Rick Perry: Middle Income Americans Don't Pay Enough Income Taxes [leftist spin, ie, lie]

Forbes ^ | 8/18/2011 | Len Burman

[Graneros]

I’ve been blissfully off the grid for the past few days, cycling in Western New York. (Allegany State Park is absolutely gorgeous. Made me be glad to be paying taxes in New York State.) I could forget about the debt ceiling fiasco, 9 percent unemployment, the tea party, runaway health spending, global warming, the NBA lockout…

But back in the real world, I learn from newly minted GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry what’s wrong with America—that middle income Americans don’t pay enough taxes. Really.

We’re dismayed at the injustice that nearly half of all Americans don’t even pay any income tax. (Quoted in this terrific Ruth Marcus column.)

We’re apparently not dismayed that more than half of all Americans have been in a 30-year recession with little or no income growth. We’re apparently willing to write off Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes, which are the big federal taxes for low- and middle-income Americans. A family of four earning $30,000 may pay no federal income tax, but it pays $4,590 in payroll taxes (including the employer’s share, which economists believe is ultimately paid by the employee in the form of lower wages). Payroll taxes are much bigger than income taxes for most families.

[occamrzr06]

I didn’t make the argument that the poor pays taxes.

Actually, I made the argument that the poor pays no taxes.

You tried to make the argument that the poor pays a consumption tax, so in fact they do pay taxes.

My argument can be furthered by, let me pat that tax rate.

I don’t like the progressive tax. I don’t like any tax, but if we must tax, let it be at the same rate.

Why should anyone be hit at a higher rate because they are smarter, or just damn lucky enough to earn more.

I’m tire of the class warfare. You earn more than me. Good. I want the same opportunity, not the same outcome.