If this were true, it would be much simpler to just eliminate the prebate and make the FairTax rate lower.
Your comparison of the prebate to refund of over-withheld income taxes is totally ridiculous, the two have nothing in common.
Of course the prebate is designed as 100% welfare, and it is also something designed to allow future politicians to manipulate, means-test and otherwise purchase votes. It is yet another mis-representation of the reality of what the FairTax would actually be like in practice.
They're identical, except in when they're returned to the taxpayer.
Oh but they do!!! Both give money paid as taxes back to the taxpayer.
Is that too convoluted an idea for you to grasp???
And there can be no means testing, political manipulation etc as you suggest. The concept of poveeerty level is used throughout many government programs.