Austin American-Stateman op-ed:  Romney Tax Plan Doesn’t Add Up, Helps Wealthy Too Much, by Calvin H. Johnson (Texas):

Mitt Romney has aggressively promised large tax cuts for the richest
taxpayers. President Barack Obama opposes them. Romney has
simultaneously promised not to increase the deficit or increase middle
class tax, but he has not specified what tax loopholes and tax subsidies
he would attack to fund his plan.

There are not enough tax
subsidies to keep all of Romney’s promises. Romney, moreover, also
defends some important and wasteful loopholes. …

Our current tax system resembles a sponge with lots of holes, but not
very much fiber left. Over the years, brilliant tax planners,
indifferent IRS rules, and members of Congress who are trying to
represent us have created the loopholes. There seems to be a great rule
that empires fall because their taxes inevitably fall apart. Aggressive
tax reform that goes after the tax loopholes in the federal tax system
would do the country good. Romney gives at least lip service to ending
loopholes and tax subsidies, but then to actually do it, we are going to
have to get specific.

It does less harm to the sum of human
happiness to take tax from the rich instead of the poor. The Little
Match Girl had only her matches to keep her alive. Tax her and she is
dead. Uncle Scrooge McDuck took his income in coins that were added to
swimming pools of gold coins in various vaults. The coins were never
very good swimming pools, so loss of one would not be missed much. If we
need a dollar to pay for the Marines or close the deficit, it is better
to take it from Uncle Scrooge. That will do less harm.