During the fifty years following WWII the top marginal tax bracket never fell below 70 percent (now it's 37 percent). During that 50 year period we had a robust economy, a vibrant middle class, we were paying down the national debt accumulated from WWII and inequality was not a thing we worried about.
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https://taxpolicycenter.org/statistics/historical-highest-marginal-income-tax-rates
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Then came Reagan and the tax cutters with their trickle down nonsense and profits flooded to the top income brackets.
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The wealthy also get a built in tax break on social security, they stop paying into the program when they reach the lofty income of $168,500.
Why does anyone need a 6.2 percent tax break on income OVER $168,500??????