Okay. What exactly am I getting from my payroll tax?
unemployment insurance, social security insurance and medicare insurance.
Then the first quote is not a true statement if I never collect unemployment and have no need for medicare. I am forced to pay for something I have no intention of and truly may never use.
The purpose of those plans is so that you have some income upon retirement and health insurance upon retirement. Frankly I have far more faith in myself to provide those things for myself than I do the federal government. I can do far better on my retirement in the private market. So what that means is the people I am actually paying taxes for are the people who are not willing to plan for their own futures.
But regardless of whether or not you ever collect it, it is a required tax.