Not all things are the same - you can't compare the degree, depth, and extent of Medicare's and Social Security's popularity with that of something as tenuous as Defund the Police.

Not the point. But you know that.

Non-trivial increases, to be sure. This would be quite unpopular! But still less unpopular than major reductions in Social Security and Medicare benefits.

Depends, doesn't it? You know who lands in the top 37% bracket? Not very many people. That's why it has limited utility for raising revenue. Plus, they can shield their assets.

So at least we now agree that It's a shit sandwich and we all get to take a bite. Everybody gets to pay just to maintain the status quo. Progress.

Now let's consider the beating the other brackets take. Those 5/6/8/9 bracket raises of yours? Guess who they nail. Small business owners! The ones who are sole proprietors or other pass-through entities who taxes flow right to their individual 1040s. Up their rates by that much and you can say good-bye to your favorite restaurant in many cases because their margins can't handle it.

And so goes the ripple effects because we don't want to even consider the possibility of any kind of reform.