In Eisenhower's day, the tax rate for the wealthy was high, yet people were happy..,.

[Ardent15]

Where did all this anti-government attitude come from?

Must have been Reagan.

[Stargleamer]

1. If they were white many of them were happy. . .

I do agree that the super-rich do need to be heavily taxed. They had windfalls under The Idiot now it's time for them to pay up.

[Kansas Wyatt]

2. Republicans LOVE to talk about the Good Ole' Days....

But they throw a fit at the thought of tax rates of those Good Ole' Days, and they go ballistic when someone suggests imposing tax rates from the Good Ole' Days.

[zeemike]

3. It started before Reagan

It started with Ayn Rand and her book "Atlas Shrugged" and with the help of the backlash of the civil rights laws and the southern strategy of the Republicans.
It is funny but I remember reading back then that Aristotle Onassis was one of the richest men in the world and his estimated wealth was 60 million. Now he would just be a pauper in the circle of the profoundly wealthy.

[Ardent15]

4. Ah, Rand...what a frightening ideology

And that's pretty depressing about Onassis.

[treestar]

5. They were willing to pay taxes as long as they were in control

When the 60s came along, with those uppity blacks and women, they did not want to pay in any longer. They were fine with paying high taxes when they were in control. But ask them to give up their privileges and they would not play along.

This explains the Reagan Resentment. Make us share it with women and people of color and we will show them!

[Ardent15]

6. The 60s do explain a lot. Cultural revolution=bad!

[LiberalFighter]

7. Tax Rates thru the years (Married Filing Separately)

(Year) (Tax Brackets) (Highest Tax Rate) (Amount Taxed)

1932 (54) 63% -- $1,000,000

1936 (33) 79% -- $5,000,000

1939 (33) 79% -- $5,000,000 (WWII started)
1940 (31) 79% -- $5,000,000
1941 (32) 81% -- $5,000,000

1943 (24) 88% -- $ 200,000

1945 (24) 94% -- $ 200,000 (WWII ends)
1946 (24) 91% -- $ 200,000

1952 (24) 92% -- $ 200,000 (First time Head of Household Tax Rate)
1953 (24) 91% -- $ 200,000

1964 (26) 77% -- $ 200,000
1965 (25) 70% -- $ 100,000

1978 (26) 70% -- $ 101,600
1979 (16) 70% -- $ 107,700

1982 (13) 50% -- $ 42,800
1983 (14) 50% -- $ 54,700
1984 (15) 50% -- $ 81,200
1985 (15) 50% -- $ 84,510
1986 (15) 50% -- $ 87,626
1987 (5) 38.5% -- $45,000
1988 (4) 28.0% -- $113,300
1989 (4) 28.0% -- $117,895
1990 (4) 28.0% -- $123,570
1991 (3) 31.0% -- $41,075
1992 (3) 31.0% -- $43,250
1993 (5) 39.6% -- $125,000

1995 (5) 39.6% -- $128,250
1996 (5) 39.6% -- $131,875
1997 (5) 39.6% -- $135,525
1998 (5) 39.6% -- $139,225
1999 (5) 39.6% -- $141,575
2000 (5) 39.6% -- $144,175
2001 (5) 39.1% -- $148,675
2002 (6) 38.6% -- $153,525
2003 (6) 35.0% -- $155,975
2004 (6) 35.0% -- $155,550
2005 (6) 35.0% -- $163,225
2006 (6) 35.0% -- $168,275
2007 (6) 35.0% -- $174,850
2008 (6) 35.0% -- $178,850

[aquart]

8. Let's make them happy again.

Tax their asses!

[barb162]

9. Maybe they were happy WW2 and the Depression were over.