In a progressive tax system, the poor end up paying a lot of the taxes of the rich, because the rich tend to own businesses and real estate and they just pass all their income taxes onto the poor in the form of price increases.
If you are a middle class person with a salary in the US you are likely paying upwards of 80% in taxes if you include second- and third-order taxes.
Your rent could be $1000 instead of $2000 if your landlord's income wasn't taxed so much. Your Chipotle meal could be $6 instead of $12 if the franchise owner and their commercial property landlord weren't taxed so much, let alone the workers.
If you are a middle class person with a salary in the US you are likely paying upwards of 80% in taxes if you include second- and third-order taxes.
Your rent could be $1000 instead of $2000 if your landlord's income wasn't taxed so much. Your Chipotle meal could be $6 instead of $12 if the franchise owner and their commercial property landlord weren't taxed so much, let alone the workers.