Hey Teabaggers! Here's a reality check: Tax bills in 2009 at lowest level since 1950

[jefferson_dem]

Tax bills in 2009 at lowest level since 1950

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.

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

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Bookmarking

Thank you!!

[Kdillard]

2. So now it is not taxes but our spending/borrowing. They are going to

Keep changing their reasoning until something sticks.

[bobburgster]

3. Superb! I will be using that gem in conversations.

As far as the teabaggers switching to spending...is anyone surprised?

[Turbineguy]

4. And if that doesn't work

They'll have to conjure up something else that diverts from the real issue: The color of skin of the guy spending.

[niceypoo]

5. At some point the obsession with lowering taxes has to just go away

...because until then, we will go deeper and deeper into debt. Reaganomics/supply side tax cuts have failed miserably, destroyed the economy, and the country has to find a way to let go of/move beyond it.

[ck4829]

6. K&R