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I love Stephen Harper's Hidden Agenda
If a cut to the GST was Stephen Harper's hidden agenda, then I want him to begin keeping more secrets.
This has been an interesting week indeed for Torontonians watching the election. The week began with Stephen Harper revisitng the same-sex marriage issue, on his FIRST DAY of the campaign. It left many people scratching their heads, asking themselves; "will this guy ever learn?" Of course these are the same people that refuse to read the fine print on what he said. Essentially all Harper said was that he would hold a vote in the House of Commons on whether or not to re-open the issue of the traditional definiton of marriage. He also said that if that FREE VOTE was defeated, the issue would be put to bed.
Despite this apparent gaffe in Harper's first day of campaigning, the media was more receptive to his message, they recognized the fact that he was not saying "i'm going to ban gay marriage." He was in fact, standing up for democracy in it's truest form in the House of Commons, allowing a non-whipped vote on an issue that has polarized Canadians for some time now. I admire Harper's courage in this regard.
My prediciton, Harper will be the next Prime Minister and this is why ....
Whether good or bad, Harper has completely dominated the election campaign for the first week. He faced the same-sex issue head on, cutting the Liberals at the knees on that one. Harper really has set the agenda thus far, and he has essentially put that one issue to rest.
His key plank in his platform thus far has been the cut to the GST. This has been heralded with much fanfare, but also with criticism. What people forget is the reason this tax was implemented, it was implemented to help curb the defecit, and was brought in, during the not-so-rosy economic times during the Mulrouney government. As we all know, Canada DOES NOT RUN A DEFICIT, and has not for years!!!
It makes sense that the GST is cut. Canada has had year over year surpluses now for the last 8 years (i believe) and despite that fact, there has been no reduction in the GST which was implemented for the sole purpose of balancing the budget. Cutting the GST is a GOOD thing, no matter how you look at it. With the Liberals making $40 billion of promises in the last week before their government fell, they have no justification to be against cutting the GST.
Have you noticed how Martin has been on the defensive on this issue for the past 36 hours? He has NO excuse for not cutting the GST. Cutting the GST helps every single Torontonian, and that's the truth. If you think about it, it will lower the price on everything we buy, from our TTC tokens to merchandise, cars, paper, any product imagineable. It will mean more money in our pockets!
I hope the Harper fear-mongerers out there continue to rattle their sabres, it seems that Harper is ready to prove everyone wrong - and he might not be as scary as everyone thought.
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PS No matter how he said it, just mentioning the gay marriage means that he is obviously not happy with that law and he is not going to let it rest. He is just opening the door again to that debate when the door was finally closed.
The GST pledge is pandering, plain and simple. What people who rail against it always forget is that it REPLACED the MST, which was a hidden tax. Yes, Canada could probably afford to reduce it; but it's not some kind of genius campaign plank. Harper was quoted on the news yesterday as saying "I think all taxes are bad", which proves that he has no idea what the role of government is supposed to be.
All Harper has done this week is prove that the Conservatives are still a social conservative party, and now they can't even claim to be fiscally responsible. Bravo! He isn't scary... he's just not very bright.
Same sex marriage is a reality, get over it...there are many other things that need worrying about. For instance, easing up on the income tax already, now that will mean even more money in our pockets. Harper isn't scary, he's just far too obvious while trying hard (without thinking enough) to save his ass in this election and within his own party.
I think Harper is a tool, and I'd rather see almost anyone run my country than him. He's a dangerous Albertan, and he won't represent my views in government. Please don't elect that guy.
Let me be clear I am a STRONG advocate for same sex marriage - HOWEVER, I also respect the views of all Canadians as individuals, and I would never try to impose my views on others who may think otherwise. Regardless of how ill-conceived I think their standpoint on this issue is.
The 2% cut will put $400 per year back into the pocketbooks of taxpayers. That is not significant?? That is very substantial.
Speaking of economics - it still baffles me today how people cannot see the linkage between lower taxes, increased spending, and higher revenues. If someone has an extra $400 dollars they will SPEND it, it will continue to be taxed, and it will increase demand for products and services, which will inevitably spin off many more businesses. Businesses which are subjected to higher taxes, and thus, pay more to the government, which is in turn used for better and more social services.
That's how it works - in a nutshell.
My gawd that's absurd. Do you have any idea how much money you'd have to spend on GST taxable items to save $400 with Harper's reduction to 5%? Try $20,000. That's right, 20K. Now who do you know that spends 20k a year on GST taxable items?
GST is as direct a cut as it gets. Jean Chretien understood that, but he did not have the fortitude to follow through. I think Chretien was right.
And all these arguments completely ignore the fact that the GST was brought in for one reason - to counteract the deficit. That reason no longer exist, the premise that the tax existed on no longer exists. We just had a budget delivered with a $10 billion surplus - we need to give at the very least SOME of that back to taxpayers.
400 dollars is an extra 33 dollars on rent each month. That is not much of an improved to your living condition, hell it's about one extra beer a week, or one more meal.
One more meal sounds really good for some people, but the people who would actually save this much money do not need this extra meal. A GST tax cut is just another example of a tax cut that benifits the rich, does nothing for the middle class and the poor, and takes millions away from the government.
Jason, do you really support another tax cut that will only help the rich?
I should have mentioned previously, that Harper in the same announcement added that he would match the Liberals proposed income tax cuts.
The GST is an UNFAIR tax. It was brought in for one reason, and one reason only. That no longer exists. Of course any "sales" tax will as a TOTAL will be more for people that buy more things. But if that $33/ month (for the lowest income earner) buys a child's pair of shoes, or a few more meals each month- then who is feeling the benefit more?
No matter which way you look at it, this will benefit everyone. The rich in terms of "actual dollars" will save more yes, however, the impact to them will be negligible. Do you think the rich care about the 2% their saving.
I doubt it.
This is not a rich man's tax cut.
Plus, he's right about Harper being PM. He could get the job without even winning the most seats. If the Libs get another minority, how can the NDP possibly support them after forcing an election? Martin can't go to the Bloc and obviously the Tories would pass on propping them up. Harper could go to the GG and say the party does not have the confidence of the House. She in turn would ask the opposition to form a government and Layton would probably jump at the chance to cut a deal and fill a Tory cabinet with a half dozen commies, er... NDPers. In fact, the Conservative/New Democrat alliance has worked fairly well in the past (provincially). Short term of course. Sooner or later it all ends.
PS. Gimme my 400 bucks!
harper will never run this country. should he be elected, i will move. i will move to the US and kiss george bush's arse.
keep on dreaming.
If we cut taxes, we have to cut these services. Which the Liberals have already been doing. Restore these services, and then worry about your tax cut you greedy fool.
Countries run on money not greed.
Look at Norway, it topped the UN quality of life index. It's taxes are higher than ours. University tuition is free in norway, not just free for norwegians either. Free for everybody - free for you if you went. This costs money, money they get from taxes. The average VAT (Value added tax) there is 23% (on food, clothing). Sweden, the number 2 spot on the UN quality of life index has a 25% VAT. They seem to know something about running a government.
Do you really oppose cheaper tuition and increased social services? Do you think that cheap/free tuition isn't a good thing? Are you insane?
I also think we have enough social services and I think tuition costs are fine where they are. And I oppose paying more tax so foreign students can come here and study for free.
Thanks for posting this article. Yes, I will be voting for Harper. See you at the polls!
This is crazy speak. Harper will NEVER be PM, he's an American in sheeps clothing. What proud Canadian want's a leader with such American hair?
Harper is the PM of people with money.
VOTE
We pay taxes to the government with the understanding that a centralized organization of funds allows for a more efficient means of providing services to the greater community that would be prohibitively more expensive for individuals to cover on their own, particularly for those in the lower income brackets, such as a health care, public transportation, a military (theoretically speaking), etc. The very TTC from whom we would save money on fares with a tax reduction, Jason argues, is heavily subsidized by the municipal, provincial and federal governments.
If one thing has disgusted me about the Liberal Party, with whom my views are closest among the political parties, it has been the proliferation of covert perversion of political power as an end unto itself rather than a means through which public policy can be affected.
The Goods and Services Tax, pain in the ass as it may be to pay, is one of the most transparent institutions of the federal system. It allows us an unobstructed view of the taxes we pay to the federal government. It is then up to us to decide whether such taxes are justifiable in light of the services the government is, in turn, obliged to render back to us.
If we value a solution to the current health care crisis in Canada, or any number of other social ills that currently ail us, it is in our best interest that we leave the tax unaltered and, in the knowledge of the responsibility placed in the hands of our politicians through their role at the helm of this redistributive scheme, hold our leaders to a higher, more demanding standard in putting our money to its best possible use.
I admire his duplicity in this regard. Since when are minority rights ever subjected to a majority vote? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! Minorities wouldn't *get* any rights if that was how it was done.
By cloaking a human rights issue in the veneer of faux democracy (which is actually tyranny of the majority, something human rights is NEVER supposed to be subject to) he panders to the idiot followers who are too stupid to recognize what he's doing for what it is:
Attempting to restrict rights using parliamentary proceedures that have no business being used against minorities.
But those pesky gays just want their equality, like the blacks before them and women.. how dare they!
Help
If people are afraid that our society will finally have some independant control, and control as a nation in regards to what happens with issues such as gay marriage; what is the problem here?
Why do people want to remain passive and cowardly instead of taking charge of the environment around them?
When the gay marriage bill was passed, many people were not happy about it, and then some were overjoyed and made a bee-line to city hall. Now statistically, depending on the area, 4-8% of the population is gay/bisexual on average. That statistic would be understandable by even the most infantile person. It means that the majority of the population is NOT GAY. Therefore, the passing of a right to such a small percentage of the population without asking the majority, is unethical. This is not rocket science! Those who have a hard time understanding this... well heres an example:
Say the legalization of street drugs was passed in the government. You are a parent of 3 teenagers in an area that already has been flooded with street drugs and gang activities. In result to the passing of this rule, there was no way for you to voice your concerns because everything was "decided and over with" (as a former poster mentions on this page... but I feel like spitting).
Finally, one day a new government arises and your political leader offers the chance for a free vote to reconsider this bill. Now here is where things get oh-so-confusing (not the sarcasm).
You have a choice to:
a.) Be overjoyed and rush to the polling booth.
b.) Consider the side effects of giving your opinion. Finally deciding that your leader should make decisions for you in the long run because you are either: 1.Waiting for a dictator to run your life, 2.Incompetant, 3.A drug dealer.
I have three little words for the people who don't appreciate the fact that we now have power to choose what laws govern us.
GET A LIFE.
And the guy who said bring on Private health care...idiot! Why should rich people be entitled to better health care them middle or low income families. Everyone deserves the same. Thats the problem with the country, the value of life and the qualiities a person has is all measured by how much money you have. it doesnt make you a better person. Just makes you an arrogant as*hole!