It would only take one non zero transaction to cut out the freeloading
spammers.
That was not my complaint. One non zero transaction would also only allow for one zero transaction.
ASo, I guess the conversation about block rules is moot and the question of how to keep fees up is in the hands of the mathematical (game theory) viability of the protocol. Has Satoshi already figured all of this out, I wonder?
I would say so.