This nation needs to stop trying to incentivize and discourage actions through the tax code. Examples:

Mortgage interest tax deduction & home real estate tax deduction– These brought us MacMansions, urban sprawl, rejection of energy efficient apartments, the death of mass transportation in most of the country, the destruction of personal wealth and a host of other illnesses.

Incentives to buy LSV’s, electric cars, solar panels, etc. None of these have addressed any real problem in an effective way.

‘Green’ energy subsidies that have zero payoff and to date none of them do.

Charitable contribution deductions. Why should I take money from you to subsidize my church or you take money from me to support your contributions to the charity of your choice? If an individual wishes to give, let them give out of their own pocket and not those of the rest of us.

Long-term unemployment benefits that encourage people not to seek out work

Bio-fuel subsidies. These have. helped create real food shortages worldwide and driven up the cost of fuel here in the United States.

Farm subsidies.

Eliminate all income tax deductions where the individual has any control over what has happened to them. I would retain tax deductions for catastrophic medical costs and personal exemptions but little else.

Corporate taxes can be equally simplified. Eliminate all deductions including depreciation, using up of assets, etc. Taxable income equals sales and investment income minus expenses. It does not matter if the expense is a new plant or a new pencil. Repatriated profits are not taxed if the earnings have been taxed in another country.

Entitlement programs must be reformed. Today our government is promising more than it can deliver, much like Bernie Madoff.

Tax rates can then be set to be competitive worldwide and bring business and jobs into this country. Setting them to match the accumulative wishes will bankrupt us.