Wait, you don't pay VAT on food, newspapers, books and children's clothes? Here (in Slovenia), everything has a 20% VAT on it. Maybe it's less for food, yet I cannot remember right now. It is also true we have one of the highest tax rates in the world and a deficit worthy of Greece (no offence meant to any Greeks). Here they are cutting health care and social services and you get to pay more taxes. Where has the world come to? (Personally, I do not know if I meant the last sentence as serious or sarcastic. You make up your mind
).