According to a poll done by NPR, most Americans believe that taxes on the rich have gone up over the past 40 years. Nothing could be further from the truth. In 1980 the tax rate on the wealthiest was 70%. It is now 39.6%. And that tax rate doesn’t kick until you make $418,400 dollars a year.
Again, according to the poll, most Americans think that taxes at all incomes levels should be lowered, but given that many think the rich are paying a lot more that number may change with more information.
The poll shows that 70 percent of Americans believe taxes should be raised on people making $250,000 to just under $1 million, and that 75 percent believe they should be raised on people making $1 million or more. That’s already a sizable majority, but if people knew taxes on the richest had indeed fallen, it could — maybe — lead even more of them to think taxes should be raised now. (Of course, it’s also possible that historical rates wouldn’t affect their views at all.)
The idea giving a tax break to the wealthiest and to corporate American has the effect of tricking down has been proven to be false even though it is the foundation for the GOP tax policy. It is also one of the reasons for the huge income divide in America.
