High tax nonsense

People will believe what they want to believe, but for the record Americans paid out, percentage wise, less in taxes last year than at any time since 1950. From USA Today:

Federal, state and local taxes -- including income, property, sales and other taxes -- consumed 9.2% of all personal income in 2009, the lowest rate since 1950, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports. That rate is far below the historic average of 12% for the last half-century. The overall tax burden hit bottom in December at 8.8.% of income before rising slightly in the first three months of 2010. "The idea that taxes are high right now is pretty much nuts," says Michael Ettlinger, head of economic policy at the liberal Center for American Progress. The real problem is spending,counters Adam Brandon of FreedomWorks, which organizes Tea Party groups. "The money we borrow is going to be paid back through taxation in the future," he says.

Taxes have fallen for several reasons, including the federal stimulus package and a series of credits and exemptions that slashed income taxes for poor and middle-class families. A Gallup Poll last month found that 48 percent thought taxes were "too high" and 45 percent thought they were "about right."