Hooray for the wealthy!

We don’t need to shed tears for them. The after-tax income of the top 1 percent more than tripled since 1979, while the bottom-dwellers barely moved an inch.

Still, good job, wealthy people! You worked hard, played by the rules and the nation appreciates your support for the national defense, highways, meat inspection and national parks.

When President Obama gives a domestic policy speech, there’s usually a cleaning woman who has no health insurance or a laid-off firefighter invited to come onstage. But on April 15, maybe he could give a hug to a corporate lawyer who pulled down $3 million and gave half of it back.

There’s no reason not to show the top taxpayers a little love. Paying a lot of taxes should be a badge of honor.