Cross posted from: readingisforsobs.blogspot.com
The Wall Street Journal had an article providing a fairly thorough breakdown of the new tax policies that will now be in effect due to the "fiscal cliff" agreement reached by congress. The article itself wasn't too bad, really. In fact, it was mostly an objective piece. However, it did include one little thing that I thought was worth highlighting, and that was the "info" graphic that accompanied the article.
(sorry, couldn't resize the image. Yeah, I suck at wordpress)
Yes, in that comic, every single one of those families makes a six figure income, the lowest being $180 thousand, and yet because of the new tax hikes imposed by Obama, they all appear as though he ran over the family dog.
The median household income in the U.S. between 2007-2011 was $52,762, but the American people are all supposed to shed tears for those that make between three to twelve times as much? Seriously, how out of touch do you have to be to think that? Of course, this is the same outfit that supported a guy who thought making $250k qualified as "middle income".
This is also further insulting considering right wingers bitch endlessly about government workers like teachers supposedly living high on the hog.
I have to say though, the most puzzling thing about that comic: why is that minority couple who hasn't had their taxes increased also depressed?
Oh, also I would be remiss if I didn't link to this highly appropriate piece by Gawker's Hamilton Nolan:
The Top 1% Must Stop Insisting TheyâÂÂre Not Rich Right This Instant