Refuting the "50% don't pay taxes" Canard

[Hassin Bin Sober]

This was sent to me by a friend:

Refuting the "50% don't pay taxes" Canard

http://fayfreethinkers.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6610#p24299


The claim that half the population doesn't pay taxes is a popular canard in our media. It has been spread so wide and deep that it is being picked up and regurgitated by those who really should know better. In the following I will address the claim, in it's various forms.



“It’s hard to have a fair tax system where only about half the people are paying,”


This is our own flatfooted Arkansas democratic Senator, Mark Pryor on August 23, 2011. Of course this statement is plainly false, by any measure. Everyone who lives in society, and buys a product, pays taxes. Lest anyone think I am selecting a single politician who misspoke, Jon Stewart provides several examples of this false claim being made by the media and politicians. See this clip from August 18.

When it is pointed out that this claim is patently false, sometimes the person will do a little investigating and discover that what they really meant to say was...

“51 percent of the public don’t pay any federal taxes right now.”

[OHdem10]

1. They should be clear in their claim, as they have a specific goal.

It is accurate to say they do not pay income taxes.

Why is this so important to the GOP and has been taken
up by Conservadems?? Simple when they "reform the tax law"
they will need more people paying taxes. How often do
you hear we must reform the tax system and Broaden the
Base. Folks there is only one way to broaden the base.
GO DOWN THE EONOMIC LADDER. Start having some who do
not pay income taxes start paying income taxes.

The Republicans are expert at creating wedges and have
Conservadems fall in line.

Income taxes are taxes used to support the Federal Government
and its programs. Their argument is if you are going take
from these programs you must have skin in the game.

Of course they are not emphasizing but they are not hiding
the fact that the Corporate Taxes will be cut and the
Rich will be protected. More poor people should be paying
and not expect the rich to pay.

I am not defending their position just explaining how this
will work and sadly, I believe they will get their way.

Just saying the Working Poor and Poor pay other taxes
is not enough. Check on Members of Congress (DEMS)
and see how many of them agree with GOP on this?
How about our President??? Seems I heard him say
Reform the Tax Code and Broaden the base.

[Scuba]

4. K & R Excellent graphs. n/t

[obxhead]

2. K&R for the truth.

[underpants]

3. The whole "1/2 don't pay" was from a WSJ editorial on tax day 2010

Of course once it got out there the Big Lie machinery revved up and it is now a part of the discussion.

The actual fact that was purposely misconscrued was the 47% would be getting a tax REFUND - not that they didn't pay taxes but that they paid too much. What did they pay too much? Because in the recovery bill and in two others ( I think) the Obama administration oversaw the largest middle class tax cut EVER. 98% of working people got these reduced payroll deductions and lower rates. All of this is aside from the points you make about payroll taxes (cut by a 1/3 this year) .....all of which is aimed at getting money back into the economy - because the banks won't make loans and the corporations are paying dividends (to themselves) instead of hiring.

The rightwing machinery turned what they get a lot of lip service to but never do back into their advantage. And no if anyone pointed that out they did so once and were not on the air again until this was drilled into everyone's heads.