QuoteOriginally posted by: DCFCI think we do know that difference. However, the problem with starting with policy X, is that there is a good chance that the process will turn out a policy near it, but different.We as in Wilmott posters probably do for the most part, but I'd bet most (a rare use of that word for me) of the US voting population does not. More than half of the Americans I talk to, metro or retro, couldn't even tell you what an excise tax is, or name one rate or good subject to excise taxes in the US. I figured that the only way we get away with such high overall levels of taxation as it is is that we bury and layer taxes in dozens of forms with overlapping rates that most voters will never come close to understanding. Either a VAT or sales tax would be more transparent for sure. Capital asset or flat income taxes would also get us closer to the goal, but I'd like to see a bill on Capitol hill before I speculate...