3 ms·

> just inconceivable. Unless the primary goal was to transfer tax dollars from the unwashed to the privileged.

• zaroth 12y ago
  Don't be silly, the "unwashed" don't pay taxes. E.g. the bottom 50% pay 2.9% of total income taxes collected. Edit: Heck, according to the IRS, in 2013 the bottom 20% paid -1.6% (negative 1.6%) of total income tax collected! I assume that's because of the EITC.
  • tim333 12y ago
    The bottom 50% pay a bunch of other taxes. Payroll taxes, sales taxes, taxes on booze, cigarettes, property etc.
    • zaroth 12y ago
      Bottom 40% - All Federal Tax - 2013 - 5.6% of tax revenue. Bottom 60% - 16.5% [1] A good rule of thumb is all state & local taxes paid generally work out to about 1/5th of your mortgage/rent cost. But that's also not funding the F-35. (neither are payroll taxes) [1] - http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/numbers/displayatab.cfm?DocID=3506 http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/numbers/displayatab.cfm?DocID...
      • Symmetry 12y ago
        State taxes are systematically less progressive than federal taxes so despite that rule of thumb you can't assume that relationship holds across income levels.
        • zaroth 12y ago
          Exactly so. If they were progressive, then a fixed percentage rule would not hold. Being less progressive (more likely a fixed percentage), the rule of thumb is generally more accurate, wouldn't you agree?