TO THE EDITOR:
Mr. Palmer brings up some good points about the amount that the top 1 percent pays in taxes, but I'm afraid he doesn't quite get the whole picture. Firstly, the Tax Foundation, the organization he cites for his numbers, is an organization that constantly over-reports taxation. For instance, they report that about half of the average person's income goes to taxes; that's a bit far-fetched for even the most conservative. For more information on the Tax Foundation, just run a simple search of the organization or look up the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.
Even if we chose to use the Tax Foundation's numbers, it is interesting that federal income tax only accounts for about half of the federal taxes that we pay. While I am no tax specialist I am quite certain that income tax is the most progressive tax. This means that while the rich might be hit hard in income tax, the poor are hit as hard with other federal taxes, federal taxes that aren't being addressed in the Bush plan.
Finally, despite all the "horrible" taxes that are being heaped on the rich, they continually had the highest increases in income. In 1998, the top 1 percent reported income increases well over the entire income of most Americans ($69,000). These few individuals hold so much of the wealth that the government must tax these people more in order to fund expenditures without crippling the poor. As the rich receive the greatest benefits of the economy, they must be prepared to handle some of biggest burdens.
Jerry Covington
Graduate Student
School of Social Work
