Tax policy is a very effective tool for social engineering. Tax credits are very effective for shifting tax burdens. I agree that many particular exemptions should go, but the problem is geese - one person's goose is another's gander, and someone's going to get cooked. I've made this proposal several times: don't distinguish income - e.g., capital gains, inheritance, etc. - tax it all the same.

Also, jgw, military service is a far cry from being a mercenary. Don't confuse the tool with its user. A hammer is not the right tool for every job, and it's the poor craftsman that blames his tools. Both apply to the military.

A well reasoned argument is like a diamond: impervious to corruption and crystal clear - and infinitely rarer.

Here, as elsewhere, people are outraged at what feels like a rigged game -- an economy that won't respond, a democracy that won't listen, and a financial sector that holds all the cards. - Robert Reich