Nonetheless, General Musharraf may have to swallow politically unpalatable reforms, such as bringing retailers into the tax net.

ECONOMIST: Will Pakistan get any closer to Clinton?

Even with compensating income transfers to poorer people, who benefit in absolute terms less than the better-off from the tax relief, the idea is politically unpalatable.

ECONOMIST: Peter Hain touched a sensitive spot

Since raising taxes in California is politically unpalatable, all the infrastructure measures have done is to release money that would have been spent in the future.

ECONOMIST: America's creaking infrastructure

If the Fed were to reduce rates to a negative level, it would result in a politically unpalatable situation where depositors are charged to put their money into a bank.

FORBES: Fed's Next Move Will Be To Ease Interest Rates

It was difficult enough for the previous Congress to pass the ACA. Although the act imposes other taxes, an overt tax of the size needed to do the same job as the mandate would have been politically unpalatable.

FORBES: With or without mandate, Affordable Care Act fails

Sarkozy and Hollande have both said they would stick to a path of fiscal discipline if elected, targeting a budget deficit of 3% of gross domestic product in 2013, but have tiptoed around the more politically unpalatable measures needed to achieve that goal.

WSJ: French Unions, Firms Weigh Flexibility Plan