[avacado]

Turns out you are wrong ~ the CLAIM is that half of 
Americans pay no FEDERAL INCOME TAX. 

It is wrong to say that half pay no taxes at all. Saying 
that identifies you as someone who does not have a clue 
about taxation in this country.

Actually they are all right. People and households making around a bit lss than $50k/yr get the EITC (earned income tax credit) and if they have children they get a $1500 credit per child.

Some of them actually get rebates. You may want to bone up on this a bit more.

[muawiyah]

$48362 ~ with the amount of the credit being no more than $5,751 with three or more qualifying children. There are a lot of things that can whack that credit down as well. http://www.eitc.irs.gov/central/Preview2009/

Simply eliminating EITC would probably cut the federal budget less than $50 billion per annum. Ronald Reagan invented this one. Why don't you take up your arguments with him.

[muawiyah]

In this state they don't care if you qualify for EITC. They collect state income tax. They also collect state sales taxes. They collect various excise taxes ~ as does the federal government.

If you die the state will collect an inheritance tax.

Some of you guys are totally mind numbed if you think states don't collect taxes.