Badly and Desperately Pessimistic Realtor (BADPR): I know the FairTax is going to kill people in my line of work.
Adams: I think you’re exaggerating, to say the least. I’m about to buy my fourth house and my first new house.
BADPR: So.
Adams: So I’m like a lot of people out there. Most of our home purchases are not of new homes.
BADPR: And?
Adams: And the FairTax only applies to new home purchases.
BADPR: Can I borrow your book?
Adams: Sure. And be sure to read the portion on embedded taxes, too. It may convince you that new home purchases will be impacted to a lesser extent than you imagine.
BADPR: I will.
Adams: Finally, and in the interests of full disclosure, I do know someone who bought four new homes in a row. He was a very wealthy former student of mine. Before he went to prison he bought four new homes. But he never paid income tax on the cocaine he sold on his way to becoming wealthy. Too bad we didn’t have a consumption tax like the one you will read about in the book I gave you.

Some conversations were a little more cumbersome. Like this one I had with a young fellow who was drinking Budweiser at 12:35 p.m. in a pizza place in Wilmington:

Bud-loving unemployed drunk dude (BUDD): What are you reading?
Adams: FairTax: The Truth.
(The portion of the conversation talking about our waitress’ tattoos is deleted).
BUDD: If I thought it would get me a job, I’d be all for it.
Adams: Here, take my copy. Make sure you read the chart on page 131. It shows how states with high income taxes fare relative to states with no income taxes in terms of economic growth.
BUDD: Are you just giving me this?
Adams: Yep. I’ve been making good money on the speaking circuit this year. When people have more money they are more charitable. See the statistics on page 166. If you agree with it, buy a copy for someone else.

My little experiment with FairTax: The Truth convinced me of a few things. First, it convinced me that it’s an easy way to get people talking about the FairTax. It also convinced me that most people who oppose the FairTax do so because they are insufficiently educated about all of its benefits. I read Boortz and Linder’s first FairTax book twice and thought I understood it well enough to explain all of its benefits. But after I read Fair Tax: The Truth I realized there were more benefits than I had imagined previously.

I don’t have much time to volunteer to the FairTax cause. But I do have time to briefly discuss it at the coffee shop in the morning, the diner in the afternoon, or the restaurant at night. That is why I’ve decided to extend my experiment by carrying FairTax books with me every day for the next year. I’ve also decided to give my copies away to anyone who promises to read them.

I plan to write off all these FairTax books as “charitable contributions” on next year’s tax return. If you join me today, I won’t have to do it again.