I agree with everyting you've said! My position is that the method of tax collection has everything to do with spending. When taxes are hidden and different amounts are taken from different groups, and nobody really knows what anyone else's tax burden is, it's easy to keep and increase taxes and hence spending.
But if taxes were visible, and everyone took the same hit, it would be harder to increase taxes and spending. INdeed if we ALL paid the same rate and it was ALL visible on every receipt, and we had to pull green money out of our pocket daily to feed the beast, then there will be downward pressure on taxes and hence spending. JMHO.
I wish irritated taxpayers could have some influence on the spending habits of politicians. Frankly, they lie like hell to get elected, then do as they please when the election is over. Do you think people in California a clamoring for more gun control laws? It doesn't matter. The socialists in Sacramento have their own agenda. They have lobbyists paid by anti-gun leftists with deep pockets. The lobbyists have their ears. The voters are just a nuisance that must be tolerated every couple years.