Trump's tax proposal: raise taxes on the poor, give to the rich

[Final-Fan]

SamuelRSmith said:

Final-Fan said:

(1) There is literally no tax in the United States designed such that a person should, upon making MORE money, be left with LESS money after taxes than if they had done nothing.  I won't say it's completely impossible, with the crazy, massive patchwork of tax breaks, credits, incentives, penalties, etc., but if it happens it directly contradicts the designed function of our tax code.  Agree/disagree—if disagree, evidence please.  If agree, I trust you will not ever bring this point up again. 

https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-warped-welfare-system-traps-families-in-poverty/

While not specifically just taxes, a combination of ending tax credits and straight cut offs on welfare do mean that in some situations, people are worse off from taking pay increases - this is particularly true in low income scenarios.

A single parent of two children in Chicago who takes a pay increase from $12 to $18 will result in an approximate 30% reduction in the household's total income. They won't catch up again until $38 an hour.

That's terrible.  It's as if there was a 150% income tax bracket (as some people act like there is in these discussions).  I'm totally in favor of eliminating disincentives like that, though the preferred method of reform would no doubt differ among different people.  I stand by my position that this flies completely in the face of the intended design of our tax law.  And, as you point out, it's not tax law that's mainly creating this situation. 

(While I would need additional convincing that the most extreme outcome they cite is realistic, the overall picture is dire enough even taking a big grain of salt—no, a truckload.)