Taxes: payroll taxes, and state sales taxes are generally regressive: everyone pays the same sales tax, and Social Security (FICA) stops at about $105,000. It is only income tax that is somewhat progressive. And when it comes to that people who live on investment income pay low federal income taxes. High salary earners (yes lawyers and mid-level executives) pay a lot more (around 25% like Obama and Biden) .
Second who receives government benefits and how costly are they? Almost everyone (good), and how costly? Well the poor are getting less and less (surprise). But health care costs are going up. That's a legitimate debate. Some (like me) think Medicare (single-payer) is the most efficient and desirable. But that will leaves the questions of how to control costs - limit benefits, reduce compensation, or force systemic cost reductions (e.g. - decide based on evidence that some tests/treatments/medicines will not be covered.
- GWC
If We’re Lucky, Romney’s Misguided Comments Will Remind The Public It Likes Government More Than It Realizes | The New Republic:
by Jonathan Cohn
"Will Moocherpalooza have an impact on the presidential campaign? It might. Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and their allies have been decrying the “entitlement society” and supposedly low number of Americans paying federal taxes for some time now. But the specific language and circumstances of Romney’s comments at a May fundraiser, first reported in Mother Jones on Monday, may capture the attention of average Americans in a way those previous speeches and writings did not. "
'via Blog this'
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