"...It proves that the NRST will not work since it has no safeguards. Without safeguards, the rate will rise to compensate...."
From Federalist Paper No. 21, http://federalistpatriot.us/fedpapers/fed_21.html
"...It is a signal advantage of taxes on articles of consumption, that they contain in their own nature a security against excess. They prescribe their own limit; which cannot be exceeded without defeating the end proposed, that is, an extension of the revenue. When applied to this object, the saying is as just as it is witty, that, ``in political arithmetic, two and two do not always make four.''
If duties are too high, they lessen the consumption; the collection is eluded; and the product to the treasury is not so great as when they are confined within proper and moderate bounds. This forms a complete barrier against any material oppression of the citizens by taxes of this class, and is itself a natural limitation of the power of imposing them."
Founding Fathers were prescient and brilliant men.
A real life, current example of this is the constant increase in tobacco taxation. The dems keep raising the tax and the revenues decline, they can't figure out why the black market is growing.
The point is that society will be able to decide the level of government they will accept and they will have the effective control to ensure limitation. To argue that collection of the current revenue is to difficult with the proposed system, is to say that you accept that level of government is required even though society will not accept it.
Robert,
Which side are you on? (I know, I need to give you time to answer my other post....)