"When AND IF the 'fair tax' proponents make it outside their echo chamber and actually have to make their case to a uncommitted public, they are doomed to failure."
We have had considerable success with those who have taken the time to study the issue and have their legitimate concerns answered. We have found, however, that many people have a vested interest in the current system. One example on this thread is the gentleman who balked because he liked the idea of cheap imports from China. He said that they constituted a large portion of his business. Some of the large retailers have the same concern. They have adapted to a tax system which puts US producers at a disadvantage. So what if that system destroys millions of US jobs? So what if the trade deficit gets bigger each and every year?
Nevertheless, as badray has pointed out, the winners would far outnumber the losers under the FairTax. Generally, the more people understand it, the better they like it. That experience certainly has been validated on this thread.