Rodent Regatta

In a manner that has become typical of members of the Democratic National Committee, Andrew Tobias baited us yesterday with the notion that he’d be talking about What SHOULD the Top 1% Be Taxed? However, he never gets to that discussion because of his useless, extremist politics.

He does link to tomorrow’s column which is inexplicably already posted and dated February 4, 2004. You’ll find his version of the tax code described there.

Here’s a reader’s comment that finally got him to provide some detail about his view of taxes:

Tom: Not to derail your rhetoric with the cold hard facts, but your median American $38,000 wage earner does not pay ANY federal income tax. But that same wage earner, if s/he had children, would receive a refund via the Additional Child Tax credit. Perhaps you need to select a better example of the rich not paying their fair share. But your failure to directly address the final question is why so many of us simply disregard your position as typical liberal class warfare. If you truly believe our steeply progressive tax system is not steep enough (where the median does not have any federal tax liability but may well receive a refund anyway) why not simply lay your cards face up on the table so we can decide whether your position is to our liking? But rather than specifics, you resort to some line about how the percentage paid by the top was just about right under Clinton. Direct answer, Andrew: in your world, what percentages of total income tax paid should come from the top 1%, top 5% and top 50%. Should the bottom 50% owe any federal income tax at all? Should you have the mettle to print my message and address it directly, only print it in its entirety. Thanks again for the CICI tip.

Andrew Tobias
What SHOULD the Top 1% Be Taxed?
February 4, 2004