[The Great Yazoo]

had $2,781,791 of tax exempt interest income from state, municipal and public entity bonds.

More than half her income was tax-exempt.

[kabar]

More than half her income was tax-exempt

Exactly. The press release is playing games with the figures, i.e., 35% state and federal taxes on her gross taxable income. The figure is far less once you put the total income together. I would have to run the numbers, but without the state taxes, I wonder how low their effective federal tax is on their total income. If I recall, it was about 12%.

[Polybius]

More than half her income was tax-exempt.

So is the $550 million principal of the fortune Teresa Heinz inherited tax-free and John Kerry married tax-free.

This couple, who is worth $550 million dollars and who call two-income families earning over $200,000 "the wealthiest Americans" paid 0.145 percent of their total wealth in taxes for 2003.

Less than fifteen hundredth of a single percent of their total wealth in Federal taxes for 2003. That's it.

Is it any wonder that these people could not care less about raising the income taxes on hard-working couples?

Income taxes only significantly impact workers and not the truly wealthy such as Teresa Heinz and John Kerry.