Can't We Just All Pay the Same?

I know this idea has been kicked around before and usually not with a lot of acceptance.  The idea is that of a flat tax.

To this day, I do not understand why we need to have different tax brackets.  Why doesn't everyone pay the same amount for the services we get from the government?  I drive on the same road the doctor drives on, most likely in a less expensive car, but the same road nonetheless.  Yet, he is expected to pay higher taxes than me?  I will draw from the same social security plan he will, but I pay less for that ability?

I liken it to me and Bill Gates going to a McDonalds and buying a Big Mac.  I go to the window and pay my $5 for the Big Mac and when Bill walks up they say, "Well, Mr. Gates, since you make so much more money than him, you need to pay $10 for your Big Mac".  Does that make any sense to you?  It sure doesn't to me.  So why do we expect the rich to pay higher taxes "because they can"?  We might as well make them pay more for everything because they can.  Let them pay $4/gallon for gas and charge me $2.

Make everyone pay the same percentage without giving tax breaks but for one exception:  charity.  However, to qualify you must donate money or items.  No deductions for church offerings, driving to your Boy Scout meeting, or for volunteer work.  We don't want to discourage charitable giving, but let's keep it realistic.

Get rid of all the tax breaks and tax shelters out there and the taxes we are supposed to be getting to pay for things will be available.  This year my taxes worked out to about 12%.  I am sure most of the rich paid less than 5% with all the tax breaks and shelters. 

I know the arguments, but let's go ahead and put the IRS and all the tax lawyers out of business.  I'm sure they can find something else to do with their knowledge of money...like help the government spend all that tax revenue that will now be coming in, instead of going out.  It will work out in the end that the rich will pay more by simple mathematics.  Let their amount go up fairly, though.  Let them pay the same amount/dollar that I do.  In the end, I end up paying more otherwise because they hide behind the credits and breaks.

Bring around a flat tax and fairness and you can fix the budget problem.