more tax cut questions- bush speech

[Brad DeLong]

>Leslilake1 at aol.com wrote:
>
>>bush tonight says a waitress with two kids making $25,000 - if she tries to
>>better her situation, every dollar she makes over $25,000 is taxed at 50% -
>>sending the awful message - "you can't get ahead."
>>
>>can this be true?
>
>No. No one is in a 50% federal tax bracket. The highest marginal 
>rate is 39%, and that's well beyond the point where you pay SS 
>taxes. Did he really say that?
>
>Doug

Bush's speechwriters are adding up marginal rates on EITC phaseout + 
FICA + income tax, while O'Neill is denouncing the very idea of doing 
so.

Brad DeLong