LetsRok: "The reason a national sales tax will never work is that it takes the power away from legislatures."
So does, not being re-elected by displeasing your constitutents by not enacting a law they demand.
A Congress Critter without a seat in Congress is a pitiful creature indeed.
tberry: Exactly!! Not only the power to give influence but also the power to control money and the support of their projects as they see fit.
Not much influence, power to control money or project to see fit, when someone else who heeds a constuencies demands for tax reform.
They will never voluntarily give away their "Golden Egg." You will note that whatever tax is mentioned, it is always required to be "revenue neutral."
You would have Congress violate the Budget Enforcement Act, demanded by conservatives to force budget discipine?
Revenue neutral just means you must repeal programs, to enact tax reduction. Better get busy on your Congress Critter to repeal and cut programs if you want lower tax rates.
They won't care what it looks like as long as they can manipulate it. Right now the Sales Tax is presented as returning money to the poor.
Wrong, it returns tax money to everyone, an effective tax cut that does not violate the Budget Enforcement Act, and thus provides a means to enable enactment and still provides the same revenue paid into the treasury as current law.
The average family currently pays 23% of your gross income in total federal taxes. Under the NRST of 23% of consumption expenditure of families.
The FCA is is a tax pay back to all Americans without any qualification otherthan being a legal resident. The same amount is paid to each and every American lowering the effective taxrate to much less than the apparent 23% of the bill.
What will keep them from returning money to whomever they please to give favor just as they do today? Nothing!!
Who else is left to return the money to after every single resident already receives the same amount as a return of taxes?
I don't believe the right to tax and control our money and the resultant power will ever be voluntarily given up.
Ever hear of elections? Its up to you to work to remove the Congress Critter in you district that is not doing the job you expect of him. The power is yours, to remove em. They have nothing when someone else, who listens to the electorate, holds the office.
Your powers to exercise they have no contol over, the soap box and ballot and jury boxes. I suggest you start participating instead of acting like a peon an slave.
As long as you believe you are a slave, you will be treated that way by the incumbent Congress Critters. It's all up to you to make the change and throw off the shackles you have placed on yourself.