What I wouldn’t give for a simplified tax code-even if we paid a bit more. However, a few years ago I did a very unscientific survey of some people I know on a chat group and realized that not only do various powerful “interest groups” want those deductions, but a lot of people would rather get recognition of their life choices (deductions for children, for home ownership, etc.) in the tax code than pay the same or a bit less and not get deductions. Seems silly to me, but apparently no one really wants the tax code simplified, they just want to shift the burden around.