Yes, the Republicans will reject any tax of any kind (they did recently dust off their "we should tax people on food stamps more" idea, but I think that was more spite and role reversal than an actual policy proposal). Yes, they've been quite open about that from the start, and it's actually hurting Congressional Republicans in the polls; it's just that the whole debate is hurting Obama as well (though to a lesser degree), creating a great opening for any Republican GOVERNOR who doesn't let themselves get sucked into embracing unpopular Congressional Republican policy just to suck up to their base (advantage: Romney. ) And, yes, Obama is just trying to paint Republicans as selfish plutocrats to secure re-election, rather than sincerely suggesting a policy he wants to implement. He knows he can't implement it, but he wants to put the Republicans on record as supporting robber barons in the 2012 election, so he doesn't lose his job over the fact that everyone else has lost theirs. The article you posted as much as says that.

The sadder and more frustrating truth is that Obama doesn't give a dead rats rump about Warren Buffets taxes, he's just PRETENDING to because he knows a large majority of the public does and he thinks his pretense will get their votes (again.) It's not like this disparity suddenly sprang up out of nowhere; it was there when Democrats had both houses of Congress and Obama was too busy handing out corporate welfare to insurance and auto companies to care about millionaire taxes. All that's changed now is that there's an election next year so it's time to beat the socialist drum again and hope people still buy it.