Acknowledging it would be a highly unpopular move, White House economic adviser Paul Volcker said yesterday the United States should
consider imposing a "value added tax" similar to those charged in Europe to help get the deficit under control.
A VAT is a national sales tax that, like state and city sales taxes, would be collected by retailers.
Volcker, at the New-York Historical Society, told a panel on the global financial crisis that Congress might also have to consider new taxes on carbon and energy.
"The President has passed historic tax cuts for middle-class families and continues to push for more tax cuts. The President is not proposing to cut the deficit at the expense of middle-class families," said a White House official asked for comment.
The VAT suggestion was immediately met with outrage by Republicans.
"
It shouldn't surprise anyone that the Obama White House would advocate a European-style tax to help finance their European-style government health-care plan," said Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.
"When you hear things like this, though, it's almost as if the Democrats think the American people will forget that we're in this situation because of their reckless spending agenda."