Take a good, long look at that statement. A liberal who tells you he's really after revenue is a liar. He's after power.
Hayes sees himself as an intellectual progressive as is the lib guests he invites on. He like Matthews preaches that Democracy is about the masses using their vote to confront ‘the powerful’ (businesses, the rich or even the government) to get the government to tax and invest(spend) more.
He has no objections to Dems running deficits, he has said so many times.
Raising taxes on 'the rich' which generates some but not much revenue but is wanted/needed as the chaser for future tax increases on you and me, so it bothers us less. Look at Maryland.