[Vinnie]

Flat tax is FAIRER

I think I agree. Everyone needs to pay something.

I think a 30% tax( yes I know "it's really 23%", baloney) on houses and autos for instance would kill those industries.
Buy a $35k auto and have another $10k tacked on. I don't think so.

The 'Prebate' could be juggled to politician's benefit.
"If I'm elected I'll raise the Prebate for a family of 4 from $250/mo. to $400". blah blah

There would still have to be a huge government department just to determine whether items were 'new' or 'used', for tax purposes.

[Ann Archy]

FLAT TAX FOR EVERYONE!!! EXEMPTIONS FOR EACH PERSON, THEN A FLAT TAX!!!!

[Leisler]

Services would buy them, store them, or rent them, then you would buy them ‘used’.

There would be good and great business in ‘legally’ dodging these taxes. Naturally a day after they are implemented, ‘adjustments’ would have to be made, and of course the lobbying for exemptions would start....

“There is no farming, like tax farming. Best business in the world.”

[lowbuck]

How about 19% tax on cars!! Here in Germany you go to buy a shiny car (new or used) from a dealer, Auntie Merkel writes in a tip for the government. Maybe that explains why the average person/family has what we would call a sub-compact parked in the street (parked there because people here can't afford a house with a garage).

As for income taxes, don't get me started. However, for all my years as an American tax payer I have consistently found that at the end of the tax year I end up giving about 10% of my gross to the IRS. So I would be open to saying, no tax forms, no deductions, everyone pays 10% gross. Period.

Oh, and the government would not be allowed to raise that rate. Live withing you means like the rest of us. But, I think I have been smoking something if I every thought this had a ice chance in heck. OK s/off