I'm with you - I've never understood the confusion about CSS. There are some more complicated tasks than would initially, appear, but once you grok the box model (and it's not hard) then it's pretty easy - and just use a framework for your column layout, no point in trying to reinvent Bootstrap/Foundation/[literally tens of grid frameworks]. Anything else you can't figure out, Google it.
There are some things a designer will throw at you that are very very difficult to achieve in CSS in any regular way (sans non-cross-browser-compatible hacks). But for the most part, CSS isn't too bad.
I've yet to run into those, but then again I am my company's primary designer, as well as implementing whatever I design. Perhaps as a product of that, I don't end up having to code up (m)any ridiculous designs.
I believe that's your answer. When you work with print designers who have moved to web design, but don't know thing 1 about css or html, you get some funky designs.
Really nice designs, but complicated PITAs to actually develop
