>>>The US spends more on defense than the rest of the world, combined.
>
>Good start. Worth noting that Trump started with a bang, vowing to reduce excessively expensive military purchases- before he got distracted by his every appointment blocked or subverted, his every comment willfully misconstrued, Russians under every bed (even beds nobody can actually see) and the insistence that signals about protestors are more important than anything else. As I keep saying, good luck rearranging those deck chairs instead of watching for the iceberg.
>

Reducing military spending here will be difficult- the vested interests are huge and powerful- but it can and must be done.


>>>Who in the US is highly taxed?
>
>I think you all are when you consider lack of imputation credits and federal plus state taxes, depending where you are.
>

Tax rates on the rich have declined steadily since Reagan. Effective tax rates on the poor and middle class, when one considers sales and use taxes, have risen or remained flat.



>>>Estate taxes (cleverly dubbed "death taxes" by the right) at the federal and state level have been slashed steadily since Reagan.
>

>Whereas some other jurisdictions have no estate taxes. Or capital gain tax. Or gifting duties.
>

Yes, but we need more revenue here, for a lot of reasons and the wealthy are going to have to supply it, period.

Why? - Because they have it and we need it.