For years, Democratic leaders have championed tax systems that squeeze the wealthy hardest—and their rising socialist stars want to turn that squeeze into a death grip. From Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, a new generation sees America's rich as an endless piggy bank for utopian dreams.
But cracks are forming in that progressive fortress. One unlikely voice has stepped forward to say: enough is enough.
Late-night host Bill Maher dropped a bombshell on his show. "I paid the government probably almost 60 percent of what I earn," he revealed. "That's a lot." He then delivered a blistering question: "How can it be that the federal government alone took in over $5 trillion in taxes last year and we still need that?"
Maher's frustration didn't stop there. He took aim at Senator Bernie Sanders's favorite talking point: "I still wouldn't mind if Bernie Sanders would stop saying the rich don't pay taxes." With biting humor, he added: "Us regular rich people pay a s* ton of taxes!"
The numbers bear him out. California, where Maher lives, ranks fifth in the nation for highest combined state and local tax burden—residents lose about 13.5 percent of every dollar they earn. The federal income tax system is even more lopsided: the top 10 percent of earners foot 72 percent of all federal income taxes, while the bottom half contributes just 3 percent.
Yet even with that staggering haul—over $5 trillion in a single year—the government still runs a $1.17 trillion budget deficit. Spending wildly exceeds revenue. Maher's question echoes through every taxpayer's mind: Are we really this incompetent and corrupt?
It's a searing indictment from someone on the left. When a progressive icon admits he's handing over nearly two-thirds of his income and still watching the system fail, maybe it's time to rethink who's really being bled dry.
