Tax rates of themselves don't equal increased revenue. Collecting actual taxes is also required. And not collecting taxes does not equal increased revenue either. It is also necessary to sufficiently penalize noncompliance that scofflaws elect to toe the line.

Tax rates should be as high as people can stand up to the point they start reducing revenue. Duh! Unless of course the cost of the level of service taxpayers and citizens demand is less than that amount. Which it never is or ever will be.

Although it certainly is the case that the cost of services to OTHER taxpayers and citizens is ALWAYS more than WE demand that government provide to THEM.

We Dems (I guess I'm still more Dem than not), may say "tax the rich" which they can't do but spend the money anyway, but this is no more stupid or disingenuous than the the R's who say "don't tax the rich and cut government". They do the former but not the latter.