[cidrasm]

these numbers are also misleading because they only look at FIT. when medicare, soc. security, state, local, and sales taxes are factored in, the difference in percentage of income paid in taxes is further narrowed.

Remember, Medicare and Social Security "taxes" are really premiums payed to an insurance program. As such they are not supposed to be "progressive", just like any other insurance policy. If you want coverage you pay to get it.

Local and sales taxes affect everyone and is the method the states fund their budgets. Are you suggesting the poorer folks shouldn't be on the hook for services they benefit from at the local and state level?

[jethropalerobber]

Remember, Medicare and Social Security "taxes" are really premiums payed to an insurance program...If you want coverage you pay to get it.

right, except that if you don't want the coverage, you still have to pay for it, so i would still call it a tax. but if you want to leave those aside my point is still the same.

Local and sales taxes affect everyone and is the method the states fund their budgets. Are you suggesting the poorer folks shouldn't be on the hook for services they benefit from at the local and state level?

i'm not arguing the should or shouldn't of anything. i'm just saying that if you want to evaluate the distribution of the tax burden, FIT doesn't tell the whole story.