Some of you folks are missing the point. It's not always just about balance. There's also overall design and playstyle to worry about.
Looking at the changes, Capcom is obviously trying to get rid of spammable/silly stuff.
Seth's jumping around at full screen tossing out j.HPs was simply NOT how they wanted the game to play.
Cammys standing full screen tossing out TKCS to build meter was NOT how they wanted the game to play.
Shotos hurricane kicking to safety for free was NOT how they wanted the game to play (why aren't more people rejoicing about this change, btw? SF4 just got a bit less defensive, and no one gives a crap? lol SRK.)
Uncharacteristically oppressive ultras like Bison's U2, Abel's U2, and even Seth U1 (you can't jump, you can't fireball, you can't poke, you can't throw, full screen range, adjustable, often difficult to block and/or punish adequately) were not how Capcom wanted the game to play. And, yes, I know how to avoid/bait/punish all of these.
It's not that the above stuff was broken or anything...it was just, well, stupid. It wasn't conducive to the type of game Capcom wanted to create. So, they tweaked/removed stuff. Cammy's lost her regular TKCS, but everyone conveniently ignores the fact that her normals are now easier to link. They took away the silly stuff (meter whiffing) and added something more offense-oriented (better combo capability). I'm sure the other characters have also received changes to help compensate for their losses some how.
It's not just about balance. It's about trying to make the game less...stupid.
