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Pastimes : My House
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To: Poet who wrote (2117)10/4/2002 5:55:50 PM
From: Original Mad Dog  Read Replies (1) of 7689
 
The problem is that taxes on the so called rich have gone up, then down, then way up, then somewhat down over the years. The "somewhat down" part is the Bush tax cut. At some point there has to be a problem with only being able to raise taxes on the so called rich.

I have no problem with paying more than a poor person on a percentage basis, but not so much more that it disincentivizes me to produce more. I do think that the whole issue has been muddied by concentrating on the federal income tax and not combining its effect with other taxes. There are basically five major taxes that most people pay to some degree:

1. Sales taxes
2. Property taxes
3. Federal income taxes
4. State income taxes
5. Social security (and Medicare) taxes

Conservatives carp about #3 a lot. I don't see them carping nearly as much about #1 and #5, which are heavily regressive in that they affect a larger percentage of a poor working person's income in most places than a rich person's income. #2 are borne more heavily by the rich, I suppose, but the direct benefits (especially better public schools in rich areas) tend to make it more palatable. #4 varies by state: It's a modest flat tax where I live but harshly progressive (and a deterrent to productivity) in places like California.

I think that any intelligent discussion of tax fairness has to take all five categories into account, and most discusssions don't. I also think the marriage penalty is an abomination, and even if the rest of Bush's tax revisions were reversed I very much hope they keep the marriage penalty relief in there. There is no good reason why the government would hand me 4-5K a year solely for getting a divorce.
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