[Shalom Israel]

In short order, it will then be the same thing as our current income tax, and we will simply have TWO massive federal tax systems...

DING DING DING! We have a winner!

[Final Authority]

The fairtaxers (aka farttaxers in my lexicon) wish the for the tax system to include those who now do not file a return (criminal aliens and individuals who work for themselves) they also wish to tax the retirement savings and investments of the Boomer generation that have been set aside post income tax with the intent that spending it in the future would not have a tax consequence. But the big thing they all seem to desire so much is the "prebate" or what also is know as a BIG (basic income guaranty) that is the precursor for a communistic society.

It is important that individuals and aliens file a tax return and pay their share (notice I did not write "fair" as fair is not a legal term of art but only subjective) but fix the alien problem first and apply the law to individuals before changing the tax code.

The unintended consequence of this however is most likely a phasing in of a national sales tax, say, a few percent to pay down the WOT debt or to pay for prescription drugs. Because of the generational consequences of changing provisions for trusts and the like in the present code, the income tax will be retained. We will end up with an additional layer of taxation. We can't let it happen.

[The Shootist]

You're both right as far as it goes.

However, one of the predicates of the FairTax is an amendment to the US Constitution abolishing the Income Tax.

Whether that can be done or not is another question. Somebody will have to do a good job selling this tax (ice to Eskimos?) to the American people. I will support any system that abolishes the Income Tax. On the one hand, the FairTax is the only proposition on the table that does that and on the other is far superior to any income tax.

Of course increasing tarrifs and duties on imported goods isn't a bad way to raise revenue and protect certain critical sectors of the economy from ruin or outsourcing.

[socialismisinsidious]

I found your tag line, in light of your post, to be interesting since the Canadian Socialist system is the very path that the income tax puts us on.

We the People have the power, but not for much longer if we don't wake up.