That fact that America’s tax code is progressive–i.e., the wealthy pay more–has been largely a given since the first income-tax was levied in 1862. Yet the Buffett Rule and the ensuing debate over Mitt Romney’s  taxes has painted a picture of America’s tax structure as regressive. Polls show that many Americans think the wealthy now pay a lower share than the rest of America.

http://blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2012/04/18/the-real-tax-rates-of-the-rich/?mod=WSJBlog