But interestingly, the number of people who think the tax they pay is "fair" remains more-or-less unchanged at 60%. This suggests there are people who believe the tax they pay is too high, but nonetheless fair.
Is this cognitive dissonance? I suppose it doesn't have to be, since you can think the income tax is too high for reasons besides fairness. You might, for instance, think the income tax weighs down growth like a grindstone. But the first question is about how much individuals pay -- not whether the tax structure as a whole is too burdensome.
So I'll ask: Is there anyone who thinks the tax they pay is too high, but still fair? And why?
Is this cognitive dissonance? I suppose it doesn't have to be, since you can think the income tax is too high for reasons besides fairness. You might, for instance, think the income tax weighs down growth like a grindstone. But the first question is about how much individuals pay -- not whether the tax structure as a whole is too burdensome.
So I'll ask: Is there anyone who thinks the tax they pay is too high, but still fair? And why?
You state that "the first question is about how much individuals pay", but to me, this is not necessarily the case. I believe each individual respondent could rationally interpret the question as asking whether their taxes are too high relative to other taxpayers, or too high relative to the alternative of a lower tax structure. The question should be more specific in order to distinguish these possible interpretations.
It is interesting to note that the number of people who think that the tax they pay is fair has increased as the total number of people who pay no income tax has increased.
A more telling poll would be by quintile (would we have members of the lowest quintile insisting that they pay too much in income taxes?), or if we removed the people who are eligible for the the earned income tax credit from the poll.
"It is interesting to note that the number of people who think that the tax they pay is fair has increased as the total number of people who pay no income tax has increased."
Not so, according to Gallup: "The poll also finds 61% of Americans saying they regard the income taxes they have to pay this year as fair. There has been very little change on this measure in the last six years."
Megan: I do feel my taxes are two high, for a couple of reasons:
1. They don't take into account my real financial circumstances. I think government in general benefits from people being in financially sound predicaments (unlike my own) - so I wish that instead of a blunt, impersonal tax assessment, that there was a coordinated effort between tax assessors, credit and debt counselors, etc. Every citizen being financially whole is a worthwhile goal, good for the tax base and good for the economy.
2.I don't think we've spent wisely - so while my tax share is "fair" -in that, this is my country, and I'm paying my fair share to keep her well, I'd like to believe my elected officials are doing their fair share to make sure my roi as a citizen is higher than it is at present.
If you ask me why I support the Obama deficits vs the Bush deficits, that would be the reason - I feel like there's a real roi on the back end, in exchange for my upfront investment.
QT
If everyone had to pay quarterly like the self-employed, there would be a tax revolt in no time. Back when I was contracting in the software industry, I felt like I was buying the Feds a new car four times a year.
Withholding taxes from your paycheck really makes it much less painful. And people clearly aren't thinking it through, otherwise they'd never wait until April 15th to pay taxes when they get a refund. But many people do just that!
grrr... somehow I've come to associate "green" with Megan. Sorry, Conor!
QT
Perhaps the reason so many people are okay with with income taxes is because less and less people are actually paying income taxes anymore. The actual burden of taxes is being carried by a smaller percentage of citizens. They are the ones who doing most of the employing and creating of businesses across this country. Of that group an even smaller percentage may attend the tea parties tomorrow -- the ones that can afford to break away from their work. But they're the true heroes of our economy and deserve the most relief. You want fairness? How about a tax system where EVERYBODY starts paying taxes again? Even better, let's implement a national sales tax. Then we can collect taxes fairly and get rid of lobbyists and remove the incentives for corruption all at the same time.
idealogue response
1) miss the point
2) spout ideology
rinse and repeat
to answer your question, conor, my thinking is this:
the first poll question measures the effectiveness of messaging. it's no coincidence that the "% too high" group peaked with the fortunes of the republican party and reached its nadir with the collapse of bush's popularity.
the second question may more accurately how people perceive their own taxation. that is, post bush tax cuts, people saw some improvement in their post-taxation wages, ergo felt that their taxation level was "fair".
The incessant whining about the "small group" who pays taxes fails to be coupled with the statistics regarding an even larger concentration of income in that small group.
Study after study shows the following:
--the percentatge of income concentration in the upper 10%, and particularly the upper 1% has incresed immensely
--the total percentage of income paid as taxes within that group has decresed steadily. It is substantially lower than the (many) people who pay taxes but are not in such "august" company.
As a matter of truth in advertising, I acknowledge that my income is in the upper 10%, but not the upper 1%.