Occupy Wall Street

CHART OF THE DAY: The '47 Percent' Pay Their Fair Share

Brian Beutler | October 21, 2011, 6:03AM

Conservatives are continuing their counter-protest against the so-called "47 percent." Specifically, that's the share of recession-era households that pay no federal income taxes. Most of them pay payroll taxes and other federal taxes (not to mention state taxes), but Republicans have chosen to depict them as the free-riding half of the country.

The fact of the matter, though, is that those other taxes constitute a huge chunk of federal revenues. Check out the charts below. Over the 58 years preceding the Lesser Depression, the share of federal revenues that came from individual income taxes has remained fairly stable, fluctuating between 40 and 50 percent, and peaking just before George W. Bush slashed rates in 2001.

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Occupy D.C.

Anti-War Protesters Storm Senate's Hart Office Building (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | October 11, 2011, 12:55PM

Members of the anti-war Stop the Machine and October 2011 movement attempted to take over the atrium of the Senate Hart Office Building on Tuesday, chanting "we are the 99 percent" and "end all wars" before Capitol Police cleared the area and made a handful of arrests.

Stop the Machine and October 2011 protesters were the chief organizers, but were joined by people who said they came to town for the Occupy D.C. protest. Some of the chants also took on the branding of the "Occupy" movement, including chants about taxing the rich.

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Occupy D.C.

Protesters Plan To Try To Shut Down Senate Hart Building At 11:30

Ryan J. Reilly | October 11, 2011, 11:25AM

Protesters with the Occupy D.C. and Stop The Machine movements will try to shut down the Senate Hart Building at 11:30 a.m today.

Protesters were gathering in the atrium of the building as Capitol police officers loomed nearby and as other demonstrators in anti-war gear set themselves up in the lobbies of floors overlooking the lobby.

The protestors made their way from Freedom Plaza, where they've set up camp, to Capitol Hill in small groups, trying to avoid a "march" down Pennsylvania Ave.

"Is the Hart building, how do I get to the Hart building? Am I in it?" one protester asked a a Hill staffer.

We'll have updates as the situation develops.

Late update: There were a handful of arrests during the demonstration, which was organized by Stop The Machine and October 2011 protestors but was joined by people who said they were affiliated with the Occupy D.C. movement.