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[Freelancer]

This message was self-deleted by its author (Freelancer) on Tue Jul 23, 2019, 09:23 AM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. How do you have a graduated sales tax, without

Providing personal financial information to everyone

[Freelancer]

3. A fixed percentage sales tax like states have, and a progressive income tax for higher earners nt

[djean111]

2. Do you mean a national sales tax instead of income tax? Can't see us doing that.

[Freelancer]

4. For low income people, the Social Security tax would go away, replaced by sales tax

And most of that would be gotten back if they bought U.S. goods through the tax rebate.

[djean111]

5. IMO that would be the beginning of the end of Social Security.

The sales tax money would be gradually channeled into the MIC and private insurance and Pharma. And the rich would still have their loopholes. The poor would be left with higher taxes on things they need to live.
This is the United States we are talking about. Corrupt to the bone.

Also, I am not sure if the TPP allows labeling as to country of origin, because that would affect profits.

[Freelancer]

9. Thanks for the response. I agree to a point.

I think it would be possible to make a rigid portion of the sales tax be dedicated to Social Security. I'm sure you're right that Big Insurance and Pharma would compete for their piece of the pie, but they're taking more and more of retirees pie every year out of their SSI anyway.

You're right that the rich would find loopholes. But one of the advantages of this plan is that it would stop some of the U.S. Companies that are thinking of moving their bases of operations to other countries to cheat the U.S. out of taxes. They would have to stay U.S. companies in order to get the sales boost from the tax rebate incentives. Also, the ability to rescind the favored status if a company acts badly would amount to a really big stick that the U.S. would have at its disposal to keep some corporations in check.

Good talk.
Thanks!

[MichMan]

6. How would it work?

I still don't understand how you would implement a graduated sales tax. Would everyone need to supply their IRS tax form before making a purchase?

If I was buying a big ticket item, I would just get the neighbor kid to buy it for me.

[Freelancer]

8. It wouldn't be graduated. Income tax for high earners would. nt

[Joe Turner]

7. Europe in particular has been using a sales tax (VAT) as a tariff for years

America comes the closest of any major country to open trade without trade barriers...and look where it got us. As for retaliation, America runs large trade deficits with just about every one of our trade partners. Given that, actual retaliation against the U.S. would be foolish for the other side because they stand to lose a lot more in a trade war with the U.S. I/O/Ws we have a lot of leverage to improve our trade balance with the rest of the world. Of course Wall Street and the corporate owned media will use their patented scare tactics to sell the notion that anything other than America bleeding hundreds of billions of dollars in red ink every year would cause a depression...when the reality is many millions of Americans have been experiencing a depression for decades.

[Freelancer]

10. Yep -- First empire in history that gives tribute to it's recondite parts instead of taking it.

Forget about the big banks. The U.S. is the ultimate Too-Big-To-Fail. There's nothing like us -- never has been. What this means in historic terms, no one can really say. I suspect, though, that it does mean that whenever you hear some quote repeated from an historic economist, and it applies to today -- that can't possibly be really true. There are no straight lines any more. The sheer mass of the U.S. is bending economic space around us.

Well, that got weird, but I like it. (Gotta cut back on watching so much Degrasse Tyson).

Thanks for responding. I appreciate the interaction.

[djean111]

11. Another thing to keep in mind is that Europeans pay higher taxes, but get Universal Health Care and

awesome transportation out of that. The US takes our taxes and spends a ridiculously high percentage on war.

Sometimes the US looks pretty FUBAR.

Yes, good talk. Thanks.