Why are people so silent over the proposed National Sales Tax?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

[zanana]

1. I'll never understand how some things just "slip through"

I think that if the mainstream media doesn't pick it up and focus on a subject, it ceases to exist. I think we're too intellectually lazy to actually research things like this.

[mhr]

2. Most Americans Are So Dense On Tax Policy, They Will See This

As true reform.

It will take most people at least a year to figure out they have been screwed again.

[CBHagman]

3. Back in October I e-mailed about a dozen friends and relatives...

...to ask them whether they had heard of this. Most hadn't, and at least one didn't seem to grasp what could potentially happen. I get the impression that most people just don't take it in and don't realize what this would mean for the working poor and middle class in this country.

Anyway, it seems that the issue has not died. The last article I read on the Bush economic team and plans for the second term suggested that a national sales tax is still something they are looking into. Where is the mobilization against this?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

7. The issue absolutely, positively has not died

My reason for this thread was ANOTHER thread I posted this morning, referencing an article on Karl Rove's "agenda" in the new issue of Newsweek. The national sales tax is mentioned:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1396669&mesg_id=1396669

People need to understand that they will continue to pay their local state sales tax, and that the highly publicized "additional 23%" has been WIDELY debunked, with many economists saying that the additional amount would have to be AT LEAST 40-50%.

In California I pay 8.25%. So everything would start costing me 148-158% of the sticker price. Also, Bush has discussed the possibility of taxing SERVICES as well as GOODS (such as visits to your doctor).

And yet, people are silent. The worst part of this is that Bush DENIED it during the campaign, when it might have hurt him...so it now follows in the highly distinguished footsteps of his father's "read my lips, no new taxes" lie.

:grr:

[ooglymoogly]

4. got to find some way to pay for the huge tax cuts for the rich

and the ones planned. in other words the poor will be paying for tax cuts for the rich

[emdee]

5. Explaining my vote for "other"

For some reason *anything* this man wants to do is ok with conservatives and they will turn a blind eye to anything negative.

They have been brainwashed into thinking that questioning Bush is Anti-American and Anti-Christian --- which is bologna, but works in Bush's favor.

emdee

[w4rma]

6. If big media doesn't cover it, it never happened. (nt)

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[MostlyLurks]

9. I was for a NST up until about 2001.

Frankly, I just didn't understand that it was regressive. To me, being somewhat politically/socially disconnected (i.e. ignorant) until about 2001, it seemed logical: let people decide how much they can afford to pay in taxes. It never occurred to me that the poorer you are, the more of your money goes toward what-would-be-taxable purchases, while richer people can avoid taxation of major portions of their income.

Simply put, I just hadn't thought about it or had anyone really explain it to me.

Additionally, I think the nearly-universal presence of state/local sales taxes throughout the country has softened people to the idea of a sales tax.

[CBHagman]

10. People moan and complain when we raise sales tax a few cents.

They really haven't grasped what this means yet. They'd better do so fast, or we're all screwed.

By the way, we were encouraged to spend more to help the economy. This model throws that out the windowe entirely.

[Rambis]

11. The argument is

that we get rid of the IRS saving 500 billion dollars and people will have 25% more income to spend to pay for the tax. "They" also say that 22% of prices of goods is based on taxes so that prices will go down if the merchants don't have to build that into the price of the products they produce. It is a good theory but then again so is Marxism and redistribution of wealth. It looks good on paper but it won't ever happen. In other words it is a crock of schite!

[Telly Savalas]

12. Virtually no progress has been made towards instituting it

If it gets mentioned in the state of the union or a bill is introduced in Congress, we'll certainly be hearing more about it.

[Touchdown]

13. I'm silent, because there's nothing I can do about it.

They control everything. If they want a Nat. Sales tax, it will happen. Privatize SS? It's going to happen. Steal SS funds in the Stock Market? It'll happen. Once people have to pay $12 for a bottle of Mr. Clean then maybe they'll listen, but I'm tired of trying to alert people who don't want to be alerted.

A friend of mine went to Hick-Mart last Friday. She was bitching about the giant bruise on her thigh from some lady who rammed one of her 3 carts into her. One more time i asked her "Why do you go there???", and her reply was "Because I'm stupid." ...Oh' well. For 2 years, I've tried to get her to stop shopping at Wallyworld, and she still does it. Nicest woman you can meet, but she's going to do what she wants, and that's that.

[WI_DEM]

14. since this would represent the biggest tax hike in history

let's hope not a single dem will vote for it and if it passes it will be the Republican party which will have to defend it.

[JaneDoughnut]

15. Where can I find summary?

Where can we find a summary of the proposed changes? Several months ago someone directed me to this website:

http://www.apttax.com/

And at the time I already had concerns with it. The regressive nature of sales taxes, the elimination of any local or state control over tax revenue, the lost incentive for charity donations, etc...

But I don't know how closely this mirrors the Bush regime's proposed changes.

[hatrack]

16. You forgot one category:

"Too Busy Awaiting Penalty Phase Of Scott Petersen Trial"

:eyes:

[sendero]

17. I've been wrong before...

... but I just don't see this going anywhere. Not because Bush* is not in a position to ram it through if he really wanted to, but because there are a lot of powerful interests that would be hurt, this is not just a stick-it-to-the-little-guy plan, this is a stick-it-to-vested-interests plan.

It will have no legs at all, it's just some think tank weenies (libertarian types no doubt) babbling as usual.

[democratreformed]

18. Here's one thing I've been thinking about on this issue:

On large purchases (houses, vehicles, etc.), would this, then, allow us to FINANCE our tax burden? Do you suppose that's part of the intent? FINANCE, FINANCE, FINANCE - DEBT, DEBT, DEBT.

[ieoeja]

19. GOPAC says "no national sales tax"

I caught a GOPAC meeting on C-SPAN after the election. They started the tax policy discussion by saying the election proved the National Sales Tax was a bad idea. A Republican senatorial candidate up 28 points in one of the Carolinas drop to a tie within a week of saying he supported a National Sales Tax.

It would have also meant that the largest tax everyone paid thereafter would be a tax originated by the Republican Party sticking them with the "tax and spend" label in perpetuity.