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This year’s Index of Dependence on Government presented startling findings about the sharp increase of Americans who rely on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance. (See last week’s chart.)

Another eye-popping number was the percentage of Americans who don’t pay income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, most of that population receives generous federal benefits.

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/.....nt-pay-income-taxes/

One reason... nearly half of Americans don't have jobs!  NO income... NO INCOME TAX!
Seniors, kids, students make up a huge part of the NO INCOME, NO INCOME TAX group.

And don't forget that after deductions, half of New York State (and probably 3/4 of Schenectady County) won't pay any FEDERAL taxes because we itemize and get to subtract the amazingly high payments we make to the town/city/county.  It's all taxes pain, just a matter of which pocket it's going into.

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Quoted from Box A Rox:
One reason... nearly half of Americans don't have jobs!  NO income... NO INCOME TAX!
Seniors, kids, students make up a huge part of the NO INCOME, NO INCOME TAX group.

Seniors, kids, students have always been included in the statistics.  Yet, the
percentage increased from 34.1% in 2000 to 49.5% in 2009 (nearly 10% from 2008 to
2009 alone).

So, why do "nearly half of Americans" not have jobs?  Poor government policy that includes
onerous regulations and excessive taxation and the availability of cheap foreign labor has led
corporations to set up operations overseas.  The policies have been enacted by administrations
of both major parties.

Additionally, increased efficiences have reduced the demand for workers.  

Lastly, the ~50% who don't pay any tax are not all unemployed.  I believe that each individual
who earns an income should pay some amount of income tax as he/she consumes the services
that are performed by the public sector and funded by taxpayer dollars.