The whole argument about "making the people that earn more than $250,000 pay their share" is crap. The people that make a $250,000 SALARY are the most taxed people in the country both in absolute and, I would bet, relative terms. They are taxed at the source, and there are no "loopholes" for salary-men.
I should say, I am not familiar with the US system of taxation, so please correct me...
Sure, you write off your RRSP equivalent (401K?), kids related expenses, medical expenses, etc, but these are not "loopholes" - these are based on policy decisions to encourage savings, education, reproduction. March Hare's argument about this not being fair is silly - if you can't afford these expenses (and corresponding write-offs), you are likely not being taxed much (or at all) in the first place.
The real write-offs, or loop-holes, if you wish, are available to the really wealthy, whose income is not derived from salary, but from investments, business, etc, plus farmers.
