State taxes tell us why some in the GOP fight hard for a "FAIR tax."

[Direckshun]

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy looks over all 50 states and their tax systems:

http://www.itep.org/whopays/#map

The take-away? Every single one of them, all 50 states plus DC, are regressive tax systems.

Here in Missouri, the poorest quintile pays 9.6% of their income to state/local taxes. The middle quintile pays 9.0%.

The top 1%? 5.4%:



But why? Here's why:



And that, right there, is why the GOP pushes for the FAIR tax, which for those of you out-of-the-know, is a complete replacement of the income tax (which is built to be progressive) with sales taxes (which are naturally regressive).

Here's Missouri's income tax % by comparison:



So in a wide ranging plan, from the Paulites to the Tea Partiers to the GOP establishment in states like Louisiana, the plan is to eradicate the income tax altogether, and replace it with an all-funding consumption tax.

Which would cement our taxing structure as regressive, and shift the burden of taxes to the middle and lower classes.

[Bewbies]

There shouldn't be any income tax. And there shouldn't be any Americans exempt from contributing to the gov't, no matter how rich or poor.

[chefs fan in omaha]

Just define what is fair. Why should I be penalized for being successful (taxes) while some lazy person lays around smoking pot and watching springer all day.
Talk about fair, he is in need of more government resources and should pay more than I do.