Ah the old welfare argument. By my salary I am considered in the bottom of the "rich" by some charts and I pay a butt load of taxes. But, I don't see the "bottom" half shirking their tax duties as much as the upper half and mostly the very elite. Unfortunately it is almost all legal under our "welfare" for the elite tax system. If you take deductions you are on welfare. I deduct my mortgage so I am on a form of welfare. I am a strong advocate of a flat tax system with no deductions what so ever.