Maybe I don't fully understand your point, but aren't businesses dependent upon a bunch of transactions? Certainly any kind of manufacturing business is--buying components, then selling to wholesalers and eventually consumers. Even "service-based" industries are dependent upon transactions.
For this reason, such a tax would be horrible for businesses in general, but that's pretty much what I expect from Obama and his merry band of Democrats. Most businesses would come to a screeching halt, and I don't even think you could effectively model how much income such a tax would generate. People that could, would resort to home farming, trading, and bartering for basic goods. We'd be reduced to a third-world economic status.
They certainly are, and the most likely outcome of this harebrained scheme is that they all close one day before this tax goes into effect. Switching to scrip is possible, but has its own risks that can be unacceptable for a business. Large businesses will probably leave the country, and if that is made illegal then they will open another company abroad and sell all US assets to it for 1 penny. The most valuable asset, though, is people; many will gladly leave to work in China, be paid in gold (if they wish so) and be able to skip all these confiscatory taxes. The next most valuable asset is IP, and that can't be contained at all. Buildings, computers, forklifts and other junk is worthless compared to people and knowledge.
We'd be reduced to a third-world economic status.
Comrades Mugabe, Kim and Fidel are probably much happier than evil capitalists Sarkozy, Merkel and Netanyahu who can't just order car accidents for their political rivals. 3rd world has plenty of value for an egotistical narcissist. Good that we don't have any of those here... /s