The The Tree of Life isn't a premise; it's a conclusion, based on the evidence, that all life is related by common descent. Let's hear how you would arrange that evidence to support a different conclusion. We're very open-minded around here. I'd like to know your views. Just wondering.
This is the assertion that many who object to teaching evolution as fact are making: that evolutionist don't want to let go of the theory of evolution because they don't have something to replace it with. Arguments that scientists in the documentary "Icons of Evolution" make seem reasonable to me and worth further investigation. Maybe you have answers for all that, which I'd be interested to hear. To me, the tree of life looks extremely primative and silly.