It might be a stupid question but where does 53% come from?

[auburngrad82]

All polls show that a large majority of people, even in the GOP, support raising taxes on the rich. The polls showed that most Americans wanted some form of health care. The majority of people supported Obama during the last presidential election. I guess I'm missing something obvious but where did they come up with that number?

[Tennessee Gal]

1. I think it comes from the line spouted by the right wingers that

47% of Americans pay no federal taxes, thus leaving 53%.

[uppityperson]

2. You mean federal income tax since most of us pay gas, phone, etc taxes, right?

they are only meaning fed income tax? I'm not sure, this is why I am asking. Thanks.

[Tennessee Gal]

4. Yes. Federal income tax.

Take a look at this.

By the Numbers: What the 47 Percent Who Pay No Income Tax Look Like

http://news.yahoo.com/numbers-47-percent-pay-no-income-tax-look-170500327.html

[uppityperson]

5. thanks, nice to be able to counter the "no taxes" myth with "uh uh, liar". Maybe

more politely.

[SlimJimmy]

7. You are right. If some RW says that the 47% pay no taxes, they are sorely

mistaken. Anyone who consumes pays taxes of one sort or another. If they say that 47% pay no federal income tax (net) that's correct.

[RoccoR5955]

8. They're not being polite...

...when they take everyone for idiots! Why be polite? Why not just come out and just say, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" Perhaps we could say that most of the people not paying taxes are large corporations. When they tell me that they want to end welfare, I often say, "Yeah, we should end that damn corporate welfare. Those corporations are using that money to move whole operations overseas, and not pay any taxes." That shuts them up right away, and they don't have anything to say about the tax thing. Perhaps there is some way to word it for taxes.

[Earth_First]

3. Fuzzy Republican math, again?

:shrug:

[LiberalEsto]

6. Their IQs

[moondust]

9. Oozing from TV sets tuned to Fox News.

I'm The Slime - Frank Zappa, ca. 1974

I am gross and perverted
Im obsessed n deranged
I have existed for years
But very little had changed
I am the tool of the government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you

I may be vile and pernicious
But you can't look away
I make you think Im delicious
With the stuff that I say
I am the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I am the slime oozin out
From your tv set

You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don't need you
Don't got for help...no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold

That's right, folks..
Don't touch that dial

Well, I am the slime from your video
Oozin along on your livinroom floor

I am the slime from your video
Cant stop the slime, people, lookit me go

[Vogon_Glory]

10. Frank Zappa Was Prescient, Wasn't He?

I remember listening to that tune on one of my old LPs and thinking that perhaps Mr. Zappa might have been exaggerating too much. Less than 25 years later, we had Rupert Murdoch's Faux Noise Propaganda Network incorporated into the right-wing noise machine.

Frank Zappa had a more evil and more truthful imagination than I did.

--

And what's fun is that you can STILL quote the lyrics and watch little right-wing weenies pitch fits!

[moondust]

11. Quite a character.

Four children: Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen.

:rofl:

[Warpy]

12. Out of some Koch brother's flunky's capacious butt, of course

The only 53% I've read about recently was the percentage of people who couldn't name a single GOP presidential candidate.