[Myrddin]

You have confused the "flat tax" with the "fair tax". The "flat tax" is a fixed percentage of EARNED INCOME. The "fair tax" is a fixed percentage of NEW items CONSUMED. The truly "wealthy" would still be skirting the flat tax because much of their income is PASSIVE i.e. rents, royalties, interest and equity appreciation. The fair tax hits everyone who purchases something new. Wealthy and poor alike pay a fixed sales tax with the fair tax. The defect in the proposed "fair tax" scheme is an attempt to redistribute the wealth by sending a "rebate check" of the amount of taxes that are estimated to apply to "basic needs". The "fair tax" also makes every merchant of new goods a federal tax collector.

[basil]

Thanks! I’ve always gotten the two confused. You have given an excellent definition of each. I appreciate that.