USA Today: Tax bills in 2009 at lowest level since 1950:

[elocs]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2010-05-10-taxes_N.htm

By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY

Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman's presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found.

Some conservative political movements such as the "Tea Party" have criticized federal spending as being out of control. While spending is up, taxes have fallen to exceptionally low levels.

Federal, state and local taxes — including income, property, sales and other taxes — consumed 9.2% of all personal income in 2009, the lowest rate since 1950, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports. That rate is far below the historic average of 12% for the last half-century. The overall tax burden hit bottom in December at 8.8.% of income before rising slightly in the first three months of 2010.

"The idea that taxes are high right now is pretty much nuts," says Michael Ettlinger, head of economic policy at the liberal Center for American Progress. The real problem is spending,counters Adam Brandon of FreedomWorks, which organizes Tea Party groups. "The money we borrow is going to be paid back through taxation in the future," he says.

The idea that taxes are high is nuts, but so are the nuts who claim they are high.

[Selatius]

1. We can go back and switch the tax code around. The wealthiest pay a higher share.

The poorest pay the lowest share. When you have billionaires like Warren Buffett saying he pays a lower percentage of his income to taxes than his secretary, you know that the wealthy are winning the class war. We just need to elect an FDR with allies in Congress to back him up.

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2. This tidbit should be put in the faces of the Teahadists at every opportunity.

As far as spending goes, George Bush had no problem with spending trillions of dollars he did not have, putting it on the national debt tab, and very, very little of that ever went to benefit your average American with his huge tax cuts for the wealthy as well as emptying our Treasury to pay for his wars.

[FormerDittoHead]

3. Let's not forget that the reason taxes are down is because INCOME is down...

First off, living in NJ, I can tell you that property taxes have NOT gone down, nor have sales tax RATES.

The big reason tax revenue is down is because people aren't working or making so little while they still pay wage taxes at the same rate from dollar one, they don't make enough to pay Federal income tax.

But I would agree with the above poster that given this perspective, now would be a good time to raise rates on say, income above $300,000 a year.

[elocs]

6. I have a freeper friend who always uses the "I have a cousin" argument.

Canadians hate their health care system because "I have a cousin in Canada who hates it".

I'm sure if he were to see this story I would hear, "Well I have a cousin who paid higher taxes last year than ever before".

Yes, I'm certain that some people may have paid higher taxes last year somewhere. Certainly property taxes or other state or local taxes did not go down in every county, city, or village in the U.S. Plus, whether we like it or agree with it or not, there is always a way to explain away any statistic that is given.

[Motown_Johnny]

8. hand him your cell phone and ask him to call his cousin up because you need to ask him something

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9. I'm thinking all those cousins may be the same person. n/t

[1776Forever]

4. I am waiting on the day (not happily) when the TB's ask "Where are the fireman, police, etc:"

It isn't far behind with all the layoffs of teachers. What's next? It will be a big wake up call to them! Without revenue of taxes government is frozen in time.

[safeinOhio]

5. Duh

If taxes were high, we wouldn't be killing our grandkids future with debt. All those that spout that line can donate money to bring down the debt, none do.

[elocs]

7. Well the freepers had no problem with Bush spending like a drunken sailor

and putting it on the tab with no way to pay for it.