Veronique, I think it’s fair to say Obama’s fiscal policies have never been about economics — not even economics rigged to support his mind-boggling agenda. They are about his subjective (which is to say, radical) sense of fairness. As Deroy Murdock recounted, it was pointed out to Obama during the campaign that raising captial gains taxes, as he wanted to do, would actually depress revenue and thus leave less money available to redistrib– er, I mean, to fund his priorities. The candidate responded that he would raise the taxes anyway “for purposes of fairness.” When he got into office, he immediately pushed for and got a stimulus plan that doesn’t stimulate — it just confiscates and wastes, funding new construction for school districts that are already under-capacity, etc. This isn’t government. It’s a morality play directed by a guy with a very peculiar moral compass for an audience most of which no longer really pay taxes and have figured out they have the votes to bleed dry those who do.