Herman Cain Is Not a Serious Candidate for President

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You didn't listen to what he said: The tax that's being 'replaced' is the current federal tax code, NOT the states' taxes. The price you pay at the register already includes multiple taxes at various stages of production, marketing and distribution. By replacing those taxes with 9-9-9, your price at the register is likely to be similar or perhaps even less than it is now, even WITH the addition of a 9% federal sales tax. People need to listen to what's being said, and actually try to understand it.

Chris Conlee of CA 11:35AM October 17, 2011

9-9-9 works if you can understand two basic things:
1)embedded taxes- approximately 20% of the purchase price of everything you buy goes to cover taxes paid during production. This goes away and therefore prices should drop approximately 20%.
2)Adam Smith's invisible hand - this is the reason why prices will drop 20% once embedded taxes are stripped out - competition.
Evidently the writer of this post, David Gregory and just about everyone who interviews Herman Cain are unable to comprehend these two simple concepts.

John of GA 10:51AM October 17, 2011

Trouble is that Republicans don't understand (or choose to deny) that lack of consumer demand is what's heading the economy toward deeper recession. They blame it all on taxes and regulations, so 9-9-9, which seems like a tax reduction even if it isn't, appeals to the naive rank and file.

CarlosB12 10:51AM October 17, 2011

For a writer who did such a sorry job of reviewing the book on Sarah Palin, she sure did a good job of gleaning the pertinent aspects of Herman Cain's campaign.

msgijoe of MS 10:45AM October 17, 2011

No thought was put into this article and it shows a complete lack of understanding of taxes. Take this comment: "But the tax could also be passed on to consumers." Wow. What a silly statement. ALL taxes are passed on to all consumers right NOW in higher prices. They just can't see them and liberals like it that way. The Cain proposal eliminates all those hidden taxes and makes them visible where they can be identified. The true cost of government will be apparent for the first time, and that cost is now approaching 45% added to prices. Cain's approach is very good for all of us and for the future of our country.

CK JAGUAR of VA 10:42AM October 17, 2011

Ah, yes. The Left's "Let's get serious" mantra.
I bet you replay the "We inherited it" tape, too. Well a great CEO knows that when he/she steps in, it's his/her mess, no matter who created it.
The Prez could do well to learn from this CEO.
For a national news column, this is one of the most poorly-written, biased, non-fact drived pieces I've ever read.
You need to "get serious" about your writing...

MELISSA of TX 10:37AM October 17, 2011

Regressive taxation based on "relative Burden" is a myth. 9% is 9%. It is mathematically, proportionally fair period. The reality is that 30-40 percent of the population pays nothing in federal taxes.
There are "no free lunches." Nor should there be. If everyone in the boat picks up an oar and rows, you take away all arguments about whether or not someone deserves x, y, and z.
The idea that someone can't pay 9% of 10000, 20000, 40000, etc is laughable. It may mean a person can't have an iphone 4, new auto, etc. It will also mean that someone making $10M can't hire a good accountant and lawyer to avoid paying anything through clever tax shelters. Wake up!

Neil Wilson of GA 10:36AM October 17, 2011