[John Valentine]

I still like the national sales tax.

So do I. It is fair, easy to adminster, it taxes consumption not savings, it is pro-growth, it makes everyone pay something- no freeloaders, it will tax the "underground" economy, and it eliminates a huge federal bureaucracy.

Your estimate of 15% is probably about right. 17.5% might be needed if we couldn't get at the garage sales, flea markts, hookers and drug dealers, but we will get those revenues, and 15% will be enough.

[Sonny M]

I'm very skeptical of a national sales tax, in that, alot of places will add on top of that, a local sales tax and a state sales tax (I live in NYC, I would have to do all my shopping totally over the internet then). Also, my other fear, is that it would eventually be revamped into a VAT system, which makes it easier to raise taxes with it only looking like a price increase. I prefer a flat tax, simply because its simpler and its easy and less room for shenanigans, though states and locals will still add there own income taxes, but with a flat taxes, if times go bad, or whatnot, you can always use somthing as a stimulus (i.e. a temporay tax exemption on somthing).