On points, they lose all the time. But these issues are so irrelevant that nobody cares anyway. People do care about their taxes, however. In general, they warm to the idea of a flat tax, even though they haven't spent much time thinking about it. It has support from all over the political spectrum.
Tax reform is seen as an issue of fairness.
It is not fair for ordinary people to spend countless days just computing what it is they must surrender to their government. So let's have at it then. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose. That's what we said in 1995. It's the feeling we can play chicken with Clinton regardless of the consequences - and win.