Deep, deep confusion

Mark Thoma, commenting on an observation by Acemoglu and Robinson that putting up an institutional break against one kind of rent-extraction often only means elites will find some other lever to pull:

Tax cuts seem to be the major extractive tool presently. Despite pledges from Obama and others to stand up to this and undo some of the extraction, it continues. When it comes to raising taxes on the wealthy or cutting benefits for the not so well off to balance the budget, its pretty clear whose interests are likely to prevail.

Not entirely false, but tax cuts aren't an "extractive tool." Tax policy just happens to be the horizon of Thoma's political consciousness. Less-progressive taxation is a problem only because the economy itself is in a certain sense "extractive." Progressive taxation is counterweight to that.