If one looks at the talent entry for Thief, it says that it is not a talent at all, but a profession. So why isn't Bard the same? After all, just like how the abilities that let one function as a thief are described by other talents, the same could be said of bards. Though a typical bard is unlikely to have all of these, a number of talents come to mind as relevant:
- Carousing
- Charisma
- Courtly Graces
- Diplomacy
- Language
- Literacy
- Mimic
- Mundane Talent [Musical Instrument]
- Mundane Talent [Singing]
- Poetry
- Sex Appeal
- Writing
Requiring bards to buy up the component talents puts them on par with not only thieves, but mercenaries, merchants, assassins, sea captains, etc. And, by eliminating Bard, you can avoid the ridiculous stacking of Sex Appeal's reaction bonus with that of Bard's.