Yesterday, I read Why Americans Don’t Want to Soak the Rich by Neil Irwin for the New York Times. I also saw The Progressive Income Tax: A Tale of Three Brothers from the Prager University a few days ago. And I read Would You Let the I.R.S. Prepare Your Taxes?, written by Farhad Manjoo for the New York Times on April 15. These three pieces—and paying the tax bill on Wednesday—got me thinking about stuff. (Truth be told, Mark Rubin Writes is the product of my “thinking about stuff!”)

Mr. Irwin’s piece analyzes two studies which are designed to test feelings about taxes and the wealthy. His conclusion:

… the question isn’t, Why don’t Americans want to soak the