Mitt Romney won't rule out the possibility of a VAT Tax

[Mvector]

Quote from Ricter:

He's not anti-gun, he's anti-certain kind of gun. He's not pro-choice, he's pro-certain kind of choice. His record indicates he cuts here, spends there--sound rational to me. He may be a technocrat, but he's a successful businessman, too; that's what you keep saying would be best, right?
His record of flipflops indicates he's trying to please a diverse audience. Practically speaking that makes him a centrist. Which, in our "if you're not with us you're against us" age, is his biggest problem.
I think he could have a real shot at the presidency, but first he'll have to convince the independents that he'll be like Obama (economically), but with muscle this time (and not flipflop into "disastrous"--that's for you, Lukie--republican policy prescriptions).

He is obama in a republican costume - get rid of these left-right "controlled opposition" central banker puppet boy candidates - these people all make me sick.

Ron Paul 2012 - America's last chance to get it right!

 

[achilles28]

Quote from Ricter:

He's not anti-gun, he's anti-certain kind of gun. He's not pro-choice, he's pro-certain kind of choice. His record indicates he cuts here, spends there--sound rational to me. He may be a technocrat, but he's a successful businessman, too; that's what you keep saying would be best, right?
His record of flipflops indicates he's trying to please a diverse audience.

No, his record of flipflops demonstrates he has no moral backbone and will say anything to win. Another bought and paid for shill in the Whitehouse. Just what we need. Mr "which way is the wind blowing now?"

 

[Trader666]

Because taxes are like vampires, not only because they suck the life out of you but also because some just don't die when they're supposed to. So we don't need any new vampires. Case in point:

Ala. still collecting tax for Confederate vets
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/20/national/main20080963.shtml

Quote from Martinghoul:

Why is a consumption tax such a bad thing, especially if it's accompanied by a cut in other taxes (e.g. income and corp)? Wouldn't that be good for American society, generally? I don't really have a view, but I don't see why it necessarily has to be such a bad thing...

 

[achilles28]

Quote from Trader666:

Because taxes are like vampires, not only because they suck the life out of you but also because some just don't die when they're supposed to. So we don't need any new vampires. Case in point:

Ala. still collecting tax for Confederate vets
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/20/national/main20080963.shtml

That, we can agree on. Taxes never die. Add more and we're f*d.

The entire point is to cut spending. Not tax more.

So MarkoftheBeast, which GOP candidate do you support?

 

[Tsing Tao]

Quote from achilles28:

This is from the guy who will "turn our economy around". Wake up, sheep.

In a recent interview on these pages, presidential candidate Mitt Romney refused to rule out a value-added tax (VAT). He suggested that this hidden form of a national sales tax—which is embedded in the prices of goods and services during the production process—might be appropriate, particularly as a way of financing other tax cuts.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203462304577134593785891220.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Lots of folks out there have talked about having a national sales tax as an alternative to income tax. Why is this any different?

 

[Martinghoul]

Quote from achilles28:
Oh, you mean like Europe? Where they slashed taxes after they passed the VAT?

Yep, I mean like in parts of Europe... Specifically, I mean like in Ireland, where they did, in fact, slash taxes (e.g. corp) after they adopted the pan-EU VAT framework (although not sure there's any causal relationship).

 

[Martinghoul]

Quote from Trader666:
Because taxes are like vampires, not only because they suck the life out of you but also because some just don't die when they're supposed to. So we don't need any new vampires. Case in point:

Ala. still collecting tax for Confederate vets
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/20/national/main20080963.shtml

Well, quite clearly, taxes don't have to be everywhere and always like vampires. If your political system and institutions are so screwed up that they can't come up with a taxation framework that's optimal for the population and acceptable to the majority, how is that a problem of the VAT concept itself? Especially, given that it's, quite clearly, perfectly viable in many cases...

 

[achilles28]

Quote from Tsing Tao:

Lots of folks out there have talked about having a national sales tax as an alternative to income tax. Why is this any different?

Because they never kill taxes, just add more. Give Washington another revenue stream, and they'll spend it, then decide to keep the old one that the new one was supposed to replace!

 

[achilles28]

Quote from Martinghoul:

Yep, I mean like in parts of Europe... Specifically, I mean like in Ireland, where they did, in fact, slash taxes (e.g. corp) after they adopted the pan-EU VAT framework (although not sure there's any causal relationship).

And how are they doing now? Lots of tax hikes and austerity planned for them .

 

[achilles28]

Quote from Martinghoul:

Well, quite clearly, taxes don't have to be everywhere and always like vampires. If your political system and institutions are so screwed up that they can't come up with a taxation framework that's optimal for the population and acceptable to the majority, how is that a problem of the VAT concept itself? Especially, given that it's, quite clearly, perfectly viable in many cases...

On paper. Europe isn't exactly a shining example of "optimal" tax policy. Or maybe it is? Better to be the tick, than carry it around on your back?