That's so typically american - whenever I buy something, I'm expected to look and see if I paid tax. Then I'm supposed to put aside a percentage of that, then declare it and pay it in my tax return. Seems insane to me.
And typically European, both apathetic and completely misunderstanding. If you do not buy it from a physical store, the store charges the tax and you do not even need to look. It is only for online ordering and mail order that you need to even consider it.
In Europe, I can buy something in any country in the union, tax is paid there and then and I can take my item home with me with no further duties or taxes. The same goes if I buy online from any country in the union.
In the US, you can do the same with the exception of internet/mail ordering. Quit trying to make this seem harder than it really is.
It's one of the things I hate about visiting the US - what you see is NOT what you pay. I'm used to seeing a price on a shelf, taking the item to the till and giving them the amount of money that the price on the shelf said I would have to.
So you dislike the tax system that actually lets you see how much the government is charging you for the purchase. And apparently averse to any change in that.
It's one of the reasons European visitors don't tip too well over there - we just got surprised with the bill being more than we were expecting until we get used to it, now you want MORE ?
And here you're just being an ass, regardless of it being true or not.
We are each entitled to our own opinion, but no one is entitled to his own facts. -- Patrick Moynihan