> Yeah its insane to me that people are unaware of this or ignore this.

That's because it's not true. That might have been the baseline, but it's not what people were paying due to exemptions and credits, etc.

> I also don't get how the average person can defend the existence of the ultra wealthy.

Average person checking in. Who do you think is shouldering the tax burden? Gen z loudly complaining they don't have enough money for college or a house?

I find the avarice and greed masquerading as morality in the anti-wealthy movement reprehensible. If you're poor in America you have one of the best lives available in human history.

Also, what exactly is the complaint here - specifically? Anyone have a first principles argument for why "the existence of the ultra wealthy" is bad? Everything I've ever seen has been reddit-quality freshmen year drivel.