[weberc2]

Middleclass Americans' income taxes are around or above 20%. Americans generally are opposed to taxes because there is a perception (rightly or wrongly) that our government is inefficient (due to some combination of corruption and incompetence), and we should sort that out before increasing taxes on programs with a (perceived) high probability of mismanagement.

> Obviously I can't speak for the general population, but as for my close proximity: My colleagues think taxes are good too. No brain drain here.

I think that's the critical difference--Norwegians believe they are getting value out of their taxes and Americans do not.

EDIT: Obviously this is a generalization of groups; not all Americans think the government is inefficient. Hopefully we can forego the predictable and pointless digression into "well not all Americans are that way!"