It does not appear that Canada, Australia or the UK have any problem avoiding the trap and they all have income tax. You are in a real sense correct but the problem is not so much the type of tax as the mindset of the government.
We actually paid MORE in income tax in Hong Kong than we would have in the US despite the low marginal rates because there are very few deductions. We didn’t care. The tax form is one page and anyone with an 8th grade education can fill it out.
The problem is that the US tax laws are corrupt and need to be completely thrown out and replaced.
I agree.
Taxes should be used to fund the government, and nothing else.
When we have a system as complex as ours, it creates incentives in the wrong place, messes up the price signals, and is designed for mischief. Even if the total tax burden were higher (but of course, it should not be), if it were simple and transparent, we would have staggering economic growth... and more freedom.