Forbes, Buffett and Obama Use the Tax Code for Free Guilt Therapy, by Kyle Smith:

Obama is much like Buffett in that he can no longer conceive of any needs going unmet. Obama can summon anything a fellow could possibly desire (except possibly high approval ratings). Once he leaves office, he will, like fellow taxation enthusiasts Bill Clinton and Al Gore, enjoy virtually unlimited opportunities to generate unearned wealth — collecting hundreds of thousands for speeches drafted by others, millions more to put their names to ghostwritten tomes and untold sums for renting their prestige to corporate boards. Possibly he feels guilty about the lack of effort required on his part, but the tax code is not to be used as therapeutic treatment for individuals suffering from psychic malaise, no matter how powerful they may be. …

The Buffett/Obama argument is meant to be a sort of saint’s rejoinder to a “Do as I say, not as I do” hypocrisy. … That neither of them is handing over his wealth to Treasury indicates that neither is interested in paying more to the government per se; each is enthralled by the idea of doing so if they can be comforted by the knowledge that there are crowds lined up behind them (forced) to do the same.

They’re being awfully generous, in other words, with other people’s money. … The sacrifices Obama and Buffett volunteer to make simply aren’t meaningful. Their willingness to sweep some crumbs off their plate has no bearing on whether you or I should enjoy a meal we earned.

(Hat Tip: InstaPundit.)