[Your Nightmare]

The anti-reformers try to make the reform threads so unpleasant that people choose not to participate in them (what does this predict about the real world?)

I'm not sure I remember ever encountering an "anti-reformer" on Free Republic when it comes to taxes. Virtually everyone I've encounter would love to see tax reform.

In fact, the most "anti-tax reform" people I've seen on FR are the FairTaxers. They have refused to let any serious reform be discussed and have dogmatically promoted their FairTax plan which is an absolute nonstarter in Washington. They consume so much of the debate and are so vehement in their support that they ensure no real tax reform can be accomplished.

[pigdog]

Aha! One of the true anti-reformers shows up to vent!

Perhaps he'd like to tell us how superior his Nightmare Tax (one of the many flat tax forms) is to the FairTax point by point?

Perhaps telling us how any flat tax eliminates payroll taxes and reporting all financial (and other) affairs to Uncle - if it does?? Then we can move on to other comparisons.

[tpaine]

Principled:

The good thing about the debate is that the nrst is the most thoroughly investigated alternative - each and every point is debated in complete detail.
Problems have been identified and some changes have been made.
That's a good thing. And as debate continues, the level of knowledge of any lurkers continues.

Your Nightmare;

-- the most "anti-tax reform" people I've seen on FR are the FairTaxers.
They have refused to let any serious reform be discussed and have dogmatically promoted their FairTax plan which is an absolute nonstarter in Washington.
They consume so much of the debate and are so vehement in their support that they ensure no real tax reform can be accomplished.

There you have it sports fans; -- one side calls for debate "-- in complete detail --".
The other side claims: "-- They consume so much of the debate and are so vehement in their support --", that they ensure no real debate or reform.

I'll go with principles..

[Zon]

FairTax plan which is an absolute nonstarter in Washington.

Next to the income tax which has the most support in DC, the FairTax has the most support with 60 members of congress having signed on as sponsors or co-sponsors. No other tax reform bill comes remotely close to that many sponsors. It think one bill for a flat tax has three or four sponsors. 

[Badray]

Nice spin. Did you come up with that as you were circling the drain?

[Bigun]

...FairTax plan which is an absolute nonstarter in Washington.

According to whom? Last time I looked the FairTax plan had more support in Washington than all other tax reform measures combined!