2028 presidential candidate wants to end income tax for half of Americans. But there’s a problem . .

Photo above – “Free at last, for half of you anyway.” Candidate Chris Van Hollen announces his plan to end income taxes for half of the nation.

Thank you Senator Chris Van Hollen (democrat, Maryland) – second term senator and now first time 2028 presidential candidate. Your proposal to eliminate federal income taxes “for half of US workers” (see link below) gets an immediate thumbs up. It will probably play well against Gavin Newsom’s attempts to explain why California has the highest taxes in America. This will be must-see TV, at debate time.

But there’s a problem. According to Statista (link below) and other sites, 60% of Americans already do NOT pay any income tax. WTH??? Senator, are trying to pull a fast one, or all these statistical authorities wrong?

I have no immediate objections to Senator Van Hollen’s tax rate tampering: no tax on incomes of $46K (individual) or $92K (joint filers). I have no objections to making up the lost tax revenue with a new surcharge on millionaires. Even though details are sketchy on the rates/income levels involved. We all know the cost of living is going up way faster than the official government CPI statistics, and workers are falling behind. So far so good, for Van Hollen's win the nomination strategy. A lot of voters will salute this. It’s less convoluted than “no tax on tips and overtime” which requires a pile of tax forms on April 15th, including W2, 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC, 1099-K, and Form 4137. ("You must always file Form 4137 if your W-2, box 8, shows allocated tips. See page 31 of filing instructions for details").

Convoluted tax details on tips/overtime are what keep H&R Block and Turbo Tax laughing all the way to the bank. (“Try to file your own return. Just try. We dare you. Bwaaah!”)

So I can’t figure out Senator Hollen’s “half off” tax promise is a something that delivers real change, or a scam along the lines of “build a wall and make Mexico pay for it”, or “balance the federal budget by passing Obamacare”. Voters get lied to all the time during campaigns, and the media does a poor job on holding candidates accountable for their insane promises.

In any case, all the millionaires already live on the coasts, and typically pay state income tax out the wazoo (13% in California, 11% in New York and NJ, etc.) That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t pay more federal income tax however. Just that lucky residents of Los Angeles and NYC are being overcharged right at home considering the schools, crime rate, homelessness, Fentanyl, perpetual brushfires . . .

There’s already an epic migration of influencers, oligarchs, and entertainers from high tax states to Florida. This is unlikely to end anytime soon. Miami just rang up 3 of the most expensive home sales in US history over the past year – hundreds of millions of dollars. Billionaires can afford to pay more federal income for sure. But let’s have the full details, Senator Hollen . . .

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Democrat’s plan would eliminate federal income taxes for half of US workers

Share of households paying no income tax by income level U.S. 2025| Statista