Due to the progressive nature of our income tax system, the actual number is likely somewhat past the midpoint, so perhaps 72 or 73 percent of Americans are actually receiving more from the government than they pay in with only a bit more than one quarter of the country actually paying more in than they are getting back.

◼ Romney Was Wrong About The 47 Percent, The Problem Is Much Worse - Jeffrey Dorfman/Forbes

The Congressional Budget Office is just out with a new report that shows exactly how much income redistribution the government is accomplishing. Recently, liberal politicians and the media have been focused on income inequality, but they almost always use data on pre-tax and pre-transfer income before the government’s income redistribution programs have done their work. Looking at the data after income taxes, after refundable tax credits, and after government transfer programs tells quite a different story.