It may be true that the top 5% of the population gives the government about 90% of its tax revenue. But the top 1-2% own or have over 85% of all the wealth- since they benefit from living in our society, they ought to pay a higher percentile in taxes than others. They do not get up at dawn, roll up their sleeves, and hitch an ox to a plough and work the fields all day. The super-rich don't really work in the same way that a burger flipper does. The super rich attend a few meetings, writes a few reports, and lets their money do the working for them; while the poor remain trapped in lateral, demeaning labor.

Outsourcing and unfettered immigration ensures that America will lose its status as an opportunity society- ending the myth/reality of the 'American dream.'

The idea that wages have to be low, so we can compete with foreign countries, is a myth- the workers in Europe and east Asia are treated much better than in the US. Here, the individual worker is just a 'labor cost' or disposable item. 'Training' has deliberately gone out the window, since turn-over is purposively high.

Even when the highest tax bracket approached 50% or more, no-one really ever paid that much. They weaseled out...

But- tax rates upon most of the middle class and the working poor ARE confiscatory, and not progressive. These groups pay too much, and receive too little in return. No health-care (usually)...no university education...and no security on September 11, 2001.

The working poor in almost every country in Europe pays far,far, less in taxes than their American counterparts. Don't ever think otherwise- the right-wing in the US wants you to think that the average Joe in Europe is soaked, but this is just an apology to buttress corporations.

In the 1960's, upper management made about 15x the amount that the average employee made- now, the gap is about 500 to 1.