I am not an economist (thank God), but I think that the standard way of
calculating the share of taxation is to divide consolidated government
revenues by the gross domestic product.  Yours in shared comparative
ignorance, Dan

b wrote:

> Does anyone have any idea what / where taxes get added up? Obviously there
> is justification in calculating the tax that accrues at every stage of the
> production / distribution process - how do we know that the claims made in
> the email are unjustified?
>
> Yours in comparative ignorance.
>
> b
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The philosophy, work & influences of Noam Chomsky
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Michael Pugliese
> > Sent: Wednesday, 13 December 2000 8:55
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: [CHOMSKY] Fw: {The Grip} Re: Total of all taxes: 54% and
> > growing!
> >
> >
> >    Meanwhile, this is total Right-Wing BS!!! If taxes were
> > truly 80%, let
> > alone, 54%, the level of discontent would be huge.
> >    I love it when really hard core far right cranks pick on hard right
> > outfits like the National Taxpayers Union.
> >                                                Michael Pugliese
> >
> ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Dave <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: The Grip <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2000 11:13 AM
> > Subject: {The Grip} Re: Total of all taxes: 54% and growing!
> >
> >
> > > Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2000 22:32:10 -0500
> > > From: Dave <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Subject: Re: Total of all taxes: 54% and growing!
> > >
> > > Yes, you are right. Others pointed this out as well.
> > > The 54% figure is undoubtedly on the low side.
> > >
> > > Willie Martin wrote:
> > > >
> > > >     The National Taxpayers Union don't tell the whole
> > story about the
> > > > taxes you pay. If they did, and people believed it, there
> > would be a
> > > > revolution before morning.
> > > >
> > > >     The truth is that Americans pay almost 80% of their
> > money out in
> > > > taxes. The Taxpayers Union will not take into account the
> > taxes paid
> > > > for each separate step of an item from its origin to its final
> > > > destination.
> > > >
> > > >     For instance, when iron is mined from the ground
> > there is a tax
> > > > that is paid on that, when it is shipped from the pit to
> > the smelter,
> > > > the trucks that transport it or the train pays taxes on
> > its fuel, its
> > > > insurance, its tires, its trucks or trains, on the oil
> > that goes in
> > > > the engine, state taxes, county taxes in some cases, road
> > taxes by the
> > > > state, county, federal, and in some instances city, the
> > permits that
> > > > they have to have to move the product. There are over 500
> > taxes that
> > > > they pay getting the product to the smelter.
> > > >
> > > >     Then when it is melted down and shipped to the point
> > where it is
> > > > turned into a useful product the same taxes apply, and
> > there are over
> > > > 500 taxes paid on this semi-finished product.
> > > >
> > > >     Then when it is formed into a useable product, the same taxes
> > > > apply to that product from the point to the store, and
> > then there are
> > > > the sales taxes that must be paid, state taxes and etc.
> > > >
> > > >     Then there is the income tax, state income tax, city
> > income tax
> > > > where they are applicable.
> > > >
> > > >     All these taxes apply on every single product that
> > you use or that
> > > > industry uses and all of those taxes are built into the
> > cost of the
> > > > product that you purchase or that industry purchase.
> > > >
> > > >     Then there are the interest (another form of taxation
> > whether you
> > > > like to believe that or not) must be paid on the money that the
> > > > companies borrow to finance their industry from beginning to final
> > > > destination. Your house, farm, car, truck, or whatever.
> > > >
> > > >     No the American people pay almost 80% out in taxes
> > (most of which
> > > > are hidden from sight, for the government does not want
> > you to know
> > > > the truth; just as they lie to you about almost everythign the
> > > > government is involved in).
> > > >
> > > > Dave wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Thanks Eric. ;) You know what color I see - RED!!!
> > > > >
> > > > > ---------- forwarded message ----------
> > > > >
> > > > >  From: Eric
> > > > >
> > > > > For those that want to end the electoral college,
> > > > > learn something....
> > > > >
> > > > > Look at 'the map' again:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.SierraTimes.com/images/e2000map.jpg
> > > > >
> > > > > If the electoral college were to be ended ONLY those
> > > > > in blue would be where you'd see candidates because
> > > > > they represent just over 50% of the population and are
> > > > > easily "pigeon holed" "targeted" or whatever you want
> > > > > to call it. At which point they say, "piss on the rest
> > > > > of the country..."
> > > > >
> > > > > IN FACT, this is a perfect example of what is wrong
> > > > > with America. You have the people in blue making up
> > > > > the laws for those in red. Take a long hard look.
> > > > >
> > > > > This is why your taxes (grand total of all taxes for
> > > > > all Americans) are 54% and growing. (National Taxpayers
> > > > > Union figures, 1999)
> > > > >
> > > > > This is why the Social Security "contribution" has gone
> > > > > from 1% to 15+% and expected to double w/in the next 2
> > > > > generations.
> > > > >
> > > > > This is why the Federal Budget has gone from single
> > > > > digit % of the GDP (in the 1920's) to over 35% of GDP
> > > > > in the 1990's, and government debt from 100% of GDP in
> > > > > 1990 to 300% of GDP in 2 generations!
> > > > >
> > > > > Need proof?
> > > > >
> > > > > See: http://economics101.org/ch33/33-macro14/sld024.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > See: http://economics101.org/ch33/33-macro14/sld009.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > (Recall the Federal Budget was ZERO% of the GDP previous
> > > > > to the passing of the "income tax" of 1913. ie, Government
> > > > > Spending was not funded by "internal" payments but 100%
> > > > > funded by Tariffs and "external" trade.)
> > > > >
> > > > > This is why guns are demonized to the point of extinction.
> > > > > (That, and that fact that when Gov. debt triples that of
> > > > > the GDP, and there is public outrage at 100% taxation,
> > > > > there will be no guns in the hands of the people to do
> > > > > anything about it.)
> > > > >
> > > > > This is why Biblical teaching and "school prayer" have
> > > > > been removed from schools (Ironically, schools don't pray,
> > > > > people do.) and the 10 Commandments removed from court-room
> > > > > walls and government buildings. (The government doesn't
> > > > > want people reminded of where real freedom comes from.)
> > > > >
> > > > > "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
> > > > > II Corinthians 3:17 (KJV)
> > > > >
> > > > > This is what happens when 50% of the population realizes
> > > > > they can control the country and it's direction.
> > > > >
> > > > > This is what happens when a Republic is perverted into
> > > > > a "democracy."
> > > > >
> > > > > Look at 'the map' again:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.SierraTimes.com/images/e2000map.jpg
> > > > >
> > > > > What color do you see?
> > > > >
> > > > > Financial data from government sources as presented at:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://economics101.org/ch33/33-macro14/index.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >