e.g. if I make the median income of $50K and currently pay $8800 taxes (I keep $41200) and I look at your chart to see how my taxes change under Obama, I have no idea what -2.4% under Obama’s plan means. Does it mean, as implied by the WPost chart, that my take-home income goes up by 2.4% (I keep $42190 and pay $7810), or my taxes go down by 2.4% of my total income (i keep $42400 and pay $7600), or my taxes go down by 2.4% of what I paid last year (I keep and pay $41400 and pay $8590) ?

Furthermore, it would help if the Y axis was also labeled - it is not clear if the columns represent actual incomes or if they represent tax brackets. e.g. if I make $50K a year, it is not clear whether I should just look up the number in the $37K - $66K column (-2.4%), or if I have to do the progressive tax bracket thing (subtract 5.5% from the first $19K I made, then subtract 3.6% from the money I made between $19K and $37K, and then subject 2.4% from the money I made between $37K and $55K).

Nice site. I went on to your post about the test scores / TV in room vs computer available chart. I guess I’m used to bad charts because the reversal of the expected effect was the FIRST thing I noticed about it, though your commentary about the layout generally, silly grouping, and distracting elements and colors were all apt as well. Your clear dot alternative was nicely fabricated.