I really have no interest in the subject of taxes. I do fill out a Form SE every year because I am a sole proprietor, but it is my understanding that money goes to my Social Security and Medicare accounts. Where the money actually goes is just a bookkeeping problem, anyway. I mean, it all goes to the government—income and self-employment taxes—and they can move it around internally anyway they want. But it makes no difference to me if the money goes into a general fund so long as my Social Security benefits keep building up and are paid as promised.

Also, I do not really look at the dollar amount of my total tax bill. All I care about is what is called my “effective tax rate.” I think something around 10 percent is fair.

The “employer share” of the payroll tax is in reality a hidden tax on the employee. The effective rate of taxation is 14.2%. Check out the self-employment tax sometime – Federal Form SE, to see the math. The money collected is thrown in to the big pot called “General Fund”. It is no more dedicated to Social Security and Medicare than your earnings being “dedicated” to your mortgage. That’s for show.

Other than your missing that element of the debate, your FICA point is a small one. Yes, I’m familiar with the terminology. I’m intimately familiar with the tax – it is and is meant to be the great tax on the working class. It goes without notice by most tax experts, who focus exclusively on the income tax.

Anyway, test me. Bring it on.

Your attitude about Social Security and Medicare are radical and destructive.

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The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax is a United States payroll (or employment) tax imposed by the federal government on both employees and employers to fund Social Security and Medicare—federal programs that provide benefits for retirees, the disabled, and children of deceased workers.

–Wikipedia

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Still, I’m all for getting rid of the “payroll tax,” because that would be the quickest way to get rid of Social Security and Medicare.