TAX BURDEN TREND CONTINUES

The polarization of the income tax burden in the spirit of socking it to the evil rich continues. When more than half of the voting public has been practically removed from the tax paying population, our rulers can continue to take from the evil rich minority with complete freedom.

This chart illustrating the 2005 income tax burden from the Heritage Foundation is very enlightening:

What this means is:

The top 1% of income earners are paying 39.4% of Federal Taxes.

The top 5% of income earners are paying 59.7% of Federal Taxes.

The top 10% of income earners are paying 70.3% of Federal Taxes.

The top 25% of income earners are paying 86% of Federal Taxes.

The top 50% of income earners are paying 96.9% of Federal Taxes.

The bottom 50% of income earners are only paying 3.1% of Federal Taxes.

These quotes come to mind on this aspect of heavily taxing a minority:

Milton Friedman:
"Congress can raise taxes because it can persuade a sizable fraction of the populace that somebody else will pay."

"A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul."
-- George Bernard Shaw

Vanya Cohen:
When there's a single thief, it's robbery. When there are a thousand thieves, it's taxation.