The value added tax will greatly increase the cost of goods, thus
affecting the
poor much more than the wealthy.

**************

That's why sales taxes are usually considered regressive. The poor are
compelled to spend 100% of their income on basic needs. The wealthy
spend as little as only a few percent on basic needs and merchandise
subject to VAT or sales tax, with a higher percentage spent on services
and travel and a very high percentage on investment.

When you go to a poor person and say, "VAT is 20%, so give me 20% of
what your earn" that can hurt a lot worse, (even though it's a lot less
money), than approaching a wealthy person with "VAT is 20% and you
spend 25% of your earnings on taxable items so hand over 5%".

Flat tax, flat tax, flat tax, flat tax, flat tax. No tax on the first
$30,000 or so per family per year, then a fixed rate of 15-20% on all
earnings above that regardless of source. It's very fair, doesn't
burden the poor with any tax at all, and takes a fixed, predictable,
even percentage from everybody else without special favors or
exemptions.