[jwalsh07]

National sales tax is not a good idea at all. It makes all businesses and all members of transactions tax collectors for the fedguv. Having owned a business for most of my adult life I can tell you that state sales tax audits are every bit as onerous as IRS audits anf federal sales tax auditors will be able to reach unimpeded into interstate commerce at their whim including every transaction between any two citizens. Careful what you wish for.

Secondly Herman turns social security and medicare into full fledged entitlement, read welfare., programs by funding same with 999 general revenues. Under 999 nothing will distinguish Medicare from Medicaid since both will be funded from general revenues.

Is this really where conservatives want to go?

I like Cains boldness but I think the details and unintended consequences are undesirable. Like Paul Ryan I think the best route is the simplest, most efficient least intrusive tax and that would be a flat tax without the thousands of pages of bs.

[La Enchiladita]

Herman turns social security and medicare into full fledged entitlement, read welfare., programs by funding same with 999 general revenues. Under 999 nothing will distinguish Medicare from Medicaid since both will be funded from general revenues.

The problem with that is, all analyses of Cain's '9-9-9' point to a REVENUE NEGATIVE result, whereas he claims it is REVENUE NEUTRAL. Still a problem.