But ELIMINATE tinkering and political mischief??? No, not at all, but it will greatly minimize it and make tax laws much more difficult to manipulate since a rate incorease (or preferential exemptions) affects ALL FairTax payers and not in a hidden way as with the income tax (which can easily be hidden and directed at or for only a certain group).
"We must walk before we run and conversion to a sales tax is sprinting."
From my perspective, a little sprinting is exactly what is needed. For example, we have a trade deficit which is over $600 billion/year and growing at an alarming rate. Since no other country on this planet has ever run these kind of massive trade deficits, either on an absolute or a relative basis, one cannot know when this trend will produce a crisis. The only thing that we know for sure is that we cannot continue down this path indefinitely without paying the consequences at some time.
The insolvency of Social Security and Medicare is another serious economic challenge. Trying to maintain this system on a payroll basis is an exercise in futility.
These are just two examples if ticking time bombs that absoluteley WILL explode if we continue to stick our heads in the sand. Therefore, a little sprinting away from these problems may not be all bad.