[lbo-talk] Gallup on bailout

[Jordan Hayes]

>> No - the chart shows the effective tax rate by income group - i.e., 
>> what
>> people pay (as opposed to the rate on the books) as a percentage of 
>> income.
>
> And a wonderfully handy one at that to show anybody who thinks we 
> have
> a progressive tax rate.

The US only has a progressive *income tax* ... since Doug's chart shows 
the net impact of all taxes, including the so-called "payroll taxes" 
it's a good tool to show people how those taxes upset the progressive 
tax apple cart.

I was listening to someone on the local NPR station talk to a 
California State Somethingorother, who was saying that the Unemployment 
benefit fund was projected to go under sometime soon, and that there 
were two options: raise taxes or cut benefits.

Federal unemployment taxes are $56 on the first $7k of wages, and 
nothing more; in California it's $175 on the first $7k.  It should be 
an easy sell to say: this is backwards.

And yet: here we are.

/jordan