47% don't pay federal income tax. To quote the article: "The vast majority of people who escape federal income taxes still pay other taxes, including federal pa

47% don't pay federal income tax. To quote the article: "The vast majority of people who escape federal income taxes still pay other taxes, including federal payroll taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare, and excise taxes on gasoline, aviation, alcohol and cigarettes. Many also pay state or local taxes on sales, income and property." So it's quite inaccurate to simply say they don't pay federal taxes, particularly when discussing an article identifying 32% of federal spending going towards Medicare and Social Security.