.