[tastyfreeze]

Every tax ever implemented by government has been initially sold as a tax on the rich. The people voting for it assume they will never be taxed because they aren't currently rich. But, there is never enough of other peoples money to spend. So, taxes expand and/or increase to include more people.

The original income tax was sold as 1% on mid income and 2% on high income. At the time more than half the country was not going to pay any tax.

[nullocator]

Maybe because the rich consistently lobby and weasel their way out of paying their fair share so the burden on everyone else continues to rise?

[tastyfreeze]

Or, no amount of money is ever enough for government and taxing income is a dumb value to collect revenue.

Southern states supported an income tax because they believed it would make it possible to collect revenue for indigent people. Exactly opposite of "taxes the rich".

[sejje]

More than half the country still doesn't pay any (income) tax.

[tastyfreeze]

That is a bit of a lie. Getting a refund does not mean you didn't pay. Even getting more back than you actually paid does not mean you didn't pay. Money is taken from every paycheck. When you file your taxes the IRS decides what you get back.