The campaign by the rich to be relieved of their tax burden accelerated this fall as Democrats and Republicans in Congress suspended disbelief in ‘trickle down’ economics. They voted to keep in place tax rates on themselves and their wealthy political benefactors that would have embarrassed Richard Nixon to propose.

In so doing, our political class appears to have unleashed a new wave of absurdity regarding the purpose of progressive taxation (“theft” in the AynRandian worldview). We now see coming to the fore wealthy persons who hold office — and subpoena power! — who will peer into the nooks and crannies of the Obama Administration. Thus will be located, shamed, and ferreted out the socialists whose aim is to steal from the rich their hard-earned winnings at the rigged casino that is American finance.

As part of moving debate further into corporate-friendly and wealth-enhancing realms, The Overlords now propose the sanctification of Leona Helmsley, granter of absurd wealth to dogs, who famously said of taxes:

“We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.”

Time to clear a space on Mt Rushmore, not for that socialist tax-raiser Ronnie Reagan, whose centennial America “celebrates” this year with corporate sponsorship from Jelly Belly. Clear a path to American sainthood in the Church of the Rich for the lady who spoke truth for the obscenely wealthy when no one else would, Leona Helmsley.