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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Rick Scott Proposed ‘All Americans’ Should Pay Income Tax, Then Denied That He Did

Rick Scott Proposed ‘All Americans’ Should Pay Income Tax, Then Denied That He Did

A multipart policy plan released by Sen. Rick Scott on Feb. 22 says “all Americans” should have to pay “income tax,” while saying that “over half of Americans” currently do not. But in an interview later that day, after criticism from congressional Democrats, the Florida senator falsely claimed that he had not suggested increasing federal income taxes for that many people.

Sanders Didn’t Call for 52% Tax on $29,000 Incomes

Sanders Didn’t Call for 52% Tax on $29,000 Incomes

A viral post claims, falsely, that Sen. Bernie Sanders at a recent debate called for a tax rate of 52% on incomes of $29,000 or more to pay for his Medicare for All plan. He didn’t. That figure was floated as a potential marginal tax rate for income above $10 million.

Trump’s Tax Plan and ‘the Rich’

Trump’s Tax Plan and ‘the Rich’

In promoting his plan to overhaul of the nation’s tax system, President Donald Trump claimed “the rich will not be gaining at all with this plan.” But the tax proposal his administration outlined in April would heavily benefit high-income taxpayers, and Trump hasn’t revealed any changes to it.

Trump’s Tax Cut Claims

Trump’s Tax Cut Claims

Donald Trump misleadingly touts tax cuts of 30 percent for “working people” or 35 percent for “a middle-class family with two children,” adding that Hillary Clinton “wants to raise your taxes up to the sky.” That distorts both Trump’s and Clinton’s plans.

Hedge Fund Managers’ Tax Rates

Hedge Fund Managers’ Tax Rates

Sen. Bernie Sanders says firefighters, police officers, nurses and truck drivers all pay higher effective tax rates than hedge fund managers. That’s accurate for some in those occupations, but it’s not the case across the board.

NRSC Distorts Braley Tax Record

NRSC Distorts Braley Tax Record

In Iowa, a Republican ad claims that Democratic Senate nominee Bruce Braley “voted to raise taxes on every single Iowa taxpayer.” That badly distorts Braley’s clearly stated position.

McConnell’s Bloated Tax Boast

McConnell’s Bloated Tax Boast

A new ad from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell grossly oversells the percentage of Kentuckians that McConnell “saved” from income tax hikes last year.

Dependency and Romney’s 47 Percenters

Dependency and Romney’s 47 Percenters

Mitt Romney was wrong when he said the 47 percent of Americans who pay no federal income taxes are “dependent on the government.” Most of them are working people who simply do not earn very much money.
Romney also assumed that all of those in the 47 percent who pay no federal income tax vote Democratic. But polling data suggest that’s just not true. President Obama is faring better than Romney among the lowest earners —