A VAT would have to be part of a large entitlement reform package. That is, I'd only support it if it were adopted in conjunction with some fundamental structural reforms of Social Security, Medicare and Medicade.
This will not be easy, I grant you, but it will be necessary. Otherwise, we're going bankrupt.
And BTW, I'm not insisting there has to be a VAT. There are other types of consumption taxes that might be better.
All I'm saying is that we need to be realistic about the fact that the Federal government is going to have to find some new sorces of revenue if we are to avoid becoming Greece. And yes, spending cuts should be the priority, but the reality is that we're never going to solve the problem with spending cuts alone.
Enact the reforms first; then we can talk.
The sad truth is, Congress will not enact "fundamental structural reforms" of these so-called entitlement programs until they are forced to. So long as they can borrow money or raise taxes, they will continue to spend.
This will not be easy, I grant you, but it will be necessary. Otherwise, we're going bankrupt.
Then we should prepare for the bankruptcy of the United States government.