data indicates progressive taxes have more of a disincentive on growth than regressive taxes

So you're saying public education is redistribution?

 

I'm saying [benefits minus costs] helps us understand redistribution. Focus purely on tax distorts the reality, given government expenditure produces gains skewed to the middle classes.

 

Food stamps, for example, they can benefit anyone no matter their economic position, and instead of defining it as redistribution, why not assume it is strategic in the sense it's better to have people eating than dropping dead in the streets. If you give corporate tax breaks is this redistribution or doing whatever to encourage more company investment and business growth? Taxes are required to fund the government which we demand...

 

You haven't appreciated the point. This is simply a statistical measure which allows us a better understanding of redistribution (although it's more commonly a lack of redistribution).