It's silly to suggest that "the poor and middle class" will be paying for much in income taxes.  The large majority of income taxes are paid (and will continue to be paid) by the upper classes (the top 10% of incomes pay 71% of all individual federal income taxes).  And the poor typically pay nothing in federal income tax, and in fact often GET money from other taxpayers (in the form of EITC credits).

We absolutely need good income tax reform, because what we have now is grossly unfair and grossly convoluted. Congresses and presidents (both parties) use it as their playground to dole out breaks to their supporters and to manipulate public behavior like puppeteers (and we're the puppets). Citizens should be outraged at being manipulated by their government like that. They really need to wipe the whole thing out and start over.  No deductions/breaks/credits.