IvanB--
1) I was using only income (tax) figures, because that was the subject of Dick's post on the Sense of the Senate resolution. I'm aware there are other deductions and taxes...God knows I saw them raised and raised from my paychecks over my 42-year+ working life.
2) Like you, I would rather be your banker than your pool man (and believe me, my income was lots, lots closer to your pool man), but that wasn't the point of my post.
3) I invite you to reread my post, and the sources given. It shows that your banker does pay more in taxes, most likely, than your pool man, as well he should.
4) Do you begrudge your banker his $1M salary and net income? Should his net be limited to $500K? $250K? $77K (the most I ever netted)? or, perhaps, the $22.5K your pool cleaner nets? Just asking.