[Stosh]

Thanks for the clarification.

You’re right, a national sales tax is not the same as a VAT. I’d still worry about abuse of a national sales tax (and most especially if the donkeys tried to use it as a gateway to a VAT), but still a national sales tax is a whole lot more palatable than a VAT.

[MNJohnnie]

What stops the current political class from doing that very thing under the existing tax code?

The same political and economic pressure that prevents the Congress from simply hiking tax rates when ever it feels like now, would apply to even a great extent in a 9-9-9 system.

Everyone pays so everyone knows any tax hike means they pay more. Under 9-9-9 the is no more illusion that someone else is paying for your "help" from the Government