Calculating my situation:
2010 effective tax rate: 13.59%
2012 changes to tax rate: 16.37%
9-9-9 assuming everything I earn is paid for taxable items:
17.19%
9-9-9 assuming my employer passes on the payroll taxes to me:
13.46% + I have more to spend (about $3600)
9-9-9 assuming an evil employer and 75% of items are taxable:
15.14%
Because of what I believe it will do to the economy and prices, this seems reasonable to me. It is a step in the right direction. Someone who is paying nothing now will view that differently, of course.
You hit the nail on the head. Those contributing NOTHING want the rich to pay more because it is “fair”. What’s fair about them paying zero? We have way, too many with the welfare mentality. Always jealous because they don’t have what someone else has either worked for or inherited. (I think that’s called coveting!)