A pretty tepid argument. Why not come out and say it -- "Raising taxes for those making $100K to $250K back to Clinton-era levels would be an effective way of helping balance the budget, and wouldn't cause serious economic hardship."

Thoughtful article about how democrats and republicans differ in their views of taxation. The author argues that both parties have their own illusions about taxes, with republicans advocating tax cuts as a cure-all solution, and democrats looking to tax the rich to pay for government spending. A moderate, lucid and well-reasoned perspective based on good factual evidence about this important topic.

The author restricts his analysis with assumptions and assertions that many economists question; "it's not a good idea to try to raise all that extra money just from households with annual incomes of more than $250,000..., a level at which taxes begin to discourage people from working and investing...that would prompt them to invest significant time and money to find new ways to evade taxes...Obama wants to raise the top income tax rate to 40 percent from 35 percent, which is probably as high as it ought to go." Missing from discussion is the effort to target offshore evasion havens, corporate loopholes, the 15% rate for some unearned income, and what may result if we do not soon arrive at "..once the current recession has passed."

It's one more little piece talking about how different parties perceive taxes; it nods in passing to US and other levels of taxation, it ends with the major truth that we all want government programs but want someone else to pay for them.