> Isn't that just because there are higher incomes in the blue states, and isn't it a democratic policy to tax higher incomes and transfer wealth to those with lower incomes?
That doesn't necessarily need to be true, it just appears to be the case (I have the personal opinion this comes from some sort of religious ideology). A flat percent based tax system does tax the rich more effectively, it's just people seem to think they should take a larger percentage from the rich. This is likely because they have less voting power and thus cannot resist the masses taking their wealth.
A flat percent based tax system does tax the rich more effectively
Where do you get that idea? Most countries have progressive taxes, i.e. tax bands, because it's an effective way to raise a good amount of government income. With a flat rate, the tax burden on the lowest earners would be very heavy, especially as poor people spend a much higher fraction of their earnings on day-to-day essentials rather than luxuries.
Funnily enough poor people in the US don't vote much. Socialists believed that democracy would bring the Revolution with peaceful means. In practice it turned out different.
That doesn't necessarily need to be true, it just appears to be the case (I have the personal opinion this comes from some sort of religious ideology). A flat percent based tax system does tax the rich more effectively, it's just people seem to think they should take a larger percentage from the rich. This is likely because they have less voting power and thus cannot resist the masses taking their wealth.