A consumption tax is a good idea if you're young and working but for those that are retired and getting by on S.S and their life savings, which by the way have already been taxed, a new 28% sales tax would be a harsh and unfair burden. This would be on top of the 7% sales tax we are now already paying so it would be asking people on a fixed income to pay a 35% tax on groceries, utilities and prescriptions.
Simply saying these people are not forced to by consumer goods seems a little naive.