Stop taxing the lower-middle and middle class 2/3 or 33% of their income.

Taxation isn't simply the federal, local and state taxes. This is social security, worker's comp, entitlements that the lower middle class doesn't qualify for. There is no difference between poverty and making 30,000$ a year because of the tax brackets and how they are designed to make anyone making less than 50,000 a year no richer than the lower class who receive entitlements. Furthermore, it is disgusting that a government body would intentionally keep people poor so that they need government assistance, because that's all welfare is. Reliance on the government. The government needs to set a standard for employers to follow, then step back.