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Politics : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DuckTapeSunroof who wrote (43732)	6/10/2010 11:48:47 AM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 71588

A) start with COMBINED data for each of the decades, or else we: B) take each year one by one. (Your choice!) I only note that we have not done that YET. Neither is necessary, when the difference is so large. If you where measuring a very tiny difference you would have to carefully calculate everything to see if it held up, but that's not needed when the total payroll tax went from 2% to 15.3%. Re: [2) What is the agreed definition for "Middle Class"] "The way the term is normally used." That is not an answer that is an evasion. No its a quite adequate answer in this context. Re: [3) EXACTLY what is (and what is not!) INCLUDED as a component part of making up your composite of "total tax load"?] "All taxes." Using the metric of 'all taxes' will make it a very difficult and tedious comparison Only if you want to examine every point to the most minute detail, after the larger points have already established the answer beyond the smaller points to make any difference. I avoided doing so by not including minor misc. taxes in my calculations. I'm certain they have increased, but they are too small, too numerous, and not frequently talked about and quantified. The research would be hard, and the contribution of them to the end result is pretty irrelevant compared to income and payroll taxes, so you can safely and reasonably avoid quantifying them exactly and still say the burden of all taxes went up. I simply point out that MANY economists would disagree with your position Then they would be wrong. Transfer payments to you do not reduce your taxes.