That’s ironic, because I don’t see the European hiding of taxes being a benefit or WYSIWYG at all. I agree that the way it is done in the USA is also not ideal, but frankly, the majority of people in all places are, let’s just say disinterested in serious matters and don’t really care one way or the other beyond slight frustrations in their daily lives.

On net, hiding the ~20% VAT in the price of all goods in Europe is far worse and exactly why it is done, so you don’t think about it and don’t how much the ruling class has decided to plunder, by that one of many methods it plunders the lower classes.

Ideally, in a consumer, citizen centered society the price would have to be listed separately along side of the tax on the same label. There is today absolutely no reason that could not be done and it would make people realize both how much the ruling class/government plunders, as well as e.g., in the U.S. produce is far cheaper than processed foods because it is usually not taxed.

If information is deliberately hidden from you, you are no longer a citizen, but rather something more like a serf, a slave, or a mark of a con job; especially in an era where governments all across the west are hostile to and don’t represent anyone but their own self-interest, let alone their own people anymore.