The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

scaeagles · 08-02-2011, 10:19 AM

A serious question. What does "Pay their fair share" mean? As I listen to the President say it for the Nth time, I wonder, and I'm not just speaking rhetorically. I really want to know what it means. I did a quicksearch and found this -

Table 1. Summary of Federal Individual Income Tax Data, 2008(Updated October 2010)

Group's Share of Income Taxes
Top 1% 38.02%
Top 5% 58.72%
Top 10% 69.94%

Source: Internal Revenue Service
Should the top 1% be required to pay more than 38% of all fed income taxes? Should the top 5% have to pay more than 59% of all fed income taxes?

The chart (I didn't include it) also shows that in 2008 the bottom 50% paid 2.7% of all federal income taxes.

That data makes it seem to me that thew ealthy already are paying their fair share.

So what is "their fair share"?

08-02-2011, 10:19 AM	#11
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	A serious question. What does "Pay their fair share" mean? As I listen to the President say it for the Nth time, I wonder, and I'm not just speaking rhetorically. I really want to know what it means. I did a quicksearch and found this - Table 1. Summary of Federal Individual Income Tax Data, 2008(Updated October 2010) Group's Share of Income Taxes Top 1% 38.02% Top 5% 58.72% Top 10% 69.94% Source: Internal Revenue Service Should the top 1% be required to pay more than 38% of all fed income taxes? Should the top 5% have to pay more than 59% of all fed income taxes? The chart (I didn't include it) also shows that in 2008 the bottom 50% paid 2.7% of all federal income taxes. That data makes it seem to me that thew ealthy already are paying their fair share. So what is "their fair share"?
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