Look at these sad faces. They're sad.
Except the husband on the lower right. He’s pissed! Not only does he have to pay $21,608 more in taxes but his damn kids always leave the lights on!
Single Mom is sad though.
So is Single Person.
And so is Retired Couple. Because they're included in this!
And who could blame them?! They're surrounded by a bunch of babies who should be charged a baby tax for being such babies. Married Couples’ baby even knows it.
And so are the people at The Wall Street Journal for printing such a thing.
Related.
Except the husband on the lower right. He’s pissed! Not only does he have to pay $21,608 more in taxes but his damn kids always leave the lights on!
Single Mom is sad though.
So is Single Person.
And so is Retired Couple. Because they're included in this!
And who could blame them?! They're surrounded by a bunch of babies who should be charged a baby tax for being such babies. Married Couples’ baby even knows it.
And so are the people at The Wall Street Journal for printing such a thing.
Related.
With the exception of the couple in the lower-right,* the tax increase is entirely in the return to full funding of their Social Security. I believe I can count the number of times the WSJ editorialized about the need to preserve that particular deduction on the fingers of Captain Hook's hook.
*Math sidetrack: Investment Income=$180K. At current rates, that should be about a 3% return tops, so let's say 5%. $180K * 20 = $3.6MM in non-sheltered investments, at minimum.
Only two possible conclusions: (1) they are even more mythical and less sympathetic than the single-mother image in the upper left and (2) they need to hire my accountant. Or at least an accountant.
Posted by: Ken Houghton | January 17, 2013 at 07:45 PM
TBogg and Mock Paper Scissors have both ripped this pretty thoroughly, as has Charlie Pierce.
It's remarkably pulled-from-their-asses, as well as pretty far above the norm for American lifestyles. A single mom making $260K??!?!?? I'll have one of what they're having!
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 17, 2013 at 08:07 PM
Retired couple are so sad. They must feel so bad only having $180,000! They are so SAD because even the single women (SLUTS!!!) are making more than they are!!
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 17, 2013 at 08:08 PM
Seriously, I feel so bad for thes Sadly McSadface Families. I hope they add a Paypal "donate" button!
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 17, 2013 at 08:09 PM
I don't read Tbogg anymore. He can be too toxic for me on things.
But! I haven't been reading Charles Pierce and I should be! Don't have him bookmarked on the new computer. I have to fix that now.
Also, a Tim Foley gets credit for that editorial illustration. Wonder what he, an artist, I presume, thought as he was putting that together?
Posted by: blue girl | January 17, 2013 at 09:05 PM
I'm assuming it's still tough in this climate for an artist to hope to make as much as Single Parent.
Posted by: blue girl | January 17, 2013 at 09:06 PM
Comment on Pierce's post:
The median income in this country is ~$50,000. All of the white people in the graphic are in the top 3%, even the retired blahs are in the top 5%. Why oh why are they all so sad?
"the retired blahs"
Oh, Rick Santorum. We owe you so much.
Posted by: blue girl | January 17, 2013 at 09:21 PM
Wonder what he, an artist, I presume, thought as he was putting that together?
"Fuck you, editorial douchebags. I'll be lucky to gross as much as one of these imaginary sad motherfuckers are supposed to pay in taxes! Goddam check better clear or I have a #5 X-Acto knife with your damn name on it...."
Sorry for the cussing. It was Tim!
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 17, 2013 at 09:44 PM
To be fair, it's a helluva lot easier to be a single parent on $260K than it is on $24K.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 17, 2013 at 09:46 PM
LOL @ to be fair
Posted by: blue girl | January 17, 2013 at 09:50 PM
Tim'll be lucky if he gets paid in 180 days.
Posted by: blue girl | January 17, 2013 at 09:50 PM
I think that the single woman on $230,000 looks a bit cross rather than sad. Probably she saw some poors in her neighbourhood or sumthin' and she's thinking "What do I pay Xe Corp. for?"
Posted by: Another Kiwi | January 17, 2013 at 10:51 PM
It's all so very sad.
I will feel sorry for them while I roast my sparrow on a curtain rod under the highway.
~
Posted by: ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© | January 17, 2013 at 11:29 PM
They are all so sad when they think of those Lucky Duckies making $12,000 a year who don't have to pay taxes (federal) at ALL!
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 17, 2013 at 11:31 PM
LOL, this illustration just shows how ridiculous that argument is/was! And that b/c they made $12,000 and didn't pay any taxes, they should be SO HAPPY! (If I could draw, I'd do an illustration of it.)
AK, you are right. She looks ticked. Maybe more ticked than Married Couple Dad. So, maybe what's required is an attitude tax. Or a ticked tax. Haha ticked tax.
Posted by: blue girl | January 18, 2013 at 07:44 AM
Apparently, it was hard for Tim to combine Asian-American and Sad-American.
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | January 18, 2013 at 10:52 AM