Taxation that punishes the poor
Aug 15, 2013, 3:26 PM | Updated: 3:29 pm
While expressing compassion for America’s poor, leaders of the left do nothing about two cruel, rapidly rising taxes that fall disproportionately on the destitute. Tobacco taxes have gone up more dramatically than any other form of taxation, and statistics indicate poor people are vastly more likely to smoke cigarettes than the middle class.
At the same time, lottery profits feeding state governments now exceed $20 billion a year-once again taking money from Americans who can afford it least. It’s poor people who buy the most lottery tickets, accepting the malicious lie that gambling offers their only chance to live the American dream. Studies show that desperate and indigent families will often spend more than $10 a week on lottery tickets-money that could make a significant difference if saved or invested over the course of a lifetime.