Taxes are way to control inflation by taking money back out of the economy ie from your hands so you don’t spend.
The deficit is funded by selling bonds and if no one is buying the bonds. We’ll just print the money.
Is that right essentially?
Discussion
If I remember the MMT literature, that's how they view it.
Correct.
Taxes act more like a brake on inflation by attacking the purchasing power of citizens, purchasing power that would otherwise place (rightful) pressure on desirable goods and services.
They are used to draw down the debt, too.
Without taxes, inflation would "register" much quicker.