I fear Huckabees...

I was surfing last weekend (channel, that is) and came across Gov Huckabee explaining his presidential platform, and his idea for tax reform. He would like to ditch all income taxes and replace them with a 23% federal sales tax. This, he's says, would be fair -- rich people spend lots of money, so they'd pay lots of taxes, while poor people don't spend lots of money so they won't pay lots of taxes.

I'm thinking he's nuts. There actually was a time I thought something like that was a good idea -- of course, there was a time when I thought Bill Clinton was a good president (instead of being a promiscuous horn dog with lucky timing). How many of you that live in a state that charges sales tax buys stuff online just so you can avoid sales tax? Rich people will start doing the same thing, except they'll buy overseas -- and live there if need be. Meanwhile poor people will be paying nearly $4 for a gallon of milk (and gas). Huckabee says that with no taxes, companies will be able to charge less for goods, because they will take out the tax portion of the cost. And I believe in the tooth fairy.

The current system is not exactly fair -- the richest people pay large sums of money, while some people at the lower end of the scale pay nothing at all. Under his system everyone pays, unless they buy overseas - something poor people won't be able to do. There is already a rather obscene gap between the haves and the have not's in this country -- the middle class is dwindling a little more each year. Huckabee's proposal won't help.

Even if he is the Family Friendliest candidate...