You certainly don't get it nuts so let me put to you straight one last time.
Total taxation, the tax "take", increased under Howard. People who say different are simply lying. You don't need very much intelligence to compare straight numbers. Pepper the numbers with as much snow as you want like unemployment and gross income but the underlying fact remains.
Total taxation, the tax "take", increased under Howard.
The overall tax rate decreased under Howard. To understand tax rates you do need "a little more intelligence" as you so provocatively say. Tax rates, as derived numbers, are intrinsically more difficult to understand than straightforward measurements such as total taxation. The tax rate is the ratio between the quantum of tax on a good or service and the price of that good or service. Even for a tax levied at a single rate such as the GST, calculating the quantum of tax can get very complex, very quickly. For variable rate taxes such as income tax, the complications increase exponentially.
The overall tax rate decreased under Howard.
Lastly I think we should all be careful with the way we use put downs and negativity and I know I am as guilty as others in this respect. I have been privileged to have had a lifetime using my intellect for gainful employment and can afford to smile when slings and arrows about "intelligence" come in my direction. These are hard times though and it's easy for people to allow themselves to be depressed by put downs. Call someone stupid often enough and they are likely to believe you. My experience has been that most people aren't stupid at all.
