The Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore compares the U.S. tax structure to other industrialized nations. "The United States is actually more dependent on rich people to pay taxes than even many of the more socialized economies of Europe. According to the Tax Foundation, the United States gets 45 percent of its total taxes from the top 10 percent of tax filers, whereas the international average in industrialized nations is 32 percent. Americaâs rich carry a larger share of the tax burden than do the rich in Belgium (25 percent), Germany (31 percent), France (28 percent), and even Sweden (27 percent)." Moore also delves into what the "47 percent" of America actually pays and receives from the federal government and that the perception that the middle class is shrinking is a myth. In fact, the actual trend has been an upward mobility and a better standard of living for the middle class and lower income earners in the last 25 years. http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog...-new-book-shows-us-top-earners-pay-larger-sh/
Of course. "Raising taxes upon the hard-working, successful rich" (who virtually have NO political vote") is the easy thing to do.
"Raising taxes upon the hard-working, successful rich" (who virtually have NO political vote) is the easy thing to do. In an honorable and fair society... someone earning 10X somebody else would pay 10X the tax of the other... not 50X!!
Key word, relatively. Relative to what he (and his ilk) would like to see, where all income belongs to the government to divvy up as they see fit.
I'd be interested to find out their comparative marginal rates vs ours at the various levels. I don't think they have as many (% wise) high income earners to exploit as we do .
It's true. The tax base must be broadened. A family of 4 with an income of $90,000 could be paying a 15% rate. Thank Bush and Co. for that. To give a tax break is easy. To take a tax break away is political suicide. At the rate we are going, our jerk-off presidential candidates will soon be promising a negative tax rate. My bet is on Romney to breach the zero level first. Does Jem wanna bet?
It's so simple. 15% income tax, with 5% going each to city, state and Federal. And then - Consumption taxes. You wanna hit the rich? Hit em when they buy shit. Look at Singapore. It costs money to spend money. Great system. Not perfect but better than the stupid tax law today. If any of the loser candidates had balls or brains or cared about the future of the US they would make a radical move like this.