Watchyouralt, I agree with you whole heartedly except on the flat tax. Do the math and you will see the flat tax is devastating to those who make the least amount of money.
People don't understand how the bracket system works and people don't like what they don't understand. If I'm in the 28% bracket, I'm not paying 28% on all the money. I pay 10% on the first bit, 15% on the second, 25% on the third and 28% on the last bit. In reality depending on what end of the 28% bracket I was in, I would be paying CONSIDERABLY less than 28% on my income. Maybe as low as 20%.
Also, the part people don't seem to understand is that if I make $20,000 and you make $100,000, you are paying the exact same amount in taxes up to $20,000 as I am paying. Yeah you'll pay higher rates on the upper brackets, but it's being offset somewhat by the lower brackets.
The rich need to quit their whining. They have plenty of accountants to find loopholes and write-offs to knock them into the lower brackets anyways.