OpinionJanuary 5, 2016

Tax code Am I naive in believing very few if anyone knows about this? After an arduous study of the U.S. tax code, I have shockingly discovered that over the past number of years the ultra wealthy have paid less and less in federal income taxes. I am beyond shocked to learn that what was supposed to be a progressive income tax (the higher your income, the higher the rate) has been turned on its head, with the burden of taxation falling on the beleaguered middle class. ...

Tax code

Am I naive in believing very few if anyone knows about this? After an arduous study of the U.S. tax code, I have shockingly discovered that over the past number of years the ultra wealthy have paid less and less in federal income taxes. I am beyond shocked to learn that what was supposed to be a progressive income tax (the higher your income, the higher the rate) has been turned on its head, with the burden of taxation falling on the beleaguered middle class. This simply cannot be. I must have made mistakes in my multiplicity of calculations.

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Do I believe in the widely circulating theory that Donald Trump is secretly in cahoots with his one time cohorts, the Clintons, so as to wreak chaos and havoc within the Republican Party, thus ensuring the election of Hillary as president in 2016? No. Do you?

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My personal Top 10 list for 2016 includes Mike Jensen reading a book. To use the phrase "false narrative" as it relates to the latest iteration of the centuries-long struggle for equality exemplified once again in an outpouring of pent-up frustration in a still deeply segregated country demonstrates a social and historical obtuseness unmatched even by the other Rush Limbaugh imitators found within these hallowed opinion pages. Climate change built on shaky ground? As it seems his use of "progressive" is synonymous with "formally educated with an IQ above 80," he'd no doubt be interested in some prime real estate straddling the New Madrid fault line I'd love to sell him. 'Cause you know, the 1811 earthquake was an anomaly, and who believes scientists?

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