Tax Breaks - Really Working?

[ECSNorway]

In 2000, the wealthiest 20% of Americans paid 81.2% of all income taxes. The poorest 20% of Americans paid -1.6%.

In 2004, the wealthiest 20% of Americans paid 85.3% of all income taxes. The poorest 20% of Americans paid -2.9%.

Who's benefiting from these tax cuts? The people paying more of the burden (the rich), or the people paying less of it (the poor)?

And exactly how many of those people actually paid that much in taxes?  As was mentioned before, the tax code is so riddled with loopholes that it's like trying to catch minnows with a drag net meant for tuna.

Those figures are drawn from the actual government revenues, so that's exactly what was paid by those groups.
Yes, the rich can exploit lots of loopholes. That means they pay a slighty smaller percentage than you'd expect from their bracket (35%, compared to 10% for the lowest paying bracket) of a whole lot more, so their absolute pay-in is significantly higher.
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Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.