# Regressive Taxes **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regressive-taxes/627760 **Category:** Great Debates **Created:** [July 10, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regressive-taxes/627760 "2012-07-10T03:26:20Z") **Posts on this page:** 1 **Showing post:** 7
### Author: ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus) #### Post date: [July 10, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regressive-taxes/627760/7 "2012-07-10T05:48:29Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Our income tax system already is progressive, but those making the argument generally don’t mention other, regressive taxes that hit the poor and middle classes harder than the rich… > > If we want to make the tax burden more progressive, we could focus on eliminating regressive taxes rather than making the income tax more progressive. It is of course the right-wing that keeps the debate focused on the less-regressive income tax. Buffett paid a lower federal tax percentage than his secretary when Social Security, etc. was included but right-wingers quickly conflated “federal income and payroll taxes” to mean “federal income tax.” Some months ago, a sentient Doper posted a link to babble by a right-winger-with-a-PhD. (Hi, **Dr. Love** ) > [@Why doesn't Warren Buffett pay more taxes?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-warren-buffett-pay-more-taxes/596816/59): > > Both [IRS and CBO income tax data disagree with Buffett](http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2011/09/buffett-rule-is-based-on-anecdotal.html). , and it took several reply/rejoinders before he grasped the distinction. His blogger pretended to make the same mistake but … here’s the real annoyance … after spending half the blog refuting the claim Buffett didn’t make, he revealed that he knew the distinction between income and total taxes all along. :smack: --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regressive-taxes/627760)._