How far does our government think people can be pushed?

A little earlier today I came across a story in the Los Angeles Times

Tax deduction for mortgage interest could be on the chopping block

I posted the link to the story on facebook.

The story was by By Don Lee, Los Angeles Times on December 20, 2010. 

The first paragraph in the story:

It's been around since 1913, but its time may be up. Such a change would generate billions of dollars in federal revenue that could be used to cut the deficit while inflicting little pain on most middle-class homeowners.

Little pain?  Was this a quote from some idiot that the author just passed along or was this the thinking of the author?  Most people in the USA live in houses that are not as pricy as they are in some major urban areas.  Why inflict any additional pain on people.  Our government needs to start thinking rather than just continuing with panic knee jerk reactions to save a sinking ship.

In any case I read further.  I am just a few small steps from joining the revolution myself.

Reporting from Washington — Fifteen years ago, Carol Nietmann and her husband bought a spacious house in Maryland near Chesapeake Bay. And thanks to the time-honored tax deduction for mortgage interest, she said, their new place was a little bigger and a little nicer than they would otherwise have thought they could afford.