Do Americans pay too much in taxes, or too little?

Americans' 2009 tax bills were the lowest they've been since 1950, according to a USA Today analysis, adding new fuel to the heated debate over government spending. Liberals like Michael Ettlinger at the Center for American Progress say this report shows that Tea Party anger over taxation is "pretty much nuts." But Tea Partiers, like Adam Brandon at FreedomWorks, say they won't look so nuts when taxes inevitably skyrocket to pay our Big Government deficits. Are we actually paying too little in taxes?

Right-wing protesters must feel silly now: "Confused far-right activists chose an odd time to launch a 'Taxed Enough Already' revolt," says Steve Benen in Washington Monthly. Especially since it was over their vocal objections that Democrats passed "one of the largest middle-class tax breaks in history," in last year's stimulus bill. Maybe now that they've seen their tax saving they'll stop complaining so "bitterly."

"Lowest taxes in more than a half-century"

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Taxes won't stay low without smaller government: Of course liberals are using this to poke fun at Tea Partiers, says Rob Port at Say Anything. But the right's beef with the Democrats isn't just about today's taxes. Unless the government follows the Tea Partiers' advice and downsizes itself, we won't be able to pay off President Obama's giant deficits without "huge future taxes."

"2009 taxes paid lowest in 50 years"

Deficit-busters should still be grateful: People "outraged" over the budget deficit should find some consolation, says Vincent Fernando in Business Insider, in knowing that their lower taxes "have much do to with it." Still, one reason our collective tax rates have gone down is that many people have lost income and fallen into lower tax brackets. And those who lost their jobs in the recession probably don't see much to cheer about.

"Congratulations, you're paying the least amount of taxes in 60 years"