Well, it lacks the other aspect of what I would call a “Flat Tax”, in that it still excludes huge chunks of income with its standard deduction.
The result is that a family of four can earn $49K and contribute NOTHING to the running of the government that protects their freedoms. They can even vote for government giveaway programs to their hearts’ content, secure in the knowledge it won’t cost them a dime.
If I were Fred, I’d be honest with the American people and say, “Every American should be willing to pay some taxes to support the government that provides so much to ensure their safety, security, and freedoms. To that end, I propose eliminating all deductions and using a three-bracket income tax with very low tax rates. Those rates would be as follows:
(1) 5% on income up to the poverty level,
(2) 10% on income between poverty level and median income,
(3) 15% on all income above the median
Zero corporate income tax, all capital investment expensed in the year spent, with all net corporate income imputed to the shareholders”
Contrary to what Dems believe, the problem with tax revenues is not that a relatively few taxpayers with high incomes aren’t paying enough. The problem is that there are huge numbers of taxpayers at the low end that pay nothing, but vote for more government spending.