> we'd all be a lot better off if taxes were formulated as a program.

They are. It is called turbotax and it is built and maintained by Intuit, who also has powerful lobbyists.

I think what you want is a non-spaghetti open-source software program maintained by a governance structure which is both

A. Competent and communicative.

B. Accountable to the same public which is in charge of doing performance reviews for the current legislators.