[ncruces]

Have you looked at EU countries budgets? We "invest" in social security and public health systems. Our defense budgets go in large part to buy arms from the US, and Musk complains if we decide to prop up Arianespace for some defense satellites while threatening to cutoff Starlink for Ukraine paid by Poland. Have you looked at how much money your DoD sends abroad (and how much of it is pork)? You're literally telling us to be more protectionist, and then expect something different.

[csmpltn]

I don't really care what you invest the money into, the point is that the VAT is a mechanism which messes with the concept of a free global market and it leads to unfair competition and an unleveled playing field. If you combine it with other factors (such as the fact that the US is the sole guarantor of Europe's defense) - the US is in the right for challenging the European economy.

[ncruces]

We tax consumers, actual people, where they actually live, on what they consume, to fund the public services they benefit from.

Why would that be a market distortion!?

You're welcome to stop funding our defense. Just don't expect us to continue to fund your arms industry when you tell us to buy additional weapons.