Anyone heard of the “Fair Tax”?

I was just reading my new issue of World Magazine, and ran across this intriguing article about the push U.S. Rep. John Linder (R-Ga.) is making for the Fair Tax.  I had never heard of this concept before, of taxing based on consumption instead of income, but I found it very intriguing.  I do not pretend to know or understand all the possible implications of such a change in our tax system, but the possible effect that this change could bring to our materialistic society is interesting to contemplate.  However, I wonder if in all the rosy reports of the benefits of a new tax system, the possiblility of decreasing consumption was perhaps not figured in with their numbers.  In my experience, nothing is ever as easy in reality as it is on paper.  Still, it bears investigation.  Check it out and let me know what you think.