If you earn $250,100.00 dollars, and Barack Obama’s plan to allow the Bush tax cut above $250,000.00 to expire goes into effect (a rate increase of 3%) will your taxes increase by (ignore any credits, deductions, swiss bank accounts, etc):
A) $3.00
B) $7,503.00
C) I hate that damn kenyan muslim socialist
D) 5!
If you answered B) then you should read this. If you answered C) you probably hate this blog. D) is right out.
It sounds as if congressional democrats would answer B) which truly is terrifying.
Extra credit if you got the reference in D)
520 Chestnut 
First, I think Obama needs to eliminate the tax cuts and raise taxes for everyone…or at least for a heck of a lot more people. Of course there are those that are living on the edge, so to speak, and simply could not handle a higher tax burden. That being said, I think there are a lot of people in this country that could and should pay higher taxes, myself and most of the people I know being included. My opinions on the role of the government notwithstanding, if we are going to have programs upon which people rely, fund wars and occupations all over the globe, and do with our government all of the other things we do then our government needs to be well funded. Everyone that can give more should be required to give more because, arguably, government programs are programs from which everyone benefits.
Second, I hate how confusing the tax system is in this country. My income and my expenses are just about as simple as it gets. I make enough money to pay my bills, eat out a little more than I should, and put a little into savings. I don’t own property and I don’t own stocks, but I still finding that doing my taxes each year is like taking the freaking physics GRE. I have no idea what the hell is being asked of me. I know that doesn’t really have anything to do with your argument that people are taking advantage of mine and everyone else’s ignorance about taxes, but it’s really really annoying and I felt like saying so!
Oh I agree (with the caveat that we should be careful about how much drag we put on the economy right now). I just wanted to point out that, if we’re going to be spending so much time debating taxes, maybe people ought to know the most basic fact about them. Yes, the tax code is unbelievably complicated, but the fact that tax rates are marginal is basic. It astounds me when I hear people saying they don’t want a raise because it will put them into the next bracket and thus cost them money. That’s only possible if the next rate is greater than 100%, which it obviously is not.