while I flagged the article; it is after all more election year drivel; the primary reason people take offense at equating tax breaks with welfare is that welfare requires no effort on the receiver to contribute to the system whereas a tax break is relief from the taking by government of your work.<p>Or worded another way, welfare is assumed to be given to those who are not productive members of society while a tax break is considered to be a reduction in taking from a productive member.