‘Overtaxation’: Our Phoniest Problem?

[marmar]

from Too Much: A Commentary on Excess and Inequality:



‘Overtaxation’: Our Phoniest Problem?
May 15, 2010

Friends of the financially fortunate are trying to turn reality upside-down — and save our undertaxed rich mega billions in the process.

By Sam Pizzigati


Taxes on the wealthy in the United States run low. Many wealthy Americans want these taxes to run even lower. But the American people, for some strange reason, have never rallied around candidates who champion tax cuts for the richest among us. So rich people-friendly politicos do the next best thing. They champion tax cuts for everybody.

But this approach can prove problematic, too. Across-the-board tax cuts for everybody, the rich included, can quickly end up gutting the revenues that fund the public services average Americans depend upon and appreciate.

How do friends of the fortunate sidestep this inconvenient reality? They wildly exaggerate the tax burden that falls on average Americans. They endeavor to convince America’s non-rich majority that we’re deeply and terribly “overtaxed.”

Last week brought two new data dumps that challenge this “overtaxed” claim. One compares what U.S. taxpayers pay now to what they used to pay in years gone by. The other compares tax bills in the United States to tax bills elsewhere in the developed world. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://toomuchonline.org/overtaxation-our-phoniest-problem/

[YOY]

1. Few look to the other pieces of the pie in regards to what is taken from their paycheck.

Their static hasn't-kept-up-with-inflation paycheck...unless one is a CEO...they DESERVE that money you know.

The government's piece of the pie is the easiest to bitch about.

[Scuba]

2. I like paying taxes...

...that means I'm making money. The more I pay, the more I've made. This is good.

I also like my socialist library, police and fire departments, highways, etc.

I just wish rich Americans and corporations would pay their fair share. Simply go back to 1970 rates and we'll be far better off than today. Not likely with big Corporations owning Congress and the Supreme Court.

[mr clean]

3. +1