Taxes are funny, innit?

For the many people who were shocked, shocked that their paychecks were reduced, it was because the Social Security tax that was temporarily reduced to 4.2% from 2011-2013 was rightfully restored to the original 6.2% rate. 

I say "rightfully restored" because Congress let the temporary rate expire - and it was a bipartisan effort.  Not that 6.2% is a nice, cheap rate - it's better than the 39.6% plus a few surcharges signed into law along with the permanent Bush tax rates - but the reduction was to get people to spend more money in their paychecks, yet it went to paying for higher food and fuel prices.  (See also Making Work Pay, which credited people $400-$800 but also expired, replaced by the 4.2% temporary rate.)

Taxes are funny.  People will whine about an increase in taxes, but will still buy cigarettes, which carry a effective tax rate of 40-65%, will purchase beer at 11 cents per gallon excise tax, liquor at $4.05 per gallon excise tax, not recycle their cans and reclaim their nickel per can/bottle, and not look at their phone bills and be on the hook for 12-13% in more taxes.  Yet, when they're told that they can reduce or defer their taxes, either by decreasing the amounts they withhold in their paychecks or by deferring their income to a 401(k) program, they're too busy watching TV or letting the media narrate what's going on through the lens of a gossip columnist with a mighty big axe to grind.

Of course, there will be masochists taxpayers willing to pay even more.  Let them.  Let them endorse their paychecks directly to Uncle Sam if it makes them giddy.  It's a fool's errand, however, to force others to pay more just because you think they have deep pockets and must do it for the "common good."  When the money runs out from these folks, it's the "common good" who has to fork over their savings.  Soon enough, Margaret Thatcher's axiom of "eventually [running] out of other people's money" comes true.