# ZERO income tax

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-income-tax/612527>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 11, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-income-tax/612527 "2012-02-11T16:32:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-income-tax/612527/81 "2012-02-14T18:37:59Z")

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> [@sbright33](#):
>
> 51 percent of Americans pay ZERO income tax!!!
> 
> Our Marginal tax rate is roughly 51% of our paycheck.  
> This is true for many people, not everyone of course.  
> Some only 20% of their paycheck.
> 
> How can these both be true?
> 
> [PolitiFact | John Cornyn says 51 percent of American households pay no income tax](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jul/08/john-cornyn/john-cornyn-says-51-percent-american-households-pa/)
> 
> [Tax rate - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_rate)

Are you aware of how little the top 1% pay in social security taxes? It’s an outrage I tell you!

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**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zero-income-tax/612527/82 "2012-02-14T19:03:42Z")

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> [@Chessic\_Sense](#):
>
> The argument isn’t that it’s better to be poor. The argument is that it’s not bad as it should be.

Well, glad we could clear that up.

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