I don't agree. I'm french and highly taxed ... on everything. Just realize 85% of the price paid for a gallon of gas is taxes only.
Actually, hioghly taxed countries are good places to live ... for some categories ...
I mean, I am single, making around $4,000 (2,500 EUR) a month, I have no children.
Thus, I pay for the others ... It means that in France, if you are low middle calss, with a lot of children, you will be helped by the state for virtually anything: the state gives you money for: your children school, extra curricular activities, baby sitting, you pay less taxes, you pay less for public transportation, your helped for holidays, etc etc ...
These systems doesn't make the rich pay for the poor. Actually, it makes one population, not really rich, pay for another, not really poor.
Moreover, rich people leave the country .. thus ... the more you tax rich people, the more you'll only have poor people in your country.
I don't remember his name but a great economist said "too much taxes kill taxes"