This puts a great perspective on our tax system:
> > > > > If you think the Bush tax cut plan is unfair, read
> > > > > this rebuttal/analogy that appeared in the Sunday,
> > > > > March 4 Chicago Tribune. By the way, the ratios are
> > > > > roughly accurate; 10% of the taxpayers pay about 60%
> > > > > of the taxes collected, 30% pay 37%, and 60%
> > > > > collectively pay only 4%.
> > > > >
> > > > > Every night, 10 men met at a restaurant for dinner. At
> > > > > the end of the meal, the bill would arrive; they owed
> > > > > $100 for the food that they shared.
> > > > >
> > > > > Every night they lined up in the same order at the
> > > > > cash register to pay the bill. The first four men paid
> > > > > nothing at all. The fifth, grumbling about the
> > > > > unfairness of the situation, paid $1. The sixth man,
> > > > > feeling a little put out, paid $3. The next three men
> > > > > paid $7, $12 and $18, respectively. The last man was
> > > > > required to pay the remaining balance, $59; he
> > > > > realized he was paying for not only his own meal but
> > > > > the unpaid balance left by the first five men.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > The 10 men were quite settled into their routine when
> > > > > the restaurant threw them into chaos by announcing
> > > > > that it was cutting its prices. Now dinner for the 10
> > > > > men would only cost $80. This clearly would not affect
> > > > > the first four men; they still ate for free. The fifth
> > > > > man announced he would now pay nothing either. The
> > > > > sixth man lowered his contribution by 1/3, and paid
> > > > > only $2. The seventh man deducted $2 from his usual
> > > > > payment and paid only $5. The eighth man paid $9
> > > > > instead of his usual $12. The ninth man paid $12, $6
> > > > > less than before. This left the last man with a bill
> > > > > of $52.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Outside of the restaurant, the men began to compare
> > > > > their savings, and angry outbursts began to erupt. The
> > > > > sixth man yelled: "I got only $1 out of the $20 in
> > > > > cost reduction, and he got $7," pointing at the last
> > > > > man. The fifth man joined in: "Yeah! I only saved $1
> > > > > too. It is unfair that he got seven times more than
> > > > > me." The seventh man cried, "Why should he get a
> > > > > reduction of $7 when I only got $2?"
> > > > >
> > > > > The nine men formed an outraged mob, surrounding the
> > > > > 10th man. The first four men followed the lead of the
> > > > > others: "Even though we weren't paying anything in the
> > > > > first place, we didn't get any of the $20 reduction in
> > > > > cost; where is our share?" The nine angry men then
> > > > > carried the 10th man up to the top of a hill and
> > > > > lynched him. The next night, the nine remaining men
> > > > > met at the restaurant for dinner. But when the bill
> > > > > came, there was no one to pay it.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > RUMOR HAS IT THE FIRST FOUR MEN NOW WANT TO BE PAID
> > > > > FOR EATING. DASCHLE WILL CARRY THEIR FIGHT TO THE
> > > > > SENATE.
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