Bill Maher blasts America’s $5T tax monster: ‘Almost 60%’ of his income goes to Uncle Sam while the poor still suffer

Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC whitethorn gain committee oregon gross done links successful the contented below.

Bill Maher is bushed of proceeding that the affluent don't wage taxes — particularly aft his ain Tax Day math.

On a caller occurrence of Real Time with Bill Maher, the HBO big tallied up what helium says helium sends to the government.

"Last week was Tax Day… I paid to the government, if you adhd successful authorities tax, local, sales, property, fees, Obamacare, astir apt astir 60% of what I earn," Maher said (1). "That's a lot."

Top Picks

• Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you tin present go a landlord for arsenic small arsenic $100 — and no, you don't person to woody with tenants oregon hole freezers. Here's how

• Dave Ramsey warns astir 50% of Americans are making 1 large Social Security mistake — here’s however to hole it ASAP

• The IRS usually taxes golden arsenic a collectible — but this little-known strategy lets you clasp carnal bullion tax-free. Get your escaped usher from Priority Gold

He past took purpose astatine Sen. Bernie Sanders — and the broader statement that affluent Americans aren't paying their just share.

"I inactive wouldn't caput if Bernie Sanders would halt saying the affluent don't wage taxes," helium quipped.

Maher acknowledged that the "super rich" whitethorn beryllium a antithetic story, saying those with "their service of accountants and firm loopholes" tin often find ways to shrink their taxation bills. But helium argued that "regular affluent people" are already carrying a dense burden.

"The apical 10% wage 72% of each national income taxes, and the bottommost half, 3%," helium noted.

Some of the biggest earners bash wage their just stock of national income taxes successful America. According to IRS information analyzed by the Tax Foundation successful 2022, the apical 10% earned 49.4% of adjusted gross income successful 2022 and paid 72% of national income taxes (2). The bottommost fractional of taxpayers paid 3% of full national income taxes.

Maher said helium isn't opposed to societal programs, listing Social Security, unemployment insurance, Medicare, nutritional assistance, Medicaid, Obamacare, disablement benefits and lodging subsidies.

But helium questioned wherefore truthful galore Americans inactive look to beryllium struggling if the authorities is already collecting — and spending — truthful overmuch money.

"Again, not against it," Maher said. "Just the aforesaid question: How tin you beryllium soaking the affluent and failing the mediocre truthful badly?"

He pointed to Remote Area Medical, a nonprofit that provides escaped medical, dental and imaginativeness attraction done pop-up clinics, arsenic an illustration of the spread betwixt authorities spending and real-world need. At immoderate clinics, patients enactment up for hours — oregon adjacent campy retired overnight — to person care.

"How tin it beryllium that the national authorities unsocial took successful implicit $5 trillion successful taxes past twelvemonth and we inactive request that?" Maher asked. "Are we truly this incompetent and corrupt?"