"I , and many others, have posted many reasons why we don't seem to be sold on the fair-tax plan.
It always seems to fall of deaf ears of the proponents of the plan."
For some reason, this comment stuck with me and I decided to add some additional thoughts.
My first response is that most, if not all of us who support the FairTax, do so after spending a significant amount of time studying it and asking questions. I doubt that any of us decided to support the FairTax the first time we heard about it. I know that I had a lot of questions, probably more so than most because I have a background in accounting and finance. OTOH, I had an aversion to our tax system from the first tax classes I had to take in grad school. I was immediately struck with what a colossal waste of human and financial resources our current system is. Another supporter with a background in software development said that the word that came to mind for him when he first learned about the proposal was "efficiency".
Therefore, I don't find it at all surprising that FairTax supporters don't abandon ship just because they log onto FR and a few naysayers voice objections. In most cases, they are issues that we raised ourselves, or heard others raise in the past, and we are reasonably comfortable with the responses. That isn't to say that the FairTax is perfect. Most of us simply believe that it is vastly superior to the current system (which isn't saying much IMHO) and better than any of the alternatives proposed so far.
I have to also say in all candor that the naysayers in many cases aren't all that persuasive. My experience is that many (not all) fall into one of several categories:
1. they have some vested interest in the perpetuation of the current system. They may have carved out a special niche for themselves in the current tax system, think they are getting a special deal, or that they know how to game the system so that they personally recieve a disproportionate benefit. Efforts to convince them that our economy would perform much better for a number of reasons fall on deaf ears. They may work in tax preparation or be close to someone who does. I even had one admit on FR that he would support the FairTax (in spite of his constant criticisms of it) if he could figure out a way to game it to receive a bigger advantage than he was getting under the current system.
2. they are sincerely and genuinely afraid of change - and this is a BIG change. The current system has wrapped its tentacles around every aspect of our financial lives, and unleashing that grip is scary to some - including many policy makers. However, as I previously pointed out, sticking with the current system is hardly a low risk option. The fact that most Americans don't understand what a grave danger our ever expanding trade deficit is, for example, and how tax policy contributes to it, does not make that danger any less real.
3. those who make decisions before learning all the facts. AFFT's research indicates that among those who haven't had our proposal explained to them, we lose by wide margins. However, after hearing an explanation and having their questions answered, those numbers turn around. It stands to reason, then, that those who formulate a position early on before becoming educated on the proposal are overwhelmingly opposed. I can think of several of the naysayers on FR who fall into that category. They focus on what they perceive as negatives when they first hear of the FairTax, become fixated on that, and that is where they stay.
4. they support an alternative form of tax reform. There is nothing wrong with that; in fact, FairTaxers have long said, we need a national debate and to arrive at a consensus we need everyone to feel they have a seat at the table. Flat taxers, transaction taxers, VAT guys, everyone needs to be heard. However, when they attempt to push their preferred approach forward by denigrating the FairTax, exaggerating its deficiencies and, in some cases outright lieing about it, then we have to object. I must also say that as the FairTax has moved ahead of some of the other alternatives over the past couple of years, their criticisms have become more irrational, emotional and strident. A couple of FReepers come to mind who have been attacking the FR on here for years now. They have their own versions of tax reform that they have been extolling the virtues of and have not convinced a single other soul (that I am aware of) of the efficacy of their preferred approaches. Left to them, tax reform would never happen. They are among the most virulent critics of the FairTax and can cite chapter and verse from the bill itself.
In addition to all of the above, I find many of the naysayers (SQLs if you wish) arrogant and/or disengenuous. I know that the SQLs find some of us objectionable as well. However, it is my sincere opinion that the other FairTax supporters genuinely and sincerely want to leave a much freer and less economically destructive system than we have now to future generations and we are generally frustrated that this process is taking so long. I frequently have to answer a question like this from newcomers: "this is a no-brainer, why haven't we passed it before now?"
I have a campaign flyer from the 1976 presidential campaign in which the Democratic nominee referred to the Internal Revenue Code as "a disgrace". I think most Americans would agree that Mr. Carter was correct back then (almost 30 years ago now) and that the system is far worse today than it was then. For example, according to CCH, the total tax system has more than doubled in page length and compliance costs have probably risen proportionately during that span of time. We have a system which seems to grow like a cancer, have a will of its own and to be totally and completely out of control. No one understands it (and I can cite chapter and verse to prove that assertion), and yet each year it gets worse. The IRS is by far the most abusive and un-American federal agency that we have and it should surprise no one that, as Bob Novak is now reporting, congress may have to open up hearings on IRS abuses yet again.
This all begs the question: we have the greatest country in the world and we can put a man on the moon and win two world wars but we can't figure out a simple and efficient way to tax ourselves? What is wrong with this picture? That is the question that the naysayers cannot answer.