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War Is Peace. Freedom Is Slavery. Ignorance Is Strength. Tax Cuts Generate Revenue
Jun 02, 2011
The political system may be different from Orwell's time, but the corruption and propaganda remain. We all have to 'sacrifice' to balance the budget. As Time Magazine wailed: "Do the nation's leaders have the courage to cut health entitlements or Social Security?" And the horses say, "We will work harder."
But the wealthiest individuals and corporations are not paying their taxes. They say they are. The richest Americans complain that they're paying most of the federal income taxes, and that's true. But since 1980 their AFTER-TAX share of America's income has TRIPLED. That's a trillion dollars a year in extra income for the wealthiest 1%. Their federal income tax rate has gone DOWN during that time, from 34% to 23%.
If they're paying most of the federal income tax it's because they make almost all the money.
The wealthiest 125 U.S. corporations, meanwhile, paid only 10% in U.S. income taxes last year. They claim that a lower tax rate will generate more tax revenue.
Here are the facts about corporate tax rates. Over the past 50 years the marginal rates for top corporations have steadily fallen, from over 50% to 35%. But according to the U.S. Office of Management, the corporate share of total tax revenue has dropped from about 20% in the 1960s to under 9% in 2010. Average Americans have made up most of the difference.
What the very rich won't admit is that they benefit the most from government-funded research, national security, infrastructure, property rights, and a financial industry tailored to their pleasure and profit. They insist that anyone can share in the prosperity, if only, like the horses, they keep working harder.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
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Paul Buchheit
Paul Buchheit is an advocate for social and economic justice, and the author of numerous papers on economic inequality and cognitive science. He was recently named one of 300 Living Peace and Justice Leaders and Models. He is the author of "American Wars: Illusions and Realities" (2008) and "Disposable Americans: Extreme Capitalism and the Case for a Guaranteed Income" (2017). Contact email: paul (at) youdeservefacts.org.
The political system may be different from Orwell's time, but the corruption and propaganda remain. We all have to 'sacrifice' to balance the budget. As Time Magazine wailed: "Do the nation's leaders have the courage to cut health entitlements or Social Security?" And the horses say, "We will work harder."
But the wealthiest individuals and corporations are not paying their taxes. They say they are. The richest Americans complain that they're paying most of the federal income taxes, and that's true. But since 1980 their AFTER-TAX share of America's income has TRIPLED. That's a trillion dollars a year in extra income for the wealthiest 1%. Their federal income tax rate has gone DOWN during that time, from 34% to 23%.
If they're paying most of the federal income tax it's because they make almost all the money.
The wealthiest 125 U.S. corporations, meanwhile, paid only 10% in U.S. income taxes last year. They claim that a lower tax rate will generate more tax revenue.
Here are the facts about corporate tax rates. Over the past 50 years the marginal rates for top corporations have steadily fallen, from over 50% to 35%. But according to the U.S. Office of Management, the corporate share of total tax revenue has dropped from about 20% in the 1960s to under 9% in 2010. Average Americans have made up most of the difference.
What the very rich won't admit is that they benefit the most from government-funded research, national security, infrastructure, property rights, and a financial industry tailored to their pleasure and profit. They insist that anyone can share in the prosperity, if only, like the horses, they keep working harder.
Paul Buchheit
Paul Buchheit is an advocate for social and economic justice, and the author of numerous papers on economic inequality and cognitive science. He was recently named one of 300 Living Peace and Justice Leaders and Models. He is the author of "American Wars: Illusions and Realities" (2008) and "Disposable Americans: Extreme Capitalism and the Case for a Guaranteed Income" (2017). Contact email: paul (at) youdeservefacts.org.
The political system may be different from Orwell's time, but the corruption and propaganda remain. We all have to 'sacrifice' to balance the budget. As Time Magazine wailed: "Do the nation's leaders have the courage to cut health entitlements or Social Security?" And the horses say, "We will work harder."
But the wealthiest individuals and corporations are not paying their taxes. They say they are. The richest Americans complain that they're paying most of the federal income taxes, and that's true. But since 1980 their AFTER-TAX share of America's income has TRIPLED. That's a trillion dollars a year in extra income for the wealthiest 1%. Their federal income tax rate has gone DOWN during that time, from 34% to 23%.
If they're paying most of the federal income tax it's because they make almost all the money.
The wealthiest 125 U.S. corporations, meanwhile, paid only 10% in U.S. income taxes last year. They claim that a lower tax rate will generate more tax revenue.
Here are the facts about corporate tax rates. Over the past 50 years the marginal rates for top corporations have steadily fallen, from over 50% to 35%. But according to the U.S. Office of Management, the corporate share of total tax revenue has dropped from about 20% in the 1960s to under 9% in 2010. Average Americans have made up most of the difference.
What the very rich won't admit is that they benefit the most from government-funded research, national security, infrastructure, property rights, and a financial industry tailored to their pleasure and profit. They insist that anyone can share in the prosperity, if only, like the horses, they keep working harder.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
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