OK...Here are the numbers comparing 1980 to 2012... Median Household Income - 1980 - 37,500 Median Household Income - 2012 - 50,502 Taxes due 1980 - 6,978.00 - 18.6% Taxes due 2012 - 7,428.50 - 14.7% These numbers come right out of the IRS Tax Tables... You will notice..The median (MIddle) household income tax rate in 2012 is 3.9% less in 2012 compared to 1980... Shermann