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In the United States, the very rich earn a large share of the income, and are taxed at slightly higher rates than the general population. Here's the picture of shares of income and shares of the total tax burden:
...
The 47 percent number is not wrong. The stimulus programs of the last two years the first one signed by President George W. Bush, the second and larger one by President Obama have increased the number of households that receive enough of a tax credit to wipe out their federal income tax liability.
But the modifiers here federal and income are important. Income taxes arent the only kind of federal taxes that people pay. There are also payroll taxes and investment taxes, among others. And, of course, people pay state and local taxes, too.
Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47.
The reason is that poor families generally pay more in payroll taxes than they receive through benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Its not just poor families for whom the payroll tax is a big deal, either. About three-quarters of all American households pay more in payroll taxes, which go toward Medicare and Social Security, than in income taxes.
Here's another way to put it. Americans pay different kinds of taxes to different entities. State and local taxes tend to be regressive. Payroll taxes, which fund Social Security and Medicare, are also regressive. To balance this out, we have a pretty progressive income tax. If you focus only on the income tax, it makes it look like the rich are getting screwed. But of course the income tax is just one element.
I guess there is a point to this thread.
I guess there is a point to this thread.
The point is that the next time someone writes "half the people in America don't pay taxes," you can direct them to this thread and correct them, saying that they are talking only about income taxes, that there are many other taxes, and that the share of taxes paid by each socioeconomic group isn't too far off from each group's share of income.
On the 47% of those who don't pay income taxesIn the United States, the very rich earn a large share of the income, and are taxed at slightly higher rates than the general population. Here's the picture of shares of income and shares of the total tax burden:
...
No, Half Of All Workers Aren't Freeloaders | The New RepublicThe 47 percent number is not wrong. The stimulus programs of the last two years the first one signed by President George W. Bush, the second and larger one by President Obama have increased the number of households that receive enough of a tax credit to wipe out their federal income tax liability.Here's another way to put it. Americans pay different kinds of taxes to different entities. State and local taxes tend to be regressive. Payroll taxes, which fund Social Security and Medicare, are also regressive. To balance this out, we have a pretty progressive income tax. If you focus only on the income tax, it makes it look like the rich are getting screwed. But of course the income tax is just one element.
But the modifiers here federal and income are important. Income taxes arent the only kind of federal taxes that people pay. There are also payroll taxes and investment taxes, among others. And, of course, people pay state and local taxes, too.
Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47.
The reason is that poor families generally pay more in payroll taxes than they receive through benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Its not just poor families for whom the payroll tax is a big deal, either. About three-quarters of all American households pay more in payroll taxes, which go toward Medicare and Social Security, than in income taxes.
In the United States, the very rich earn a large share of the income, and are taxed at slightly higher rates than the general population. Here's the picture of shares of income and shares of the total tax burden:
...
On the 47% of those who don't pay income taxes
The 47 percent number is not wrong. The stimulus programs of the last two years the first one signed by President George W. Bush, the second and larger one by President Obama have increased the number of households that receive enough of a tax credit to wipe out their federal income tax liability.
But the modifiers here federal and income are important. Income taxes arent the only kind of federal taxes that people pay. There are also payroll taxes and investment taxes, among others. And, of course, people pay state and local taxes, too.
Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47.
The reason is that poor families generally pay more in payroll taxes than they receive through benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Its not just poor families for whom the payroll tax is a big deal, either. About three-quarters of all American households pay more in payroll taxes, which go toward Medicare and Social Security, than in income taxes.
Here's another way to put it. Americans pay different kinds of taxes to different entities. State and local taxes tend to be regressive. Payroll taxes, which fund Social Security and Medicare, are also regressive. To balance this out, we have a pretty progressive income tax. If you focus only on the income tax, it makes it look like the rich are getting screwed. But of course the income tax is just one element.
No, Half Of All Workers Aren't Freeloaders | The New Republic
Conservatives in turn cite this fact to justify lower taxes on the rich.
It's pure propaganda, and what it lacks in quality it makes up in quantity. The right seems to have an unlimited number of talking heads, columnists, and pseudo-economists willing to peddle this nonsense.
Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47.
In the United States, the very rich earn a large share of the income, and are taxed at slightly higher rates than the general population. Here's the picture of shares of income and shares of the total tax burden:
...
On the 47% of those who don't pay income taxes
No, Half Of All Workers Aren't Freeloaders | The New Republic
Whenever I read something like the following:
Conservatives in turn cite this fact to justify lower taxes on the rich.
It's pure propaganda, and what it lacks in quality it makes up in quantity. The right seems to have an unlimited number of talking heads, columnists, and pseudo-economists willing to peddle this nonsense.
I know it's a biased article.
Here's the rub:
Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47.
Of course the discussion has always been about federal taxes. What's interesting here is that the article just says, "CBO data suggests..." and then doesn't back it up with actual data from the CBO.
What I need to see is real data and not a bunch of numbers and a chart from a clearly biased article.
On the 47% of those who don't pay income taxes
No, Half Of All Workers Aren't Freeloaders | The New Republic
Whenever I read something like the following:
I know it's a biased article.
Here's the rub:
Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47.
Of course the discussion has always been about federal taxes. What's interesting here is that the article just says, "CBO data suggests..." and then doesn't back it up with actual data from the CBO.
What I need to see is real data and not a bunch of numbers and a chart from a clearly biased article.
Great. So the next time someone posts that 47% of Americans pay no taxes, you will correct them and say that 47% pay no federal income taxes, but most Americans pay taxes, right? Because that's the point of the OP, and I see people make that mistake a fair amount.
Whenever I read something like the following:
I know it's a biased article.
Here's the rub:
Of course the discussion has always been about federal taxes. What's interesting here is that the article just says, "CBO data suggests..." and then doesn't back it up with actual data from the CBO.
What I need to see is real data and not a bunch of numbers and a chart from a clearly biased article.
Great. So the next time someone posts that 47% of Americans pay no taxes, you will correct them and say that 47% pay no federal income taxes, but most Americans pay taxes, right? Because that's the point of the OP, and I see people make that mistake a fair amount.
good grief, so THIS is what got your panties in a bunch?
Most people with a brain understood what WAS MEANT when they said, don't pay taxes, meaning FEDERAL TAXES. SHEESH
I guess there is a point to this thread.
The point is that the next time someone writes "half the people in America don't pay taxes," you can direct them to this thread and correct them, saying that they are talking only about income taxes, that there are many other taxes, and that the share of taxes paid by each socioeconomic group isn't too far off from each group's share of income.
Taes includes ALL taxes that US citizens pay to keep ALL our governments going.
The bottom 80% pays a LOT more than the top 20% when you include all taxes in the formula.
On the 47% of those who don't pay income taxes
No, Half Of All Workers Aren't Freeloaders | The New Republic
Whenever I read something like the following:
I know it's a biased article.
Here's the rub:
Even if the discussion is restricted to federal taxes (for which the statistics are better), a vast majority of households end up paying federal taxes. Congressional Budget Office data suggests that, at most, about 10 percent of all households pay no net federal taxes. The number 10 is obviously a lot smaller than 47.
Of course the discussion has always been about federal taxes. What's interesting here is that the article just says, "CBO data suggests..." and then doesn't back it up with actual data from the CBO.
What I need to see is real data and not a bunch of numbers and a chart from a clearly biased article.
Great. So the next time someone posts that 47% of Americans pay no taxes, you will correct them and say that 47% pay no federal income taxes, but most Americans pay taxes, right? Because that's the point of the OP, and I see people make that mistake a fair amount.
I guess there is a point to this thread.
The point is that the next time someone writes "half the people in America don't pay taxes," you can direct them to this thread and correct them, saying that they are talking only about income taxes, that there are many other taxes, and that the share of taxes paid by each socioeconomic group isn't too far off from each group's share of income.
I guess there is a point to this thread.
The point is that the next time someone writes "half the people in America don't pay taxes," you can direct them to this thread and correct them, saying that they are talking only about income taxes, that there are many other taxes, and that the share of taxes paid by each socioeconomic group isn't too far off from each group's share of income.
But saying that almost half of the people pay no federal income taxes is 100% true.
