Tax Rates

Kevin Drum looks at taxes. He finds that income taxes are progressive, provided progressive means the top 400 taxpayers pay a lower tax rate than anyone else making $75,000 a year. There are other oddball anomalies too, but basically, its good to make a high income.

He also looks at all taxes… He only has this data in quintiles, but its also more or less progressive…

bottom 20% pay 18% of their income in taxes
second 20% pay 14% of their income in taxes
third 20% pay 16% of their income in taxes
fourth 20% pay 17% of their income in taxes
top 20% pay 19% of their income in taxes

Well, maybe this will encourage the poor to get up off their duffs and inherit some money like Paris Hilton for once.