According to some, rich people should pay more taxes, because they’re rich. Poor people should pay less taxes because they’re poor. And if some stinky old Republican, like GeeDub Bush, cuts taxes, then rich people must be paying less and that’s somehow a bad thing.

Raise taxes! Punish the rich! Rah rah rah!

Ok. Now that the emotional part of the post is over, let’s look at some hard facts.

In 2000, the top 10% of Americans, with regard to income, paid about 67% of all taxes collected by the IRS. That means that 90% of America only contributed 23% of the tax revenue. Wow. So, I guess the rich already are paying more taxes, huh? A lot more.

Oh.

Well, when Bush cut taxes, he only cut taxes for rich people and now poor people are paying more!

Ya think? Well, I hate to tell you, that since the 2001 tax cuts, the ratio has gone the opposite direction. In 2006, the same top 10% of income earners paid over 70% of the tax revenue. Yes, after Bush’s tax cut, the rich are now paying more. Whereas, during the Clinton years, in the mid-90’s, the ratio was around 60/40. So, when Slick Willy was in office, the poor and middle class had twice the tax burden that they have now under Bush’s tax cuts.

Oh.

Please don’t take my word for it. Read it for yourself here.