I'm George Dumbya Shrub; and I approved these lies the middle class and poor are seeing in their checkbooks.

-- Modified on 8/13/2004 6:53:56 PM

The facts are that the middle class is shouldering more of the tax burden as a consequence of recent tax policy.  The fact that high wage earners or the investing wealthy pay a large percentage of taxes is no surprise, that has happened under every single administration since tax collection from citizens was enacted.  I am sure that if one took the time to do research, it would be seen that the tax burden by the wealthy stays at roughly the same percentage from year to year, with adjustments in that percentage only when a tax package such as what President Bush II enacted happens.
    Although I do not consider myself wealthy, I am a high wage earner and fall into the tax group that pays the 64.4% of taxes that you mentioned.  As far as I am concerned, we should pay more because we have more to loose if society becomes unglued due the inability of government to finance key societal activities.  I would not be able to shield my assets if the world that I know fell apart around me, I would loose everthing, this is why I consider the taxes that I pay a good "investment".
    Before you attempt to charge that I am some leftwing shill, understand that 1) I am a political moderate that is fically moderate 2) I have done a lot of thinking about tax policy and how it impacts me, so my reactions are not knee jerk but well thought out.  That thinking involves extrapolating to the extreme social situation to which I alluded, because only at the extreme can the consequences of bad tax policy be seen.

THIS WAS/IS/HAS BEEN the point of the argument ! ! ! ! !

"Over that same period, taxpayers with incomes from around $51,500 to around $75,600 saw their share of federal tax payments {INCREASE ! ! ! !}. Households earning around $75,600 saw their tax burden jump the most, from 18.7 percent of all taxes to 19.5 percent. {--- SEE IT ! ! ! !

THE MIDDLE CLASS tax burden went UP, not DOWN like everyone else’s, I don't see why you refuse to read it ?

From 18.7 % it went UP to 19.5 %, you may say small amount, but as incomes have not gone up, and in fact more people in this segment have lost jobs etc. it has become harder for US to get by. I think BOTH you and I fall in this income level.

Do you get it now ?

Of the top 20 percent made a total of income higher than 63 percent of the total income pool, they are undertaxed.  Period.  There's no argument with that.

If the wealthiest 20 percent paid 20 percent of the tax burden, our tax system would be severely regressive, and you would have no doubt about it.

I've heard conservatives make this argument again and again, and they never supply the information that would make it mean anything.    

I presume it's probably because once they did, the argument would fall to the ground.

/Zin

-- Modified on 8/17/2004 10:51:45 AM

Re:The Tax Cuts were supposed to Stimulate Jobs!

The tax cuts haven't stimulated jobs; they have only SIMULATED jobs!!!  When an accountant with nearly 12 years of experience such as myself can't even get a temporary employment staffing agency to call with a temporary job assignment, it's safe to say the economy SUCKS!!!