98% of everyone else where exactly? In Manhattan, NY the average household income is $121,000, while in Cullman, AL it is $41,000. Sorry, $250k in a major US city is "just making it" for the average family.

Meanwhile:

47% of Federal tax filers pay none, ZERO, taxes. In 1988 the burden shared by the bottom quantile that actually paid taxes was 8.7%, while it was 4.3% by 2006. The two quantiles, one that pays no taxes, and one that pays minimal taxes, consume >95% of Federal entitlement programs.

(Sources Non-Partisan Tax Policy Center http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/)