Oh, the arrogance of the "progressive" statist.

Senator Claire McCaskill, (D-MO), in discussing her opposition to extending tax cuts, says the GOP is just "going to pout if we don’t give more money to millionaires." (See the New York Times article "Tax-Cut Debate turns to Millionaires.")

This is the perfect example of how "progressive" statists have the world backwards. She has confused letting people KEEP their own money with the government GIVING them money. Her basic belief, therefore, is that the government owns all productivity, and only allows people to keep it out of the government's benevolence.

Ergo, in her world, allowing people to keep what they have earned is the same thing as a government gift.

(I know, I know: to the "progressive" statist, rich people haven't "earned" anything. They have exploited the labor of others or they have simply stolen wealth from the proletariat. Therefore, the benevolent hand of government is necessary to correct the injustice. That is a different discussion for a different day. I merely suggest that F.A. Hayek addresses that contention and soundly shows its error in his book "The Road to Serfdom.")