Dude, chances are you're paying a lot less to the federal government than you did three decades ago

So quit complaining already! ...Unless your household earns $25,000 or less.  Those are the guys -- the lower income earners -- paying the largest chunk of their income to sustain the rest of us. 

In fact, most Americans in 2010 paid far less in total taxes — federal, state and local — than they would have paid 30 years ago. According to an analysis by The New York Times, the combination of all income taxes, sales taxes and property taxes took a smaller share of their income than it took from households with the same inflation-adjusted income in 1980.

Households earning more than $200,000 benefited from the largest percentage declines in total taxation as a share of income. Middle-income households benefited, too. More than 85 percent of households with earnings above $25,000 paid less in total taxes than comparable households in 1980.

Lower-income households, however, saved little or nothing. Many pay no federal income taxes, but they do pay a range of other levies, like federal payroll taxes, state sales taxes and local property taxes. Only about half of taxpaying households with incomes below $25,000 paid less in 2010. ...NYT

Take a look this chart.  The tax system has grown less progressive -- has gone off the tracks -- and is more punitive to the low earners.

The question is:  what's fair?  Ask around and come to find out that what's fair is whatever is fairest to most of the people you'll ask. "Me" is the center of our world, the person who should get the best deal.

Comments

[SteveAR]

You regressive Democrats are hysterical. You've long lost the argument on who pays the most federal income taxes. So in order to keep the discussion going, you dishonestly bring up pointless drivel having nothing to do with the actual argument.

[PW]

"Who pays the most federal income taxes..."

The larger your income, the more you are expected to pay.

But the burden of taxes doesn't fall equally.

What you call "pointless drivel" is an effort to make the burden equal. Which it isn't. Think about it.

[SteveAR]

"But the burden of taxes doesn't fall equally.

What you call 'pointless drivel' is an effort to make the burden equal. Which it isn't. Think about it."

Oh I have. The burden of taxes doesn't fall equally. I pay a higher rate of state income taxes living in Arkansas than when I was living in Illinois. But my property taxes are a hell of a lot lower. They are also lower where I live than if I lived in Little Rock, just as they were lower when I lived in Will County, Illinois compared to living in DuPage County, Illinois. When I lived in Will County, my cigarettes cost less because I didn't have to pay the extra taxes tacked on if I bought them in Chicago.

If I lived in Cook County, Illinois, the regressive Democrat morons running that county's board just slapped a $25 task on all guns purchased in that county. Fortunately, someone can go to legally purchase the same gun in another county without having to worry about having to pay the extra expense. Of course, the morons running the county board will then complain how their new tax isn't bringing in the revenue they said it would.

As far as federal income taxes, the higher income earners are already paying far more in total taxes than everyone else. That isn't equal, is it? If things were actually equal, instead of how regressive Democrats define the word "equal", all income would be taxed at the same rate, wouldn't it?

Yes, you regressive Democrats are trying to dishonestly add in pointless drivel to continue an argument you lost long ago.

[PW]

Me me me me vs "regressive Democrat morons."