Tax Freedom day is a sham

Jeff K says:

July 18, 2005 at 7:48 am (UTC 0)

Inasmuch as there are ways to reduce one’s tax burden, that “demolition” is written by naive liberals for poor liberals about “services” that are grossly mismanaged. Most liberal politicians just throw money at ideas hoping things happen. Fortunately, the current crop of liberal governments are at best a bunch of naive liars unable to execute their grandiose money-wasting schemes, generating surpluses, which suits me just fine. Go Liberals go!

Well actually, seeing $20k bonuses shaved by over $10k is a completely abhorent unethical fiscal practice in my eyes (FYI, I don’t get bonuses), and that’s without GST, property tax and the taxes the banks have to pay on their fine mortgage profits from peoples other major pain. In addition to that, another large monthly bill most people have is hydro, and the government has been over-paying BILLIONS maybe more than $100 billion buying power in the last few decades at peak times such as now. So not only are the tax revenues going to pay bond-holders and foreign power coporations, there isn’t a liberal econmist in the land who can put together a money saving plan (read: lower taxes) despite Ernie Eves (conservative provincial politician) mentioning the billions wasted on power generation publicly in an election campaign in which he was turfed. (which is just as well, their government and about a dozen before it did nothing about that aspect either).

McQuinty’s great plan: close coal fired plants. Hah, and pay even more to the foreign corporations. Fortunately, just another election lie.

Federally, what have we got? Finally a few dollars for the TTC, with $1 billion in infrastructure investments unutilized (eglinton West & Sheppard tunnelling investments, without completion) and still, after 50 years, a 2 lane undivided “interstate” system (trans-canada).

The main error of the McQuaig piece is that governments are somehow efficient. They cannot be, they try to please everyone at the same time. This is not possible.

Corporations on the other hand produce inside their niche.

This is fundamental.

Peter says:

July 18, 2005 at 2:26 pm (UTC 0)

Hoo-kay. Look, I don’t know you very well Jeff, but if you want to get into broad-spectrum political rants, there are plenty of them out there; head over to http://www.progressivebloggers.ca/ to deal with the Canadian poltical blogs there.

If you have a specific–and perhaps even focused– beef with one of the facts in the article posted, we could discuss it here. But your vague ranting at us “naive liberals/poor liberals” is not especially appreciated.

I know you have a lot to say, and I honestly think you should launch your own blog for your many opinions.

Jeff K says:

July 19, 2005 at 9:17 am (UTC 0)

Well actually, I just wanted to let you know someone you knew (a bit) dissented, with a couple of facts. It’s actually the painful *lifestyle* comments my acquaintances make I like to address. The worst ones come at work, however you guys have laid some doozies on me too.

As for a blog about what I say — some coworkers have fairly well convinced me that their congnitive dissonance will prevent them from taking an interest in my hobbies, despite their stated personal interests.

I prefer to write short statements to acquaintances to blunt the painful comments with a bit of logic or psychology or preferably, facts. Anyway, my wife and I generally don’t feel pain at the sort of comments made at these friendly gatherings. We just raise an eyebrow and have another hotdog. Now you know.

Laura says:

July 19, 2005 at 9:34 am (UTC 0)

By “you guys” I’m assuming you mean mutual friends of yours, Peter’s and mine. Otherwise Peter and I have never knowingly “laid some doozies” on you. In fact, we’ve never said more than a few pleasantries to you at social gatherings.

Jeff K says:

July 19, 2005 at 11:49 am (UTC 0)

Your are very nice to us, why Peter counted himself among “naive” is surely a miscommunication. Anyway, my favorite newspaper is the “National Post”, I ignore the right wing opinions here and there as I’m a centrist who believes in looking at the merit of individual issues. I think you’re quote once was “I don?t get beyond rolling my eyes at its reactionary headlines”. http://rae.tnir.org/archives/2004/06/ Both my wife and I have a “tax freedom” days that are easy to calculate.

Anyway, that “headlines” quote and “start your own blog” are clear enough in their meaning to an intellectual, I would say.

Jeff K says:

July 19, 2005 at 12:48 pm (UTC 0)

Hm, that was bad grammar (s/your/you/ s/you’re/your/ s/naive/the naive/). Anyway, I am reminded of the time Peter recommended a home rennovator. That fellow hooked us up with a very polite hardwood flooring specialist who did an excellent job. You should come by and see it sometime, well that would be a side conversation, you should just come and visit.

I’ll be sure to skip lunch and have an extra hotdog or 2 at the ready.

Jeff K says:

July 22, 2005 at 9:52 am (UTC 0)

I accept your challenge for a focused list and discussion. Please provide the the key sentences containing the “demolition” and what exectly they demolish and I shall respond succinctly.

Peter says:

July 22, 2005 at 11:03 am (UTC 0)

It wasn’t a challenge Jeff. I said if you had a specific problem with one of the details in the article, present it. The onus is on you to detail your evidence against the statements.

BTW, the article has now slid off the blog front page, so pretty soon we’ll be closing it to spam (I’ll get around to moving it to WordPress eventually). So if it’s closed when you get here, you’ll just have to focus next time.

Chez PLJ