USA Today 'Study': Tax Bite at 60 Year Low - so Quitcher Bitchin'!

[Dr Powerfun]

To the tune (http://fredsshed.isgreat.org/audio/batleh.mid) of The Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen a story in the USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2010-05-10-taxes_N.htm)
The intent of which is meant in all its glory to portray
That taxes as a burden aren't as bad as what they say

The Bull is marching on!

Just who do they think they're kidding?
Just who do they think they're kidding?
Just who do they think they're kidding?
They must think folks are dumb...

Effectively, the average tax rate the author parades
Is 9 percent (the lowest that it's been in six decades)...
That number is one more in a whole series of charades

To put the people on!

Gotta love those funny numbers,
Gotta love those funny numbers:
Gotta love those funny numbers -
They're GREAT to hide the facts!

For individuals, there's not one Fed rate that's gone down:
It's federal collections that have gone down all-around -
The only way the rate you're taxed has dropped is if you've found

Your income's falling flat

Income falls in a recession
Income falls in a recession
Income falls in a recession
But tax keeps going on

The truth is that the story's numbers hardly go half way -
For one thing, payroll taxes aren't included: why, you say?
It's payment for "insurance" or so says the BEA

Oh, how they put us on!

It's not taxes, it's "Insurance"
It's not taxes, it's "Insurance"
It's not taxes, it's Insurance -
Boy, are THEY FULL of sh!t...!

Jibing with the numbers for this year's Tax Freedom Day,
Kev Drum at Mother Jones (http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/05/taxmans-bite) says 9 Percent's a bit astray:
The REAL figure's THREE TIMES more than USA Today's -

So, why were they so off?

It was clearly Propaganda,
It was clearly Propaganda:
It was clearly Propaganda!
(You'd think they were Pravda!)

[VOguy]

Not surprised that on average, American's paid the lowest taxes ever. But then the 1970s song from Billy Preston comes to mind, "Nothing from Nothing Leaves Nothing". Those of us that are working get a double whammie. First, there is the thought that since we are working we can afford to pay. This is insulting at best. The numbers show that I'll pay .875% more this year than 2008.

OK. I hear you. "But you greedy son of a bitch, VO, that's less that a 1% increase." Not so fast my little greedy entitled friends. The numbers also show that while the cost of living increased by 2.82%, there was no increase in earnings. So basically I worked for the same wage in 2009 as I did in 2008, yet I paid out 3.695% more for the right to live here, and saw nothing for it. In fact, the city has decreased police and fire protection, crime is up, and the roads are getting real bad.

Dr. P is right when he says "It was clearly Propaganda". There is an old saying "Figures Lie & Liars Figure". Case in point. Our town has been "blessed" with being one of the most affordable places to live. On the surface that sounds good. But let's look at it another way. Suppose you buy a house for $75,000. (pre-inflated bank fraud era). And let's say it's now only worth $65,000. To the government they term this as a very affordable place to live, because if you have little or no money, it means you can get things cheap. However, what it means to those who have invested is that they are loosing money and at some point will bail.

I agree that sometimes it's good for corrections to happen, and we're all happy to see the little guy get a break and get a deal. That's OK under normal market circumstances. But when you see a whole community in this way, it's not a good thing. Just as Detroit.

[Delphine]

Speaking of Detroit, I saw some awful, heart-breaking photos on the news of the once well-cared for and loved neighborhoods. It broke my loyal Michigan heart to see how many have been deserted, destroyed and burned out. Like another New Orleans...