US tax system is barely progressive

Counting all taxes at all levels of government, the U.S. tax system is barely progressive—close to a flat tax where almost everyone pays about 30% of income—because the top 1% average rate is only slightly above the 30% macroeconomic average while the bottom 50% is only slightly below, a major change from the 1960s-70s when the system was much more progressive and bottom-50% taxes have risen substantially due to payroll taxes.