I don't see why we can't simply go to a national sales tax. Get completely rid of income tax and stick a 10% tag on all purchases other than food and medical. Would bring in much more than the current system, eliminate the need for the costly and arbitrary IRS, create a situation where my accountant didn't think he was entitled to the month of May on vacation, render things like Cayman and Swiss bank accounts unnecessary and put the tax burden where it belongs. You make more, you spend more, you pay more taxes.
What happened to the concept of fairness and equity?
"Hi, I'd like to buy a $500,000 home."
"That'll be 550,000 please. Plus interest. On the 550,000, not the 500,000."
50 grand is a lot more dough.
Also, if people learned to save money, the government wouldn't get shit and the government wouldn't like that, now would it?
Also, I don't for one second believe the government would allow there to just be a national sales tax. Maybe they'd pass it and let it go for five years, but suddenly, you have (hypothetical, ahem) a democratic congress and president that believes the lower class needs healthcare reform. So they decide to enact a federal income tax. A small one because the national sales tax is enough. Just enough to pay for the healthcare reform. Then, the housing market looks bad, so they decide to boost the federal income tax just a bit more so the working class can have an incentive to purchase homes. Then something else, and then, you've got both national sales tax and income tax.
I think the best remedy would be a flat tax as opposed to a fair tax. EVERYONE pays 10%. You earn more, you pay more. You earn less, you pay less. But it's all proportionate. You want more money? Buddy up with higher ups, work your ass off, get a quality education, and pursue your dreams. Or give up your dreams because most of the time, more money equals a management-type job which is rarely anyone's childhood dream.