tea party

Every April, resistance to taxes becomes a national hobby. The rebellious souls at taxKilla.org take that resistance to the extreme by encouraging the broad use of tax loopholes and iffy methods to reduce what you pay to the IRS. But there's nothing illegal about it.

Nobody enjoys paying taxes, so hearing that Congress is cutting the IRS budget might inspire you to applaud. But this is the agency that makes sure the rest of government gets funded, and stops the unscrupulous from dodging their fair share of the burden.

In a year saturated with big financial headlines, identifying the fiscal heroes and villains is bound to be an exercise in oversimplification. But DailyFinance is going to try: Herewith, we present our picks for the best and the worst of 2011.

In the political battle over taxes, Warren Buffett has been cited often -- both as an example of the country's unbalanced tax code and for his popular plan to boost taxes on the rich. There's just one thing: His plan would leave many of them paying less.

Warren Buffett's tax proposal would put the bite on America's wealthy: Those who make $1 million or more would pay 30%, while those who make more than $10 million would pay 35%. But even if it passed, experts say balanced budgets will require sacrifices across the board.

On Thursday, GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann may have inadvertently made one of the boldest moves of the 2012 primary campaign. Speaking on Fox News, the Minnesota congresswoman stated that she wants to adopt Ronald Reagan's tax plan, a rate structure that's much higher than current tax rates.

Although the Senate has blocked action on Obama's $447 billion jobs bill, parts of it may yet get enacted, including an extension and expansion of a payroll tax cut that would put hundreds of dollars more a year in the pockets of ordinary American workers. Here are three smart ways for you to earmark that cash for your future.

Tax increases on the wealthy just got another outspoken defender: Google's 59th employee, Doug Edwards. On Monday, in a town hall meeting in California, President Obama called on a seemingly-anonymous member of the audience to ask a question. What happened next was surprising.

Earlier this week, Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) complained that he only netted $600,000 in 2010, and thus couldn't afford to pay higher taxes: "Class warfare never created a job," said Fleming. Former Obama administration official Elizabeth Warren, now running for the Senate, is ready with the counter-argument.

What do Tea Partiers feed their families? On Monday, Rep. John Fleming (R-La.), met with MSNBC's Chris Jansing to discuss President Obama's proposed tax hikes on the wealthy. Rep. Fleming only brings home $600,000 a year, and his explanation of why that just isn't enough offers an interesting glimpse into the world of Tea Party economic theory.