U.S. tax burden at lowest level since '58 - USA Today

[Bill USA]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2011-05-05-tax-cut-record-low_n.htm



The total tax burden — for all federal, state and local taxes — dropped to 23.6% of income in the first quarter, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data.

By contrast, individuals spent roughly 27% of income on taxes in the 1970s, 1980s and the 1990s — a rate that would mean $500 billion of extra taxes annually today, one-third of the estimated $1.5 trillion federal deficit this year.
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The latest dip in the tax burden came from a Social Security tax cut included in a December budget deal between Democrats and Republicans. It will reduce taxes $100 billion this year.

"We have a 1950s level of taxation and a 21st-century-sized government," says Robert Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, a deficit-reduction advocacy group.
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[alp227]

1. Uhh, by 1950s taxation does he mean the 91% top rate under Eisenhower?

I don't get what Bixby means.

[valerief]

2. Only the little people pay taxes, as Ms. Helmsley told us. nt

[Zoeisright]

3. He means the government isn't taking in enough money to be competitive

with other nations in the world in the 21st century.

[Bill USA]

4. they are talking about taxes as a percent of GDP. Link to source data provided.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals

click on: Table 2.3—Receipts by Source as Percentages of GDP: 1934–2016

or just click http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2012/assets/hist02z3.xls"">here