It is merely a means by which the people from all walks of life can relate their own experiences to policy-makers. Many complaints were aired during recent congressional hearings, but they were only the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Most aggrieved taxpayers cannot afford the airplane ticket, and time off work, to fly to Washington and testify. The House already has passed a bill that, among other things, would put the IRS under a public-private oversight board. If such a board indeed is created, it will need to hear those stories.
Critics know that.
The real reason they oppose the survey is because it asks two questions that give the public an opportunity to comment on a flat tax - whether they want a simpler form and if the IRS should be abolished. The House-passed bill would restrain the most blatant of IRS abuses, at least temporarily. A flat tax would stop them. No wonder IRS supporters in Congress don't want a flat tax discussed. Enter words describing a concept or keywords.