What's Wrong With the Right's Top Talking Points, In Six Charts

Republicans didn't just respond to the State of the Union, they responded four times. The problem is that a lot of their talking points don't stack up with reality. 

1) Taxes Are Too High on The Rich

In fact, taxes have become less progressive since 1960:

Since 2004 there has been a modest increase in income taxes for the wealthiest one percent, but we are nowhere near the 1960s.

2) The Government is Too Big

In fact, government revenues as a percentage of GDP has remained flat in the U.S. while it has increased in other developed countries.

3) We Need to Worry About Opportunity, not Inequality

Research by Miles Corak shows that countries with high levels of inequality have lower levels of upward mobility. Raj Chetty and his colleagues found a similar trend in census zones within the U.S.

4) We Don't Need a Higher Minimum Wage

According to John Schmitt f the minimum wage had kept rising with productivity, it would be more than double what it is now.

5) The Deficit! The Deficit!

The deficit is falling:

It's awful to have to keep pointing these things out, but the right still relies on the same stale talking points.