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[–] flyawayhigh [S] ago  (edited ago)

I noticed that there was quite a bit of debate here today over tax rates and who should get the tax cuts, just like we saw in 2001 before the big Bush tax cuts. Much misinformation and sloganeering continues to prevail. This new analysis should help provide a good framework for understanding these issues.

One particular thing that I noticed was people arguing over who pays what percentage of taxes. These percentage debates are misdirection. In fact:

Tax Rate for Richest 400 Taxpayers Plummeted in Recent Decades, Even as Their Pre-Tax Incomes Skyrocketed

Basically, the wealthiest people have more available money after tax than they used to. I don't think anything in human or entrepreneurial nature has changed. We can check with the psychologists, but I'm sure they will agree. The wealthiest people make a greater share of income, and by extension, increase their after-tax income based on changes in the system -- changes that benefit the wealthiest and that, as we've seen in recent years, take directly from the masses. There has been no "positive sum game" in the 2000's.