Please Ban SDM

[Andy]

[James S]

[Maf54]

[goodbye]

[Andy]

[James S]

[Andy]

I would like that too, but can you imagine what people would do in the face of a 45-55% VAT?

[Maf54]

[Andy]

Most of the countries I know of with VATs are blessed by favorable exchange rates. American retailers, on the other hand, are already operating dangerously close to the bottom line -- there's no way they could absorb even a 10% VAT.

Personally, I think it's better that people recognise how much they're getting taken for. In that respect; I'd love to see a federal sales tax.

But it'd never pass congress so long as there was a socialist there. That would be even better than a flat tax, for the financially responsible. If you were only taxed when you bought something; the rich wouldn't be taxed on the money they didn't spend. For the extremely rich, their tax rate may very well be less than half of that of a day-to-day working class family. The democrats in Washington would literally shit themselves at the thought of something like that.

[Digby]

I like this idea:



[EDIT]

Here's a link to the proposal in a nutshell:

[Maf54]

I think it was sandy that earlier this year had a very good idea fora tax system. One in which (lets say the ammount needed to live is $15,000 a year) no one is taxed on their first $15,000. So the person that makes $15,002 is only taxed on $2. While teh person that makes $14,998 doesn't pay any taxes.

[Andy]

I browsed over the fair tax thing: I've got one question. What about stuff I buy online? How about stuff I buy online from other countries?

[MZ|nli]

[quote=Andy]and that's an american full-time day, not those bankers hours you call full-time in Europe[/quote]
You make it sound like the European full-time days being shorter is a bad thing.
Makes a lot of sense to work 8hrs/day, have 8hrs spare time and sleep 8 hrs. The Japanese in turn would probably call your full-time days banking hours

[Andy]

The Japanese work ethic is something to be admired. Look at Japan, the second largest economy in the world. Great accomplishment.

If Americans, in general, had half the work ethic of many eastern people -- everyone else may as well just fold their hand and give up because the game's over. America wins.

Unfortunatly, the way the value system is set up -- I think 35 hour work weeks will be seen before that happens.

[Bjorn Keizers]