With AARP against privitization.... I think we are being set-up

[cthrumatrix]

The AARP can/has been bought off in the past. We all witness thier support of the sham medicare reform bill. The AARP is coming out today and sharing only 5% of the people like privatization "after knowing the consequences".

If you haven't been watching...the discussion of a "value added tax" is now being discussed as a "way to save Soc Security".

The truth is... this was the plan the whole time. Rove and company need a way to reign in our deficits and a VAT (value added tax) would hurt those in lower/middle incomes .... just what the bushbots love.

I'm willing to be wrong...remember the stock market would like that money.

see article from yesterday:

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the House tax-writing committee said Sunday that President Bush's drive to overhaul Social Security should lead to consideration of a value-added tax or other ways to pay for Social Security.
Congress also should consider basing benefits on such factors as race, sex and the job a retiree once held, said Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif.

"The way we fund the Social Security system, I think, needs to be examined. What we fund it for, chronic or long-term care, has not been addressed, and that's one of seniors' major needs," Thomas said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050124/1063335.asp

This could have been the plan all along. The Dems puch back on privatization with the goal being a "tax aimed at the middle and lower class".

[shoelace414]

1. he also totally nixed

the idea of removing the cap on FICA taxes because it would "hurt job growth"

but a VAT is fine!

[papau]

2. A Vat that replaces state sales taxes makes sense - as a way to end wage

or income tax, it must be fought.

I doubt that the votes are even close to being there for this - the 94 Congress had very few conservatives willing to jump in - and the current Congress seems to have folks that are not as interested in even thinking about such a change.

Indeed - it is the current GOP congresses lack of desire to think that actually makes it a little possible. So the only way to really stop this is to make a lot of noise and educate those in the media who still like to use their heads.

[cthrumatrix]

3. 'Increase in VAT will hurt poor, small businesses' -Amer. Chamber of Comm

'Increase in VAT will hurt poor, small businesses'
Posted: 4:17 PM | Jan. 25, 2005

MOVES by the government to raise the level of value added tax (VAT) from 10 percent to 12 percent would hit hardest the country's poor and its small businesses, the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines said.

In a position paper to the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, a copy of which has been obtained by AFP, the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines said the key to economic recovery was not through the imposition of new or increasing existing taxes.



It said any increase in VAT would pose a serious burden on the country's poor and small to medium size enterprises and would also lead to greater tax avoidance.

http://money.inq7.net/breakingnews/view_breakingnews.php?yyyy=2005&mon=01&dd=25&file=11

American Chamber of Commerce speaks out for the Philippines ...I wonder thier views domestically?

[papau]

4. :-) - the export rules make the VAT a better sales tax - and cost of

collection is less than sales tax, and ability to avoid is less than sales tax.

American Chamber of Commerce appears to have an agenda that doesn't really worry about the poor.