Krugman Got It Wrong - Forbes.comJust read it. I especially liked this "Only if you think that hitting the most productive portions of the population is the right way to instill a sense of national unity would you want to keep this ship afloat.".
Of course, time after time we find out two things:
1). The left does not believe that the folks with the most money are "the most productive". While markets are certainly not perfect, they believe that they are FAR from even close to right and those that have the most money ought to be punished -- in life and in death.
2). Any talk of "unity" is a sham. They absolutely hate the rich -- even if you could 100% scientifically prove to them that letting the top 10% of the income range keep 75%+ of their income, they would want 50, 60, 70 or more % to be taken. The idea that high progressive tax rates are for the purpose of "helping the little man" is a smoke screen.
At least after 1980, it is as clear as anything in the economic universe that LOWER tax rates help EVERYONE -- but don't expect any on the left to be making any changes. Even if the bottom 90% of the income earners DIED as they took 70% of the top 10% income, they would do it because kind of like the old story of the scorpion and the camel**, "that is their nature".
** Scorpion and Camel, Both the scorpion and the camel needed to cross a river. There were difficult rocks that needed to be navigated around, but when the camel swam, he was not able to see well. The scorpion suggested that they team up. The camel was of course concerned about being stung, but the scorpion assured him "that would be foolish, I'd drown". Finally convinced, they set out. 3/4 of the way to the other side, the scorpion stings him. Gasping his last and going down, the camel asks "why did you do that, now you will die too". The scorpion replied "it's my nature".
Moral; you really can deal with someone that is driven by greed, lust for power, etc. What you can't deal with is the equivalent of a suicide bomber -- someone that is willing to die for their "cause" even if it helps nobody. The left in this country has grudging respect for Islamic fascists as they did for Hitler because "they get the job done". They tend to be the reverse of the guy walking on the beach throwing starfish back into the sea. When asked "You don't really think you can help them all do you?", he responds, "I can help that one". If they can't ALL be helped, then NONE will be!!
Many "liberals" would rather that one rich person be "shown the light" of how awful it is to not have money, then have 10K people have 20% more income. The vast majority of "the rich" would likely be happier in poverty than your typical liberal is in plenty, because they long ago figured it out that it wasn't about money anyway.