You will not even hear Republicans refer to the "payroll tax" in the same breath as income taxes. That is the killer of the low income. They all pay it. Over 13%.
Those on the bottom rung are happy enough only to look at "take home pay", never the tax withheld. They may think they are paying no income tax, but everyone of them is hit for payroll tax on everything they earn.
Social Security and Medicare Taxes are income taxes no matter what euphemism they are called. There are no deductions, no credits, no nothing on payroll taxes.
yitbos
The low income earners would scream bloody murder if they were taxed at the same rate that I'm taxed. That $5.15/hour would net a take home of $237 for an 80 hour pay period at my rates. I lose at least 42% of every paycheck to taxes.