Most Americans were glad to get another Tax Day behind them this month. It’s galling to hand over a third of everything you earned last year to government to waste, fraud, and abuse.
Consider the raw numbers. Last year, the federal government took just over $5 trillion. States and localities took another $2.5 trillion. Out of a total personal income of just $26 trillion, that’s 1 in 3.
For perspective, you work for the Feds Monday, you work for your state and locality Tuesday, and you don’t get to put anything in your pocket until hump day.
For perspective, a third is roughly 20 times more than the British were trying to tax in the Boston Tea Party.