The important figure is net taxes payed. You add all the taxes you pay and subtract all the direct benefits you gain. If someone pays a lot of taxes but gets fr

The important figure is net taxes payed. You add all the taxes you pay and subtract all the direct benefits you gain. If someone pays a lot of taxes but gets free high school education for their 4 children and medicare for their sick wife, he is a net winner of the system. Modern states spend 60-80% of their income for social things. Defense, police, education and infrastructure are only a fraction of the expenses (at least in europe). Since rich people rarely use social services, every tax cut directly eases their tax-burden. Middle class people end up paying less taxes but also receive less benefits from the goverment. I am not saying the author is wrong, but you need to compare the net money paid to goverment.