dr. altshuler? >> i agree with donald. i'm a fan and i very much believe that all roads lead to a v vat. adding a vat onto the system would allow for lower rates. you get the benefits for the lower rates. you ha a system that's much less complicated, much less of incentives for income shifting. it's implementable. we can do this. canada -- all other countries in the oecd have a vat. this is how they raise their revenue. virtually every other country in the world has a vat. so it is something that could be done. >> but how do you protect those who aret the lowest end of the income distribution, those who are the most vulnerable among us? how do you protect them in that system? >> that is the difficulty. that's what gene and donald hve also talked about. now, remember that you're going to be retaining the income tax. so you canun refunds and transfer programs through the income tax. so by retaining the income tax. >> you could keep the earned income tax credit a child care credit? >> exactly. you can help the distribution co

dr. altshuler? >> i agree with donald. i'm a fan and i very much believe that all roads lead to a v vat. adding a vat onto the system would allow for lower rates. you get the benefits for the lower rates. you have a system that's much less complicated, much less of incentives for income shifting. it's implementable. we can do this. canada -- all other countries in the oecd have a vat. thiss how they raise their renue. virtually every other country in the world has a vat. so it is something that could be done. >> but how do you protect those who are at the lowest end of the income distribution, those who are the most vulnerable among us? how do you protect them in that system? >> that is the difficulty. that's what gene and donald have also talked about. now, remember that you're going to be retaining t income tax. so you can run refunds and transfer programs through the income tax. so by retaining the income tax. >> you could keep the earned income tax credit and child care credit? >> exactly. you can help the distribution

dr. altshuler? >> i agree with donald. i'm a fan and i very much believe that all roads lead to a v vat. adding a vat onto the system would allow for lower rates. you get the benefits for the lower rates. you have a system that's much less complicated, much less of incentives for income shifting. it's implementable. we can do this. canada -- all other countries in the oecd have a vat. this is how they raise their revenue. virtually every other country in the world has a vat. so it is something that could be done. >> but how do you protect those who are at the lowest end of the income distribution, those who are the most vulnerable among us? how do you protect them in that system? >> that is the difficulty. that's what gene and donald have also talked about. now, remember that you're going to be retaining the income tax. so you can run refunds and transfer programs through the income tax. so by retaining the income tax. >> you could keep the earned income tax credit and child care credit? >> exactly. you can help the distri