Hey, tea partiers! Most Americans aren’t nearly as sour on federal income taxes as you think
April 13th, 2009 at 05:59pm Pat Cunningham
A new Gallup Poll on federal income taxes SHOWS that Americans aren’t nearly as negative on the subject as certain protestors would have us believe.
Sixty-one percent of poll respondents said they regard the federal income taxes they have to pay this year as fair.
On the related question of whether they think their income taxes are too high, too low or about right, a plurality said they’re about right — one of the most positive assessments Gallup has measured on the matter since 1956.
In addition to these somewhat counterintuitive poll results, we also have the fact that the stimulus bill President Obama signed on Feb. 17 includes $288 billion in tax cuts — $237 billion of it in the form of tax relief for individuals.
So, what’s all this crap about tax-protest tea parties around the country this week? Well, the poorly-kept secret about these demonstrations is that they’re mostly anti-Obama affairs drummed up by extremist elements of the Republican Party.
Economist Paul Krugman SAYS THIS: “[I]t turns out that the tea parties don’t represent a spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They’re AstroTurf (fake grass roots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects. In particular, a key role is being played by FreedomWorks, an organization run by Richard Armey, the former House majority leader, and supported by the usual group of right-wing billionaires. And the parties are, of course, being promoted heavily by Fox News.”
(Disclaimer: From what I gather, the “tea party” scheduled for Tuesday afternoon behind the Rockford Public Library is not a Fox News creation and seems not to be specifically aimed at dissing Obama. We’ll see.)
UPDATE: The tea partiers also should take note of two other Gallup Poll results released today:
In ONE, 71 percent of Americans say they have confidence in Obama’s handling of the economy.
And in the Gallup Daily Tracking Poll, Obama’s overall approval rating STANDS at 63 percent.
POSTSCRIPT: Paul Krugman also makes a good point about the anti-Obama rhetoric we’re sure to hear at some tea parties:
”President Obama is being called a ’socialist” who seeks to destroy capitalism. Why? Because he wants to raise the tax rate on the highest-income Americans back to, um, about 10 percentage points less than it was for most of the Reagan administration.”
Ten percentage points less than it was under Reagan? Why weren’t there tea parties back then? Oh, right. Silly question. Reagan was a Republican.
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19 Comments Add your own
1. Roger | April 13th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
If some Americans are upset thinking they pay to much taxes and want to have a tea party ..Let them.
Whats the big deal to let them and not slander them?
Thats what America is about people speaking up.
If it wasn’t you wouldn’t have this blog.
2. Pat Cunningham | April 13th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Roger: Who’s stopping them? Who’s slandering them? Have I not the right to second-guess the protesters — to counter-protest, as it were? Is not that kind of thing also “what America is about”? I seem to recall that criticism of antiwar protesters during the Vietnam conflict was considered in some quarters to be the height of patriotism. Nobody has a right to suppress the tea partiers’ exercise of free speech, but everybody has a right to second-guess the motives and rhetoric of the tea partiers. And isn’t it fair and proper to remind the tea partiers that President Obama has signed legislation that LOWERS income taxes for most Americans?
3. Mike Carroll | April 13th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
The wealthiest 1 percent of the population earn 19 percent of the income but pay 37 percent of the income tax. The top 10 percent pay 68 percent of the tab. Meanwhile, the bottom 50 percent—those below the median income level—now earn 13 percent of the income but pay just 3 percent of the taxes.
Not real hard getting to 61% approval when close to 70% of the tab is picked up by someone else.
4. Roger | April 13th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Pat says. Have I not the right to second-guess the protesters?
Yes Pat you do. I was making a general comment that was not directly aimed at you.
There has been people who support what their doing and many who are calling them scammers nuts etc.
Again Pat my comment was not directed at you.
I believe in free spech as long as it done with out a lot of foul words or violence.
When protesters burn police cars and fire bomb building etc, I am not for that sort of free spech at all.
That is why I said if we didn’t have free spech you wouldn’t have your blog.
I’m glad every one is not the same or thinks the same.
It would be a pretty boring and screwed up world if we where,.
5. Pat Cunningham | April 13th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Mike: Obama’s proposal wouldn’t hit the rich as hard as Reagan did. So what are they bitching about? The thing that amuses me is how the rich and their friends at Fox News can fool so many dimwitted middle-classers into doing their fighting for them. God, it sure is fun to watch the Obamaphobes tie themselves into knots when nearly all the facts show their arguments to be sheer nonsense. Ah, but Glenn Beck will lead them to the promised land.
6. Orlando Clay | April 13th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Pat Cunningham wrote: “God, it sure is fun to watch the Obamaphobes tie themselves into knots when nearly all the facts show their arguments to be sheer nonsense.”
Yeah, and throw in the fact that President Obama convincingly passed his first “test.” Then top it all off with Al Franken FINALLY being declared the winner of the of the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota. I think it’s safe to assume that Pepto-Bismol will experience a surge in sales throughout the red states this week…..and it’s only Monday!
7. Orlando Clay | April 13th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Pat Cunningham wrote: “Ah, but Glenn Beck will lead them to the promised land.”
Utah or Wyoming?
8. carpentr85 | April 13th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
in 1964 kennedy lowered the top rate from 91% to 70%. in 1981 reagan lowered it to 50% until 1986 then he lowered it to 28%. so i guess 28% is equal to 39.6% to pat. that does not include the 25% lower across the board for all other workers.
9. Roger | April 13th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
7. Orlando Clay | April 13th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Pat Cunningham wrote: “Ah, but Glenn Beck will lead them to the promised land.”
Utah or Wyoming?
Cutting down these two states??
Orlando Clay are you from Orlando Florida the state of child molesters and child murderers???
Are you one??
10. 6orillamask | April 14th, 2009 at 7:49 am
the reason most people are “okay” with taxes is that they have NO IDEA why they are paying them or who they are paying them TO!!!
The federal income tax is not primarily intended to fund the U.S. Govt..It’s primary purpose is to pay interest on loans borrowed from the PRIVATE federal reserve bank (the federal reserve system LOANS all of the money in the US economy to the US at INTEREST…in exchange for treasury bonds.
Our so called “national debt” is what we owe the federeal reserve bank (primarily) the rest is what we owe foreign countries who’ve invested in our nations enslavement throught the purchase of treasury bonds AT INTEREST..
the only thing the current and past adminstrations have done to “help” the U.S. with the Bailout is to enslave us…
11. Harley Lowrider | April 14th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Pat,I think that you should start looking for another job somewhere becouse you have been trying to be a reporter at this paper for years and it has`nt worked out for you.Im sure the Star or the enquire could use the likes of you couse this one sure does`nt fit your pistol!
12. Pat Cunningham | April 14th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Harley: I’ve tried to explain to you before that I’m not an employee of the RRS. I’m an independent contractor. You’ve got the memory of a goldfish and the spelling and punctuation skills of a pre-schooler. Hey, maybe you’re part of pre-school of goldfish.
13. DingDong | April 14th, 2009 at 10:45 am
So Pat where are your facts on tax rates? Oh, here they are: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Docid=213
I guess carpentr85 was correct. Also, it is easy to keep a high approval rating when your whole policy is to make victims out the majority of the population.
14. snuss | April 14th, 2009 at 11:05 am
The protests are because of basically two things: an unfair, bloated, tax system, and HORRENDOUS Government overspending.
Only you greedy Socialist types think that stealing from the “rich” to give to others, deserving or not, through government programs, is morally correct. You are no different than the pirates, commandeering ships for ransom. And like the pirates, you have no qualms or conscience about your wanting more ill-gotten gains.
15. Michael Jessen | April 14th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them”.
Thomas Jefferson
16. DingDong | April 14th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Liberals are like children. They believe that everyone should have equal amount of things. Someone should take care of them. That they deserve things just for being.
17. snuss | April 14th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Actually, Far-Left Liberals seem to think everyone else are like children, needing constant supervision and being unable to properly care for themselves. Only THEY have the superior intellect to understand what is best for the rest of us, and that is a cradle-to-grave nanny State.
18. carpentr85 | April 14th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
pat reagan was slowly bringing tax down while obama wants to raise taxes how can you compare those two. i would suggest that we eliminate payed positions in the government. how many libs would want in then? probably not many.
19. Imee | April 15th, 2009 at 2:32 am
I’m not 100% okay with the taxes–some are fair, some aren’t. I guess maybe just being uninformed is enough to say a person is satisfied. Guess what I’m trying to say is “ignorance is bliss.” But don’t get me wrong though, I’m not anti-Obama. I’m just trying to look at the whole tax thing from a different direction than I’m used to.
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