The income tax taxes the productive more and rewards dependency. If you're over a certain tax bracket, you're also punished by being taxed more simply because other people pay little or no income tax at all. So yes, its a redistributive scheme. Which is exactly why politicians like the income tax - it allows them to do social engineering via the tax code. What do you call those little monthly fairytax prebate checks that would dwarf the social security program in size? Many people under the fairtax would pay nothing or even make money. And how about certain items like education being exempt from the fairtax. The fairtax hasn't even been passed yet and it already has exceptions and social engineering in it. The opportunity for social engineering is alive and well with the fairtax. It doesn't even eliminate many of the existing social engineering taxes like cigarette, alcohol or fuel taxes.
The Fair Tax comes into play only when people spend their money. There are no tax shelters in it, since you can amass a tax-free income and the government won't care where you keep your money. The one and only time you get taxed is when you spend your money and the amount of tax due is ALWAYS visible upfront. So you know what government costs you - and therein lies the lesson - government isn't free. You pay for it. With the Fair Tax, there would be ONLY ONE tax. I'm NOT talking about a European style VAT here. Just a tax collected at the retail level.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus