No. of Recommendations: 7
The two main goals for any tax raising policy are to get the most tax revenue for the least amount of damage to the economy (the most feathers from the goose with the least hissing), and with the fewest economic distortions. So far, history seems to show that a single-rate tax on ALL goods and services, produced locally or elsewhere, is closest to that. Often accompanied by some sort of offsetting but relatively constant credit for the poorest, as current spending makes up a larger part of whatever income they have.
A national sales tax is a political non-starter in the USA.
Would a 15% across the board import tax get us some way to a national sales tax? Seems so, but with, as you point out, serious and undesirable side-effects.
Personally, I think a 15% or so VAT is what we need, but that's not going to happen.
