Progressive Taxation - the true Fair Tax

Anyone who can look at the economic history of America from 1936-1980, then look at the "trickle-down" years of 1980 to present, and still think that the "trickle-down" approach works must have a last name like Trump, or Walton, or Koch.

Most Americans, unfortunately do not understand progressive taxation -- the fairest form of taxation and a big part of the creation of the great American middle class of the mid 20th Century. EVERYONE pays the same tax on the same income. For example when top tax rates are say 70% that means that everyone, including even the rich guys, pay a much smaller percentage on their first, say, $20,000. When they have earned more than that a higher rate kicks in BUT only on ADDITIONAL income, in progressively larger progressively larger percentages until they reach that top VERY WEALTHY bracket. Only after they have earned the money on which they paid lesser tax rates do they begin paying that top rate on the fantastic income they earn as the year progresses. If the top rate is 70% NO ONE, not a single tax payer, not even the Trumps and Waltons and Kochs would pay 70% of their total income. It is unfortunate that MANY people have no clue about how progressive taxation works and that it works FAIRLY, dang it! AND, as this great meme indicates it helped fuel the "American Century"

Robert Reich does a better job explaining some of the myths of taxation in the video above.

I apologize for posting what many of you know well, but I am shocked to find that LOTS of folks have no clue about the reality of this wonderful American system of fair taxes that was altered so drastically in the eighties and robbed my children and grandchildren of much of what had become the American dream while driving the nation toward oligarchy

YES to rewards for entrepreneurship, invention, innovation, and hard work. 

NO to extreme wealth accumulation and oligarchy. 

Maximum liberty is always somewhere in the middle of the scale that goes from tyrannical socialism on one end and tyrannical capitalism on the other.