The problem here is that you give the "slugs" another majority, which allows them to remove the "unjust" taxes that the evil republicans put on "the shoulders of the poor", thereby giving them even more rabid support from the bottom dwellers and forcing the republican party into irrelevance.
For Republican relevency two things. First demographics unchecked as they are with criminals streaming in from the south is working pretty well for the Dems to increase their power base rapidly to overcome conservatives...and Reagan fell into the trap to reward them with citizenship instead of punishing the employers. Secondly, with Republicans becoming liberal all on their own and not standing for conservative values makes them decidedly less relevant by rot from within. So long as the majority that now elects liberals has none of the pain of paying taxes en masse, there is no pain. Everybody should pay something.
A national sales tax would ensure those who now pay nothing will get the opportunity to pay something. It's not just the unjustifiable welfare state, it's the people who work for cash who pay nothing. Tab should be familiar with competing with those guys. You have groups now who are insulated from taxation, or at least think they are.
For instance, in general renters love to see property taxes raised as demonstrated by their willingness nationwide to vote for such things. They pay rent not taxes in their minds...fallacy being they don't write the property tax check on their rental.
I grew up in a state that had, at the time, sales taxes and very little income tax and practically no property tax. People grumbled mightily when politicians wanted to spend because they were reminded with their sales taxes. As income taxes were increased the group clamoring for hand outs grew and grew and grew. Urban areas had the right to increase property taxes in their parish...and as the handout increased so increased the property taxes.
Newt & the Congress missed a golden opportunity, in my opinion, to help "bring people" into the fold from a tax misery standpoint. Laws that would require individuals to make their own FICA, SS & medicaid payments would have been a wonderful vehicle for people everywhere to feel what they are losing. Every tax the "employer paid" should have been given as income so that the taxpayer would not be so removed from the actual pain. The employer paid tax (not collected tax distribution to the government) institution nationally in the 60's was hailed as a great way to get into people's pockets without them actually realizing it.