Any Obama Supporters Want to Defend This?
If someone wanted to see the tea parties get really out of control just try to pass this.
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… 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.”
A VAT is a tax on the transfer of goods and services that ultimately is borne by the consumer. Highly visible, it would increase the cost of just about everything, from a carton of eggs to a visit with a lawyer. It is also hugely regressive, falling heavily on the poor. But VAT advocates say those negatives could be offset by using the proceeds to pay for health care for every American — a tangible benefit that would be highly valuable to low-income families…
I suppose this means that 95% of Americans will stop eating. Otherwise his whole changey-hopey campaign was a damn sham and over 50 million dumb asses bought it!
Category: Politics
You will see in the next year Corporate interests push the VAT because it will allow the Democrats to cut business taxes. Additionally, a VAT is a tax on spending not savings.
This is all about paying for his folly into “universal healthcare”, which we all know isn’t free and the gummint doesn’t have the money to pay the $trillion plus per year to pay for it.
“It is also hugely regressive, falling heavily on the poor. But VAT advocates say those negatives could be offset by using the proceeds to pay for health care for every American — a tangible benefit that would be highly valuable to low-income families.”
Well, at least they don’t have to choose between food and health care anymore. Now poor families will be able to have a doctor tell them about all the medical problems caused by not eating all that food they can’t afford.
Hang on to your asses(and wallets), the 50% tax rate for everyone is fast approaching. Between the VAT and Cap and Tax, the 0 will make sure that everyone but the rich dems are totally dependent on the gubmint.
Actually a VAT is highly invisible. VAT is really popular in Europe, where the price you see for something in the store includes the value added tax. Here in the US with the sales tax, most places show the price of the item as is, and then you add the sales tax at the register.
The practical effect of this is that Joe six-pack doesn’t see the real cost and tax of something, he just sees how much is coming out of his wallet.
Think of it in terms of gas. How many of us know offhand how much state and federal tax you pay for a gallon of gas?
Dave,
I’m going to type this slowly so you can understand it.
The price of gas at the pump, as it is listed, includes state and federal tax. If you look, you’ll find the sticker that tells you how much state taxes and how much federal taxes are added to each gallon.
As for taxes at the store, you have city, state and federal taxes added in. Now- let’s at a VAT tax on top of the city and state taxes. My $6.78 six-pack of bud costs me $12.00?
Look at cig prices now days and see if that is reasonable thinking.
Whoa, Dutch I was trying to get across how insidious the VAT is, not that it’s a good thing.
The reason the VAT is popular in Europe is because politicians can tax the sheep without most of the sheep knowing it. They just take it for granted.
Back to the gas pump. Yes, the federal, state and local taxes are listed at the pump, but how many people actually look at that? People complain about the price of gas not knowing (or caring) how much of that price is tax.
Last example-when you stop by your local movie theater, you will probably see prices that include sales tax. It is much easier for theaters to keep prices at round amounts, usually 1/4 dollars to avoid the time it takes to make change. But they are required to state that the prices listed include sales tax.
I would say it is a fundamental principle in America that we know how much the government is taxing us. The VAT undermines that.
Missed your thrust, Dave.
If the people don’t have the sense to look and see what the price of taxes are, when it is written right in front of them, what hope do you have in explaining VAT using a European example?
Guys, just go to our neighbors to the north, to see how the VAT works. My sister-in-law in Canadian, her brother is just nuts over how much the government takes from the Canadian citizens, and how it’s hidden. And he hates the health-care system. Imagine a 5 month wait for a root canal, and a board determining if you’re worthy of health care at all. Or imagine the loons in DC running health care, the same ones who tell us that “climate change-global warming” can be solved if we only paint our roofs and roads and sidewalks white, and drive motorized roller skates.