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National Sales Tax Gets Fresh Look; Rahm Emanuel's brother advises 10% VAT...
Washington Post ^ | 5/27/2009 | Lori Montgomery

Posted on 05/27/2009 5:38:44 AM PDT by GreaterSwiss

With budget deficits soaring and President Obama pushing a trillion-dollar-plus expansion of health coverage, some Washington policymakers are taking a fresh look at a money-making idea long considered politically taboo: a national sales tax.

Common around the world, including in Europe, such a tax -- called a value-added tax, or VAT -- has not been seriously considered in the United States. But advocates say few other options can generate the kind of money the nation will need to avert fiscal calamity.

At a White House conference earlier this year on the government's budget problems, a roomful of tax experts pleaded with Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner to consider a VAT. A recent flurry of books and papers on the subject is attracting genuine, if furtive, interest in Congress. And last month, after wrestling with the White House over the massive deficits projected under Obama's policies, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee declared that a VAT should be part of the debate.

"There is a growing awareness of the need for fundamental tax reform," Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said in an interview. "I think a VAT and a high-end income tax have got to be on the table."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: added; bigteapartyjuly4; donttreadonme; fairtax; lping; nationalsalestax; obama; rahm; salestax; tax; taxes; taxincreases; teapartytime; time2partyagain; value; vat
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To: Slapshot68
What’s the plan when the rich decide to pull up stakes and leave this country?

I would advocate that the country's producers all relocate to California, take over, eliminate the Leftist crap, and then, if necessary, withdraw from the union.

141 posted on 05/27/2009 7:18:57 AM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham (What did Obama's Teleprompter know, and when did it know it...)
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To: demoskowitz; zot

Thank heaven, if this passes then we will all know we are rich and that, no matter what our pay check says, we are really making more than $250,000 a year. And that those greedy capitalists are just keep it from us.


142 posted on 05/27/2009 7:20:27 AM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: randita

They understand that they have the power to raise taxes and the voters ‘be damn.’ The Dem’s special interest pacs and union thugs will keep up the money inflow to insure their re-election...and don’t forget ACORN doing its part to stuff the ballot boxes.


143 posted on 05/27/2009 7:22:17 AM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: demoskowitz

That’s 10% on everything you buy, from a $3.00 gallon of gas to a $7.00 bag of pullups...and that is OVER AND ABOVE the state and local sales tax you will already pay. We’re ALL screwed.


144 posted on 05/27/2009 7:22:33 AM PDT by cake_crumb (It's better to be "The Party of No" than (continuing as) "The Party of Can't Say No".)
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To: demoskowitz

I wonder if they’ll double the VAT on tea bags out of vindictiveness...


145 posted on 05/27/2009 7:24:51 AM PDT by cake_crumb (It's better to be "The Party of No" than (continuing as) "The Party of Can't Say No".)
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To: livius

And aren’t they making noises about raising the payroll tax withdrawal percentage also? Or lifting the ceiling from, what is it 95,000 to ???? Either way, employers will have to shell out more on their part - another brilliant scheme from the Democrats to keep salaries low, lay off more employees, and make consumer product costs higher.


146 posted on 05/27/2009 7:29:11 AM PDT by 3catsanadog (I plan to give the new President the same respect and dignity the other side gave Bush.)
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To: dirtboy

Yep, if we just cut the DoD completely, we will have enough money to fund all of the president’s planned spending. We don’t need any national defense because the president has changed how the world looks at us. With the war-mongering Bush gone, everyone knows that the US is only interested in peace with the rest of the world. No one will attack the US due to the new respect the president has given the US in the eyes of all who only hated the US because Bush was president. With Bush gone everything is wonderful.

(scarcasm off)


147 posted on 05/27/2009 7:30:41 AM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: randita
What part of “tax revolt” do they not understand?

Oh, they understand it, all right.

Why they are ignoring it is because the "tax revolt" is not accompanied by tar, feathers, pitchforks, and rope.

148 posted on 05/27/2009 7:30:55 AM PDT by Gritty (This is our moment. We are fundamentally transforming the United States of America.-B Hussein Obama)
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To: 3catsanadog
Why not close the doors and lock up for the summer. Then I can get a gubment check.

Fascists!!!!!!!!!

149 posted on 05/27/2009 7:34:14 AM PDT by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
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To: Travis McGee

next they’ll outlaw gardens.

Hey... all you Zero voters... How’s that change working for y’all??


150 posted on 05/27/2009 7:34:21 AM PDT by Bubba (TERM LIMITS + MAKE DUELING LEGAL! Accurate HISTORY... THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT.)
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To: listenhillary

“Some of the time I am of the opinion that we should encourage the government to do even more foolish things with the idea in mind that the sooner they break they system totally, the sooner we can get on with the rebuilding.

Then I think of how many will perish and I reconsider.”

Very well said and I have the same thoughts very often.


151 posted on 05/27/2009 7:35:02 AM PDT by CSM (Business is too big too fail... Government is too big to succeed... I am too small to matter...)
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To: demoskowitz

Go ahead, dems... PLEASE over-reach and go hard for this one. Anyone remember how Howard Jarvis lit the anti-tax spark in CA through Prop. 13? What better campaign promise can a conservative have than “See what happens when you put liberals in office?”


152 posted on 05/27/2009 7:35:56 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Impeach President Soros!!!)
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To: REPANDPROUDOFIT

“THEY THINK WE ARE SUCH IDIOTS!!!!”

To a point, they’re right in a collective sense, because so many of these socialists get elected and re-elected.


153 posted on 05/27/2009 7:36:58 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Impeach President Soros!!!)
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To: April Lexington

How much ya wanna bet the folks on welfare will get a special id card that will exempt them from having to pay any sales tax.


154 posted on 05/27/2009 7:38:38 AM PDT by 3catsanadog (I plan to give the new President the same respect and dignity the other side gave Bush.)
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To: staytrue; yankeedame

Another would be Warren Buffet who fought against the death tax, under the guise of a rich guy willing to pay himself, when wasn’t mentioned his GEICO insurance company, and other companies of his, sell policies at a profit for those very taxes. No tax, no need for his policies, no business, big business and big profits for Buffet.

Then of course, Buffett loaning Citigroup billions and then supporting Obama/Paulson/Bush giving/loaning Citigroup billions.


155 posted on 05/27/2009 7:39:07 AM PDT by Leisler ("It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged."~G.K. Chesterton)
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To: mikelets456

This has gone beyond the “see, I told you this administration is bad...” to, please stop this, I can’t take it anymore!


It’s going to advance to the point BEYOND telling and convincing, and instead doing ALL THAT IS NECESSARY to take our government back.


156 posted on 05/27/2009 7:39:51 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Impeach President Soros!!!)
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To: cake_crumb
I wonder if they’ll double the VAT on tea bags out of vindictiveness...

By George, they just might.

157 posted on 05/27/2009 7:40:00 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (The box is broke. You don't have any choice now but to think outside of it.)
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To: SoFloFreeper

He just meant federal withholding income tax, I’m sure. Other than than he and his minions are finding new ways to tax the very air we breathe. I bet there will be increases in those umpteen fees and charges we have on our utility bills.


158 posted on 05/27/2009 7:40:44 AM PDT by 3catsanadog (I plan to give the new President the same respect and dignity the other side gave Bush.)
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To: cbkaty; demoskowitz; Leisler

Need ~550 of these on the National Mall. Release conditional upon immediate resignation, pledge never to run again for public office or lobby same, forfeit any future retirement/benefit $$.

159 posted on 05/27/2009 7:42:45 AM PDT by DTogo (High time to bring back the Sons of Liberty !!)
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To: demoskowitz

a VAT is not a sales tax, its a hidden tax levied at every stage of production


160 posted on 05/27/2009 7:43:14 AM PDT by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com for the love of something)
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