Obama demanding a VAT for the USA

[War on Want]

I wish Obama wanted a VAT.

You like regressive taxation?

No, but as long as we are going to have regressive taxation in this nation, I will support a VAT over a retail sales tax.

We don't have a federal sales tax at this point, and I'd like to keep it that way.

There are 5 states without a sales tax, and all 5 have very small populations so that doesn't mean much. I would rather that the federal government streamline the sales tax, so it is the same in all states and turn it into a VAT, which is preferable to a sales tax if it is kept low like in Canada.

That can't be done because the feds can't force states to repeal their sales taxes. And if all states did that would cause even more issues. A VAT can't work in a country as decentralized as the US.

I know but it would be the ideal imo. Because of issues like these, I dislike federalism.

Federalism is also why California can legalize marijuana and some states can have gay marriage. Works both ways. If it wasn't for this any serious progress on any issue would be held up by the south.

I only dislike federalism when it hurts our side.

I can see the huge value in federalism for a country like the United States but I just hate the arguments that moderate heros and the right wing uses in defense of outdated, stupid parts of our government/electoral system, like the senate and electoral college that involve federalism.

[Democratic Hawk]

Some Dems are beginning to realize that to get to the level of federal involvement that they desire,  the working and middle class will have to pay more taxes, and that means a national sales tax. It is good that this issue is coming up, so folks can discuss whether they are willing to pay more, for more government.

All the 'Crash of 2008' tells me is that there is a case for more active government to 1) regulate the excesses of the market and 2) create a fairer society - because that defined Western capitalism during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s

It's time the "cult of neoliberalism" went the way of revolutionary socialism. Nowt good ever came of ideological rigormortis