Quote Originally Posted by Tiaexz View Post
I don't see how progressive taxation harms the Working and Middle classes, as the thresholds are far higher than what they earn.

For example, in the UK, up to £10k is not taxed. A minimum wage job working 37.5 hours a week is £13k, National average is £26k, professionals such as a Doctor earn £37k-70k, Consultants earn £75k-101k. Teachers earn between £21k-65k (depending on area and experience). The Prime Minister earns £142k.

So here are some figures of wages of professionals (middle class) and the working class.

Progressive taxation starts at £150k.

In short: It doesn't affect the working and middle class at all. It only affects rich people.
Your first income band is taxed at 20% rate; your first "progressive" band starts at 31,866 and is taxed at 40%, and the highest band (150k plus) is 45% only a 1/8th increase above the rate of those at 31.9k; moreover, this is over and above a Value added tax levied on all consumers and an inheritance tax on anything above 325k. While the latter does seem to be aimed at wealth, the 32-150 band rates do not seem to conform to your "only the rich" mantra -- aren't the folks in that 32-150 band the small business owners, new start ups, etc.? In short, the very people you would want to encourage more of so as to employ more and grow the economy? So why should they be taxed higher than that Nat'l average worker? Taxation always has a chilling effect on what is taxed.