[CO_dreamer]

re: tax freedom day.

Consider this. In 1950, tax freedom day for the wealthiest of Americans was probably in October. They were paying a 90% marginal rate. Now, taxes are more flat, and fair.

[ninenot]

That's not the point.

The point is that the cost of living is affected by regs and taxes, not to mention commodities, housing, etc.

Thus--while salaries/wages may rise, the cost of living may well rise at a greater rate---therefore, the REAL income is not the same as "salaries/wages."

Taxes and regs are even more significant when one addresses manufacturers, who are burdened by these costs in the USA--but in other countries, tax/reg burdens are somewhat less (albeit there are exceptions..)

So the numbers have significance. We're not all that concerned about the 'top 10%,' nor the 'bottom 10%' (for whom tax freedom day is January 1 if you don't count Social Security...

In this calc, the average counts most.