Taxes on the Wealthy and Growth

Do taxes on the wealthy reduce economic growth?  That is the typical Republican talking point (via Michael Linden) 

Speaker John Boehner (R-OH): “What some are suggesting is that we take this money from people who would invest in our economy and create jobs and give it to the government. The fact is you can't tax the very people that we expect to invest in the economy and create jobs.”
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: “With over 20 million people who are unemployed or who have stopped looking for work, the last thing we should be doing is raising taxes on job-creators, entrepreneurs, and small business owners across America.”
John Boehner, again: “A tax hike would wreak havoc not only on our economy’s ability to create private-sector jobs, but also on our ability to tackle the national debt.”

 Perhaps they are right, but the historical record seems to indicate that other factors are more important:

 What about the impact of elite's tax rates on economic growth?  Most Republicans believe that cutting taxes on the wealthy will boost growth (via Michael Linden)  :

Speaker John Boehner: "We've seen over the last 30 years that lower marginal tax rates have led to a growing economy, more employment and more people paying taxes.”
Sen. Jim DeMint: "But we also need to just cut the top marginal rate for individuals and corporations so that we're more competitive and companies can look way out in the future and know they'll have a competitive tax rate.”
Club for Growth: “To stimulate GDP growth, a tax cut has to cut the marginal tax rates upon which the decision makers in the economy base their decisions to work and, above all, to invest.”

Again, the effects cannot be the most important thing: