Why all the tears for those left with lower SALT deductions?

[unblock]

13. The problem really is in looking at this one issue in isolation

If it wrote part of a comprehensive plan to make tax treatment fairer and more progressive for all, then sure, I'd agree that the national interest in an unlimited mortgage interest deduction has run its course and could stand to be scaled back in some way.

However, it was instead part of a tax package that made things worse overall, and offset the budget impact by selectively screwing people in mostly blue states for partisan reasons. This made it stink to high heaven.


Combining a limitation on mortgage interest with a limitation on state and local tax deductions really confused the matter. I don't think it's a easy to defend limiting the deduction on state and local taxes and combining the two is just a mess.

Finally, mortgages made prior to the law going into effect probably should have been grandfathered, but that's a "one-time" issue that doesn't matter in terms of long-term policy.