We consider ourselves middle-class (should that be spelled clASS?), but very year we seem to lose more purchasing power and savings--all due to the increase in taxes. I recently calculated that I pay at least 16 taxes to various and sundry gummint collectors at every level. That amounts to "taxation without competent representation" and I am near to telling them all it is far too much to ask me to pay over 50% of my income to support so many useless gummint programs. Taxes have just put me out of business. "I'm mad as hell and I won't take it anymore!" Time for a national tea party! How come the Russians were smarter than we are and put in a flat tax that seems to be working well?