As an aside, I learned something recently. The US actually has the most progressive income tax system for a developed nation. Shockingly so, compared with the flat and regressive tax systems in countries like Sweden. There they basically have two income tax brackets -- everything over the basic deduction gets a flat ~35% tax up to about $60,000 equivalent. There's also an additional bracket for incomes above that point. Plus a flat VAT charged on most purchases. I suppose whether spending is progressive or regressive to economic equality is far more important than whether the tax system is.