Espresso Tax

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: heartsurgeon
LunarRay

I get a headache trying to figure out anything the europeans do....
I will concede to your correctness about VAT. I still do believe that the VAT
is a source of enormous revenue for european goverments, and is highly regressive.

Yes it is highly regressive. However, since I was in Ireland in '80 - '81 they have tried to alter the regressiveness of VAT by, for instance, exempting things like kids clothing and other items. Each EEO country has a slightly different law re exemptions, rates etc. My VAT book for Ireland is 297 pages long and is from '80 I, however, have 248 changed pages to insert. (I still get them - god knows why )
I listened to one of our Polititians 'spouting' off, as usual, about the merits of VAT. It is 'unseen' and folks get used to it and don't even think about it as they shop. The price is the price... no complaints. It simply makes buying stuff put on an even keel. The variance in spending power exists in the $ one makes (net) This may be a good thing... if you can afford to live, that is.