According to the Treasury Department, the only way that it could be revenue neutral (and this was before the most recent years of Republican debt that was added) would be to set it at 23%, not including state taxes, sales taxes, etc. This would be a massive increase for 95% of the people in the country. For example, "a family of four making as much as $50,000 owed no federal income tax for 2009, as long as there are two children younger than 17." "The family was entitled to a standard deduction of $11,400 and four personal exemptions of $3,650 apiece, leaving a taxable income of $24,000. The federal income tax on $24,000 is $2,769. "With two children younger than 17, the family qualified for two $1,000 child tax credits. Its Making Work Pay credit was $800 because the parents were married filing jointly. "The $2,800 in credits exceeds the $2,769 in taxes, so the family makes a $31 profit from the federal income tax. Suddenly they're going to be saddled with a $12,000 federal tax bill + sales taxes + state taxes + property taxes etc. This, of course, is impossible to implement without crushing the consumer sector and so therefore the only solution that the Republicans will come up with will be to increase the deficit. Sound familiar?
It would be perfectly fine if we were willing to cut wasteful, unproductive, and unconstitutional programs. If the federal govt shrank to it's appropriate size, there would be no problem with a revenue neutral tax regime. Further, the keynesian cult that is our current treasury department refuses to acknowledge that when you allow people to keep more of what they make, they earn more hence more tax revenue.
It wont happen under the current circumstances because government is excessively bloated, far too large, with far too many special interests and corruption. Special interests, corruption, and 'necessary' programs, groups, and expenditures are what is killing the budget.
Iraq/Afghan war, DEA, ATF, dept of Education, dept of homeland security, penis washing programs, Bush and Obama stimulus packages, I could go on for days.
So file a brief with the Supreme Court explaining how these programs are unconstitutional. It will then find in your favor and the programs will be changed or removed entirely.