A solid majority of the country favors the “Buffett Rule” which would require people making over a million dollars a year to pay at least 30% in taxes.

While doing my taxes I came to a realization. How would the IRS react if I did my returns the same way Paul Ryan did his “budget,” allowing me to be completely vague and lacking in almost any actual numbers or details where it mattered? So I quickly mocked up what my 1040 would look like if I could get away with not providing any real details or numbers either.

As they search for a attractive agenda, the Obama campaign has latched on to the Buffett rule, the alternative minimum tax for millionaires, as a key campaign plank. The fact that they will face Mitt Romney in November, someone who pays less than a 15% effective tax rate, doesn’t hurt either.

Last year, the watchdog group Citizens for Tax Justice put out a paper showing that 30 Fortune 500 companies had a negative tax rate for the cumulative years 2008-2010. Extending that through 2011, there are still 26 such companies that paid “negative” income taxes.

With a Jewish holiday coming up tonight thoughts turn to what I should be neurotic about. Matt Yglesias says I should freak out about Europe, and he’s right. But that’s been the case for two years. And the powers that be over there are religiously opposed to the proper steps to take to end the crisis. In short, seen it! So what’s next?

Yesterday, Democrats began their media push on the Buffett rule, which Sheldon Whitehouse and Tammy Baldwin have turned into legislation called the Paying a Fair Share Act. The bill would set a minimum 30% effective tax rate for earners making over $1 million.

I learned two useful things that are central to American life today, yet which I have never once heard stated on the radio or TV or read in a newspaper: I learned about the labor shortage that fueled the 150-year period of rising wages in the United States, and I learned about the fact that corporations used to pay a lot more in corporate taxes, especially as an overall percentage of American tax revenues, than they do now.

Breaking a united front in the Republican Party that goes back a number of years, freshman GOP Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) will unveil a millionaire’s surtax proposal today.

The Grover Norquist excommunication ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday.

A framework for a bipartisan approach to corporate tax reform. Middle Class, if there are any of you left, hold on to your wallets.

We must have lower taxes on the 1%. How about we cut corporate taxes, keep the tax breaks in place, and raise taxes on the middle class? Or maybe just cut Social Security and Medicare. Or both!