On Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:09:48 +0100, Frank Slootweg
wrote:


Which is exactly why we exclude it here, keeping our taxes much lower
than yours by constantly pointing out how much of the total price it
is.

Well, your *product* (i.e. sales, VAT, whatever) taxes are not that
much lower. You are probably thinking about income tax, social
securrity, etc..

Excuse me? Our sales taxes range from zero to around 8%. In Sweden,
they are something like 25%. According to a search I did, the general
VAT in The Netherlands is 19%. Just how is that not much different
from ours?


Anyway, we don't have to be reminded how much the tax is, because they
are fixed percentages and - at least in The Netherlands - only two
categories, simply put 'essential' products like some foods, etc., and
'luxury' products, nearly everything else.. While a certain poster would
probably not believe it, most Europeans are able to remember two
numbers! :-)

It's not remembering two numbers that is the point. It's remembering
they are 19% versus 6% or so. And, though not an European, I was in
New Zealand once (close enough) and an immigration official muttered
about how he didn't like the fact that our currency is all one color,
unlike theirs. I asked him if they didn't teach him numbers in NZ.