I don't think people are brainwashed.
Most everyone knows that it is their money, and that's why they're excited to get it back.
Not everyone is an investing genius and can squeeze every last drop out of their own money, nor are they raking in tons to begin with.
The government holding $2k of someone's income, interest free doesn't mean squat if you think about what that $2k earns in a regular, joe schmoe bank account every year.
People lack self control, so if the government is playing banker for them and holding onto their money for a year, then they don't mind it because they would have otherwise blown it on crap, or earned pennies for interest on it.
