I agree that a "lower" return is only part of the story. Lower rates is also part of the story, as is lower withholdings. I agree you need to see the whole picture, and articles that only mention a part to feed whatever position do a disservice to the issue as a whole.
But in my opinion, the entire topic is a disservice, because income taxes themselves are a portion of a whole, and it is being spun by everyone to feed whatever position they are interested in spinning.
Sure, lower taxes are generally better for an individual. I look at the tax cut much differently. For a COUNTRY, lower taxes is shouting, "yes, I managed to give myself a big fat pay cut... Hooray!!". That celebration is taken alone, since the tax act, taken alone, is projected to raise deficit spending by about $1.9 trillion in the coming decade.
A lower income in a household is generally a bad thing, unless the household changes their spending to make up the difference. Moving to a lower cost of living area and taking a job that pays less, but still coming out ahead is a prime example of this.
I am not at all a fan of the recent tax cut, because it takes the easy decision(tax cut) while ignoring the hard decisions(spending cuts). I consider that irresponsible governance. We have been given a decade long economic boom, comparable to the roaring 20's, and we have still managed to spend WAY more than we take in. If we can not reduce deficits in a booming economy(the BEST EVER, am I right???), then when the fuck are we going to do it?
In my opinion nobody, ESPECIALLY moustachians, should cheer lower incomes for the government until the cuts offset the reduction in taxes.