Let me clear you up here, since I know "rich" people, and I have considerable wealth myself. Most of them either own some type of business or they invest in other types of business. In order to remain competitive, they try to achieve a goal of at least 10% growth each year. Now maybe, the economic conditions, along with restrictions, regulations, tax burdens and costs, create a condition where they can't operate their businesses and achieve such growth, in which case, many will decide to invest instead. Either way, their wealth contributes to the overall economy, because investments are beneficial to someone who is operating a business somewhere. If you tax, restrict, regulate and impede their ability to invest and make a profit, they will pick investment opportunity that you can't touch, like municipal bonds and securities. You can't tax, restrict, penalize, regulate and impede these investments because cities and municipalities require the money to operate. So you are basically fucked, and they are doing the fucking.
Now... IF you relieve the penalties, regulations, restrictions and taxes, and allow them to operate their businesses and make 10% profits or greater, they will likely do this, because as you said, they do like to make money and they will spend money on a good deal. When this happens, jobs are created, either directly by their spending or by other supporting business that is improved because of their expansion. Even if you remove the restriction, penalties, taxes, etc. on general investments, it still generates new jobs and economic growth, because someone is using the money somewhere. The scenario that you don't want, is for them to sock their money away in some bond or security, because those investments generate virtually no economic growth or prosperity. Are you with me so far? Entrepreneurial investments and venture capital investments will always result in creating new jobs and economic growth and expansion. When they realize the profits from this, we realize increased tax revenues, as well as the new jobs, which also will be paying income taxes and creating economic prosperity through consumerism. More consumerism means more sales taxes generated. This is how you gain economic prosperity, plain and simple.
As for tax rates, restrictions and regulations on investment and whatnot, the "rich" don't really care what you do, because they don't need to earn income anymore, they can choose to invest in bonds and securities which your hands are tied on, and you can't touch. They won't make as much as they could make if you eased the restrictions and tax burdens on other investments, or corporate profits, but they don't really give two shits, they still have plenty of wealth and will continue to live the lifestyle they've grown accustomed to. In the end, the person who suffers the most, is the middle class or poor person, struggling to find a job and pay the bills. And life goes on!
