Sales tax rates by state

[King]

Sales taxes are one of the worst taxes in existence for economies.  Its amazing how many businessmen support it.

[King]

No moral argument from me. In fact, it's almost always used to moralize with governments putting exemptions into food and newspapers and whatever it wants to promote and jacking it up on alcohol and tobacco.

Sales tax, especially a high one in the fantasy VAT-only world a lot of conservative think tanks want deters consumption in an American economy that is almost exclusively a retail only business.  It would also make it difficult for people to budget. The responsible adult would have no clue what his tax bill would be month to month.

I'd support a flat income tax before a national sales tax and I'm far from sold on that idea.