Conservative Shame

[polaris]

Harper knows his audience. He sings their songs.

Conservative supporters are the wealthiest, most powerful . Each one of them donates many thousands of dollars to the party, and their companies donate more. The conservatives have 400% the funding of the Liberals. Steve has promised his supporters tax cuts and tax cuts to their companies as well....Oh Joy for them! He says to them. "You help us win the election and I'll see to it that you get even more back."...I'm sure you can see that all those donations can really pay off! But it's worth it, the stakes are really high when you're plundering the planet. It's you and I that make up the difference.

Please put links to these critiques.

Something else Stevie has promised...more prisons...the conservative idea of social housing. They might come in handy if you foresee a lot more people in jail. .. dark days ahead?.. I wonder who they're planning to put in those cells.

Don't worry, it'll just be those crazy people, the kind of people who protest at the G20, criminals.... and maybe the homeless...people with physical or mental needs....natives....those who never inherited wealth...the addicted...the injured...the unlucky...lonely... those guilty of the crime of poverty.

The most privileged class of the most privileged nation on our threatened planet is riddled with those that have stolen their wealth. Harpie's reelection will allow them to continue to do so at the cost of the planet. The environment.

In international eyes, Harpie has taken Canada from respect, through consternation...sinking through derision and scornful laughter...right into the basement of obstructionist enemy. From a nation of generous idealism , environmental and peacekeeping leadership we are now seen as an example of how to make the rich wealthier while sending the unworthy to prisons and shortened life expectancy in the ovens of neglect. And Damn the rest of the planet....

Sharpie is wrong...He stands for manipulation, not truth....privilege, not fairness...Conservatives want their rich friends to be able to own as many guns and weapons as they want, without any registry. Do you feel right about that? They have the money to outfit their own personal armies...They've already started...

Remember...the Americans, especially the Republicans are their real good friends.

An election prediction....No conservative candidate will show up at any public all-candidates-debate. They never do. They will do with 100% controlled staged photo-ops that for the most part will be scripted.

Justice and truth are of no interest for the privileged. Open and honest debate is of no interest for them...A level playing field with campaign expenses is of no interest for them.

They think cheating and lying are standard operating practices of politics.

 

[JLM]

Harper knows his audience. He sings their songs.

Conservative supporters are the wealthiest, most powerful . Each one of them donates many thousands of dollars to the party, and their companies donate more. The conservatives have 400% the funding of the Liberals. Steve has promised his supporters tax cuts and tax cuts to their companies as well....Oh Joy for them! He says to them. "You help us win the election and I'll see to it that you get even more back."...I'm sure you can see that all those donations can really pay off! But it's worth it, the stakes are really high when you're plundering the planet. It's you and I that make up the difference.

Please put links to these critiques.

Something else Stevie has promised...more prisons...the conservative idea of social housing. They might come in handy if you foresee a lot more people in jail. .. dark days ahead?.. I wonder who they're planning to put in those cells.

Don't worry, it'll just be those crazy people, the kind of people who protest at the G20, criminals.... and maybe the homeless...people with physical or mental needs....natives....those who never inherited wealth...the addicted...the injured...the unlucky...lonely... those guilty of the crime of poverty.

The most privileged class of the most privileged nation on our threatened planet is riddled with those that have stolen their wealth. Harpie's reelection will allow them to continue to do so at the cost of the planet. The environment.

In international eyes, Harpie has taken Canada from respect, through consternation...sinking through derision and scornful laughter...right into the basement of obstructionist enemy. From a nation of generous idealism , environmental and peacekeeping leadership we are now seen as an example of how to make the rich wealthier while sending the unworthy to prisons and shortened life expectancy in the ovens of neglect. And Damn the rest of the planet....

Sharpie is wrong...He stands for manipulation, not truth....privilege, not fairness...Conservatives want their rich friends to be able to own as many guns and weapons as they want, without any registry. Do you feel right about that? They have the money to outfit their own personal armies...They've already started...

Remember...the Americans, especially the Republicans are their real good friends.

An election prediction....No conservative candidate will show up at any public all-candidates-debate. They never do. They will do with 100% controlled staged photo-ops that for the most part will be scripted.

Justice and truth are of no interest for the privileged. Open and honest debate is of no interest for them...A level playing field with campaign expenses is of no interest for them.

They think cheating and lying are standard operating practices of politics.

Your last sentence makes sense- the rest is a lot of B.S. and fear mongering. :smile:

 

[Colpy]

polaris;1375392]Harper knows his audience. He sings their songs.

Conservative supporters are the wealthiest, most powerful . Each one of them donates many thousands of dollars to the party, and their companies donate more. The conservatives have 400% the funding of the Liberals. Steve has promised his supporters tax cuts and tax cuts to their companies as well....Oh Joy for them! He says to them. "You help us win the election and I'll see to it that you get even more back."...I'm sure you can see that all those donations can really pay off! But it's worth it, the stakes are really high when you're plundering the planet. It's you and I that make up the difference.

Excuse me?

Political donations from companies are illegal.
Donations from individuals are very limited, by law.
Harper tightened donation rules.
The Conservatives out-pace the other parties because tens of thousands of their members (like me) dig into their pockets and send them small amounts of money. In other words, the little guy Conservative puts his money where his mouth is, while Liberals and NDP (and Bloc) just BS and whine.

Something else Stevie has promised...more prisons...the conservative idea of social housing. They might come in handy if you foresee a lot more people in jail. .. dark days ahead?.. I wonder who they're planning to put in those cells.

Don't worry, it'll just be those crazy people, the kind of people who protest at the G20, criminals.... and maybe the homeless...people with physical or mental needs....natives....those who never inherited wealth...the addicted...the injured...the unlucky...lonely... those guilty of the crime of poverty.

The most privileged class of the most privileged nation on our threatened planet is riddled with those that have stolen their wealth. Harpie's reelection will allow them to continue to do so at the cost of the planet. The environment.

What crap!

In international eyes, Harpie has taken Canada from respect, through consternation...sinking through derision and scornful laughter...right into the basement of obstructionist enemy. From a nation of generous idealism , environmental and peacekeeping leadership we are now seen as an example of how to make the rich wealthier while sending the unworthy to prisons and shortened life expectancy in the ovens of neglect. And Damn the rest of the planet....

Ahhhhh....excuse me? Harper has raised Canada's respect in the world, by building a capable military, fulfilling our responsibilities according to our mutual defense treaties, and behaving on principle....

Canada has an honourable voice in the world again...........we were not even noticed before.....and we haven't been peacekeepers for DECADES!!!!!

Sharpie is wrong...He stands for manipulation, not truth....privilege, not fairness...Conservatives want their rich friends to be able to own as many guns and weapons as they want, without any registry. Do you feel right about that? They have the money to outfit their own personal armies...They've already started...

Here's a fact for you.....the vast majority of corporate donations, Bay Street bucks, back when it was legal....went to the LIBERAL Party....that has traditionally been the party of the very rich....not the Conservatives.

Remember...the Americans, especially the Republicans are their real good friends.

Yes, the Americans are our greatest ally and friend.....you would prefer China?

An election prediction....No conservative candidate will show up at any public all-candidates-debate. They never do. They will do with 100% controlled staged photo-ops that for the most part will be scripted.

Hilarious! Where do you get this stuff? The Conservatives showed up at debates in the last election, didn't they???

You look like a damned fool spouting nonsense that 10 seconds of research would show is completely false.

BTW, all Liberals have sex with farm animals.

 

[FiveParadox]

BTW, all Liberals have sex with farm animals.

HEY! The last Liberal caucus retreat had a strict no-publication policy. Expect our lawyers to contact you shortly!

 

[TenPenny]

Conservative supporters are the wealthiest, most powerful .

I don't suppose you know much about the supporters of the Liberal Party, then.

Let's see. there's this Paul Martin guy.
How about Desmarais?
How about the Irving family?
etc etc

If you start your rant with something patently absurd, you lose right off the bat.

 

[CDNBear]

Doesn't polaris stand for pull off lake and repair in summer?

 

[jjaycee98]

Harper knows his audience. He sings their songs.

Conservative supporters are the wealthiest, most powerful . Each one of them donates many thousands of dollars to the party, and their companies donate more.

You need to do some basic reasearch instead of listening to some Paid Propaganda & Anarchy promoter. One of the very first things passed by the Conservatives when they came to power was to OUTLAW Corporate Contributions to any Political party. NO CORPORATE Donations are allowed by law. Companies big (like Suncor or Harry Weston, or Canfor or Jimmy Pattison) or small (like Janie's gift shop, on John's Mechanic service) cannot BY LAW contribute to the Conservatives or the Liberal's or the Bloc or the NDP or the Greenies. Go check this out. You are totally a misled fool to spout the utter lies you just posted here. To repeat this misinformation in the future, after you know the truth, makes you another lying propagandist and anarchist. Get yourself to the right side of the truth!

Another truth...The Maximum that any INDIVIDUAL can contribute by LAW is $1000. So Jimmy Pattison, or the Head of EnCana, or Suncor, or Home Hardware can only give $1000 per year.

The conservatives have 400% the funding of the Liberals.

So 400% more Individuals & Companies are willing to make donations to the party they believe will do the best job in Government, to create an atmosphere where they can prosper and live a good life. The only way a company can prosper is by making Jobs available, and by hiring others to share in the prosperity.

That would be because they no longer can get contributions from Corpoarations and Businesses.

Did you not say this is a bad thing? or are you just confused?


Steve has promised his supporters tax cuts and tax cuts to their companies as well....Oh Joy for them! He says to them. "You help us win the election and I'll see to it that you get even more back."...I'm sure you can see that all those donations can really pay off! But it's worth it, the stakes are really high when you're plundering the planet. It's you and I that make up the difference.

So promote your views. Seems to me the Conservatives have been very open to listening to the public.

Why else would we have had the stimulous package and the very visable jobsites all accross this country? Why would Homeowners been able to deduct repairs to their homes that in return made them worth more and more enjoyable to live in? Why would Seniors have received Tax breaks and the ability to split Pensions in order to lower their Taxes. Why would parents receive money towards their Childcare and a deduction of $2000 per child, and be able to deduct Sports Fees?

They have done away with a useless, costly Environment Treaty and been receptive to ideas from the homefront, not from some Foreign group seeking to take money from the Canadian Tax Payer instead of raising the money in their own country.

Please put links to these critiques.

Something else Stevie has promised...more prisons...the conservative idea of social housing. They might come in handy if you foresee a lot more people in jail. .. dark days ahead?.. I wonder who they're planning to put in those cells.

Don't worry, it'll just be those crazy people, the kind of people who protest at the G20, criminals.... and maybe the homeless...people with physical or mental needs....natives....those who never inherited wealth...the addicted...the injured...the unlucky...lonely... those guilty of the crime of poverty.

The Conservatives have been in power for 5 years. All these conditions arrived on our streets in another parties watch!

The most privileged class of the most privileged nation on our threatened planet is riddled with those that have stolen their wealth. Harpie's reelection will allow them to continue to do so at the cost of the planet. The environment.

Another propaganda egg. No one in this country gets rich from Government handouts. They get rich through hard work-physical and mental hard work. And they take others along with them by creating jobs, by spending their money in Canada at the nearby Shopping Center so others can have jobs.

First you demand that the Government create jobs. So they have to go to XYZ Company who has the know how to get things up and running so those jobs become a reality. You seem to think no one above the uneducated labourer, on a job should get paid for their services. The jobs in the field do not exist unless there is someone in a Corporate Tower or in a Industrial Shop down the road, that knows how to make things roll along to keep everyone working, paying rent, buying groceries and educating their children.

In international eyes, Harpie has taken Canada from respect, through consternation...sinking through derision and scornful laughter...right into the basement of obstructionist enemy.

Only according to the reporters paid for what garbage they are able to get printed or reported. The NEWS these days is just a huge expanding of "National Enquirer" crap.

From a nation of generous idealism , environmental and peacekeeping leadership we are now seen as an example of how to make the rich wealthier while sending the unworthy to prisons and shortened life expectancy in the ovens of neglect. And Damn the rest of the planet....

The richest people in the world are mostly NOT Canadians. Life expectancy in Canada gets longer all the time-the over 80 group is the fastest growing sector of our population. The Poverty line is contstanly being raised, the Tax rates are being lowered for individuals.

Sharpie is wrong...He stands for manipulation, not truth....privilege, not fairness...Conservatives want their rich friends to be able to own as many guns and weapons as they want, without any registry. Do you feel right about that? They have the money to outfit their own personal armies...They've already started...

I don't see many "rich" folks involved in crime with guns. That would be the anarchists and drug dealers. Hand guns have had a registry for years and there are thousands out there that are not registered in the hands of criminals. "Joe Farmer" should not have to register his rifle that he uses occasionally to keep coyotes out of the Hen House.

Remember...the Americans, especially the Republicans are their real good friends.

Only when they want to tell us how to run our country and at what price they will buy our goods. They have less influence as we develope markets elsewhere.

Canada has to be onboard as an allie though while showing them we own our resources and we own the Arctic shelf to the previously negotiated 200 miles.

An election prediction....No conservative candidate will show up at any public all-candidates-debate. They never do. They will do with 100% controlled staged photo-ops that for the most part will be scripted.

So I gather you have not been to many of these? My MP always shows up. So do all the MPs for all my relatives and friends spread accross the country.

Justice and truth are of no interest for the privileged. Open and honest debate is of no interest for them...A level playing field with campaign expenses is of no interest for them.

Depends on whose truth we are discussing here. Do some research instead of spouting the lies told to you and repeated by those too lazy to seek out the truth.

They think cheating and lying are standard operating practices of politics.

Yep! But take a close look at the "THEY" and really see who they are.

 

[Tonington]

Steve has promised his supporters tax cuts and tax cuts to their companies as well....Oh Joy for them! He says to them.

Well, as Colpy has already educated you, corporate political donations are outlawed, and the maximum personal contribution is $5000. Contrary though, to what Colpy said, it's not actually that Liberal and NDP supporters aren't willing. The Conservative party has a top-notch bunch of data crunchers. They have data on all sorts of demographics, and they use it very efficiently. They know who to target for donations.

And as to tax cuts, the news from the researchers is that a tax cut in corporate taxes will, dollar for dollar improve the economy more so than any other tax measure. It won't necessarily be the greatest policy for boosting employment, but it will definitely help Canadian companies attract new capital.

This is one instance where I really do agree with the Conservatives. The tax cut may even be offset by greater revenues collected from the increased flow of capital into the Canadian economy. A recent study by Chen and Mintz find that the near term $6 Billion cost will be offset by an increase in Canadian Capital stock by $49 Billion. Their labour figures seem dodgy though, as they assume that an increase in labour demand won't affect wages.

 

[FiveParadox]

Well, as Colpy has already educated you, corporate political donations are outlawed, and the maximum personal contribution is $5000.

As of 1 January 2007, the maximum personal contribution to a registered party is $1,100; to the riding associations, nomination candidates, and candidates, collectively, $1,100; during a leadership contest, up to $1,100; and to an independent candidate during a general election, up to $1,100. These changes were brought forward by Her Majesty's Government for Canada with the Federal Accountability Act.

 

[Tonington]

As of 1 January 2007, the maximum personal contribution to a registered party is $1,100; to the riding associations, nomination candidates, and candidates, collectively, $1,100; during a leadership contest, up to $1,100; and to an independent candidate during a general election, up to $1,100. These changes were brought forward by Her Majesty's Government for Canada with the Federal Accountability Act.

Thanks for the updated info Chris!

 

[damngrumpy]

While we fight over definition of how Harper has run the country I see some good some bad.
More prisons more punishment, not that clear, if we are not making more opportunities for
people especially young people then we are going to have more crime as many people do
crime to survive. Also if we do not address the addiction issues in society we will have more
crime and worse once we make criminals out of them they can't rise to the level of their
potential in society because they have a record. Punish the dealers and those rich enough
to import the drugs.
The more we sign unfair free trade deals with the third world so our companies can go over
there and economically colonize them for cheap goods we are creating a nation on the brink
at home economically. We unfortunately have replaced the word VALUE for the word CHEAP
and in the long run we do ourselves a disservice.
Harper has failed, is a number of ways. He has along with the Liberals before him ruined our
reputation as advocates for peace keeping.
Harper has allowed our deficits to become the largest in history, and even though he didn't have
a choice, he bailed out large companies and institutions had he not done so we would have had
a depression. Out there is a quadrillion dollars in leveraged funds and had governments not done
what the did the economy would have collapsed.
However this government has not set in motion a plan to bring down deficit and debt in an orderly
fashion. Governments cannot allow things to spiral out of control, nor can they simply cut to the
bone without controlled decreases to allow innovators to find other ways to maintain our institutions.
The problem we must all come to grips with, the political right nor the political left can govern with
only their ideology. Conservatism, Liberalism, nor Social Democracy can work as a stand alone
system. I have always believed we have to be socially progressive and find ways to serve the basic
needs of society. I also believe we have to be fiscally conservative in order to determine the means
by which we are to afford the program in future years. We must pay attention to needs and to the
cost of those needs.
For decades governments of all political stripes bring in programs whether needed or not that are
popular and because they have no guarantee that they will be re-elected they don't plan ahead for the
eventual accounting for those programs. The result is we have what we have now, programs that
are needed, poorly funded, unaffordable, with a massive debt for the shortfalls and massive increases
in taxes to bring them up to sustainable levels. Under funding in the past leads to entitlement, so
people want more service and lower taxes.
Harper has failed, as all the previous governments of the last century have failed and the next government
will fail until all these parties come to the conclusion the solution lies in abandoning their short sighted
ideologies and begin cooperating with each other to serve the needs of Canadians. Those needs are
that we need certain socially valued programs and a sound economic formula for paying for them.
Changing government now merely creates a different agenda of problems with deficit solutions and
there is no progress in that.

 

[taxslave]

Harper knows his audience. He sings their songs.

Conservative supporters are the wealthiest, most powerful . Each one of them donates many thousands of dollars to the party, and their companies donate more. The conservatives have 400% the funding of the Liberals. Steve has promised his supporters tax cuts and tax cuts to their companies as well....Oh Joy for them! He says to them. "You help us win the election and I'll see to it that you get even more back."...I'm sure you can see that all those donations can really pay off! But it's worth it, the stakes are really high when you're plundering the planet. It's you and I that make up the difference.

Please put links to these critiques.

Something else Stevie has promised...more prisons...the conservative idea of social housing. They might come in handy if you foresee a lot more people in jail. .. dark days ahead?.. I wonder who they're planning to put in those cells.

Don't worry, it'll just be those crazy people, the kind of people who protest at the G20, criminals.... and maybe the homeless...people with physical or mental needs....natives....those who never inherited wealth...the addicted...the injured...the unlucky...lonely... those guilty of the crime of poverty.

The most privileged class of the most privileged nation on our threatened planet is riddled with those that have stolen their wealth. Harpie's reelection will allow them to continue to do so at the cost of the planet. The environment.

In international eyes, Harpie has taken Canada from respect, through consternation...sinking through derision and scornful laughter...right into the basement of obstructionist enemy. From a nation of generous idealism , environmental and peacekeeping leadership we are now seen as an example of how to make the rich wealthier while sending the unworthy to prisons and shortened life expectancy in the ovens of neglect. And Damn the rest of the planet....

Sharpie is wrong...He stands for manipulation, not truth....privilege, not fairness...Conservatives want their rich friends to be able to own as many guns and weapons as they want, without any registry. Do you feel right about that? They have the money to outfit their own personal armies...They've already started...

Remember...the Americans, especially the Republicans are their real good friends.

An election prediction....No conservative candidate will show up at any public all-candidates-debate. They never do. They will do with 100% controlled staged photo-ops that for the most part will be scripted.

Justice and truth are of no interest for the privileged. Open and honest debate is of no interest for them...A level playing field with campaign expenses is of no interest for them.

They think cheating and lying are standard operating practices of politics.

Someone cut off your welfare cheque?

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

The big evil corporate tax cut.
It's always better to tax the piss out of corporations so that they move their business to tax friendly venues.
Just ask Toronto.

 

[DaSleeper]

The big evil corporate tax cut.
It's always better to tax the piss out of corporations so that they move their business to tax friendly venues.
Just ask Toronto.

Oh Yeah....The Laffer Curve....explained in Beer
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten
comes to $100.

If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like
this:

* The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
* The fifth would pay $1.
* The sixth would pay $3.
* The seventh would pay $7.
* The eighth would pay $12.
* The ninth would pay $18.
* The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that’s what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the
arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve.

‘Since you are all such good customers,’ he said, ‘I’m going to reduce the
cost of your daily beer by $20.’

‘Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.’

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the
first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what
about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the
$20 windfall so that everyone would get his ‘fair share?’

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that
from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end
up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would
be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he
proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:
* The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
* The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
* The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
* The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 ( 25% savings).
* The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 ( 22% savings).
* The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to
drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare
their savings.

‘I only got a dollar out of the $20,’declared the sixth man. He pointed to
the tenth man,’but he got $10!’

‘Yeah, that’s right,’ exclaimed the fifth man. ‘I only Saved a dollar, too.

It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I!’

‘That’s true!!’ shouted the seventh man. ‘Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!’

‘Wait a minute,’ yelled the first four men in unison. ‘We didn’t get
anything at all. The system exploits the poor!’

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.

For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

 

[taxslave]

Oh Yeah....The Laffer Curve....explained in Beer
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten
comes to $100.

If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like
this:

* The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
* The fifth would pay $1.
* The sixth would pay $3.
* The seventh would pay $7.
* The eighth would pay $12.
* The ninth would pay $18.
* The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that’s what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the
arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve.

‘Since you are all such good customers,’ he said, ‘I’m going to reduce the
cost of your daily beer by $20.’

‘Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.’

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the
first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what
about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the
$20 windfall so that everyone would get his ‘fair share?’

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that
from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end
up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would
be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he
proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:
* The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
* The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
* The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
* The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 ( 25% savings).
* The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 ( 22% savings).
* The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to
drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare
their savings.

‘I only got a dollar out of the $20,’declared the sixth man. He pointed to
the tenth man,’but he got $10!’

‘Yeah, that’s right,’ exclaimed the fifth man. ‘I only Saved a dollar, too.

It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I!’

‘That’s true!!’ shouted the seventh man. ‘Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!’

‘Wait a minute,’ yelled the first four men in unison. ‘We didn’t get
anything at all. The system exploits the poor!’

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.

For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

Funny how often we have to trot that one out to explain to the freeloaders where the money actually comes from.

 

[damngrumpy]

Have you ever wondered how it is that we can bring the big powerful corporations to heel
when it comes to honoring embargoes against countries like Cuba but we cannot make
laws and directives that require these same interests to serve the needs of the people
within the country where they are bound by all the other laws of the nations that are supposed
to govern them just like they govern you and I?
Oh if the union stops work and goes on strike, they can order them back to work and use the
police or the court system to force compliance. The major companies can simply threaten
to leave as they have done, and the government weakens at the knees and exclaims they will
bow to their requests. Some say it is different, the unions and non union workers who are also
citizens, are bound by the law but companies are not.
When governments become angry or in an emergency can bring in wage and price controls, but
not profit controls. We as a society have to decide at some point whether or not all components
of the nation are to be governed equally and without preference and the companies must comply
with the law the same as you and I.
Governing is much more than that however, and call it shame or call it cowardice, most governments
not just this one, rule without compass, without the sense that the public good matters in the slightest.
Citizens have to take some responsibility here as well. While being critical of corporations almost
every one's pension fund is invested in those companies and while we want them to obey the law
and be all things to all people we want these corporations to make as much money as possible and
count their wealth accordingly. Before we demand governments to take specific action we must
decide who is or is not going to make the decisions required to stabilize society and the economy.
There is dysfunction in the electoral process, in the economic visions we share, there is dysfunction
in political parties and ideologies. Why? The reason is because we are dysfunctional. Why would we
expect the Conservatives to be above the shame of their failures? The fact is the Liberals were just
as shameful. the NDP has never been in power federally so their shame still awaits.
The problem is we all sit by and watch as the party in power destroys what the other party built while
they were in power, and yet we do nothing, because we believe rumors and misstatements they
vote according to the way their parents or grandparents voted, regardless of the facts sometimes staring
them in the face. I am afraid the Conservative Shame is the same as everyone Else's.
We are our own worst failure collectively.

 

[pgs]

While we fight over definition of how Harper has run the country I see some good some bad.
More prisons more punishment, not that clear, if we are not making more opportunities for
people especially young people then we are going to have more crime as many people do
crime to survive. Also if we do not address the addiction issues in society we will have more
crime and worse once we make criminals out of them they can't rise to the level of their
potential in society because they have a record. Punish the dealers and those rich enough
to import the drugs.
The more we sign unfair free trade deals with the third world so our companies can go over
there and economically colonize them for cheap goods we are creating a nation on the brink
at home economically. We unfortunately have replaced the word VALUE for the word CHEAP
and in the long run we do ourselves a disservice.
Harper has failed, is a number of ways. He has along with the Liberals before him ruined our
reputation as advocates for peace keeping.
Harper has allowed our deficits to become the largest in history, and even though he didn't have
a choice, he bailed out large companies and institutions had he not done so we would have had
a depression. Out there is a quadrillion dollars in leveraged funds and had governments not done
what the did the economy would have collapsed.
However this government has not set in motion a plan to bring down deficit and debt in an orderly
fashion. Governments cannot allow things to spiral out of control, nor can they simply cut to the
bone without controlled decreases to allow innovators to find other ways to maintain our institutions.
The problem we must all come to grips with, the political right nor the political left can govern with
only their ideology. Conservatism, Liberalism, nor Social Democracy can work as a stand alone
system. I have always believed we have to be socially progressive and find ways to serve the basic
needs of society. I also believe we have to be fiscally conservative in order to determine the means
by which we are to afford the program in future years. We must pay attention to needs and to the
cost of those needs.
For decades governments of all political stripes bring in programs whether needed or not that are
popular and because they have no guarantee that they will be re-elected they don't plan ahead for the
eventual accounting for those programs. The result is we have what we have now, programs that
are needed, poorly funded, unaffordable, with a massive debt for the shortfalls and massive increases
in taxes to bring them up to sustainable levels. Under funding in the past leads to entitlement, so
people want more service and lower taxes.
Harper has failed, as all the previous governments of the last century have failed and the next government
will fail until all these parties come to the conclusion the solution lies in abandoning their short sighted
ideologies and begin cooperating with each other to serve the needs of Canadians. Those needs are
that we need certain socially valued programs and a sound economic formula for paying for them.
Changing government now merely creates a different agenda of problems with deficit solutions and
there is no progress in that.

Great post and right on.
But yuo are missing a very important piece of the puzzle.
Successive governments at all levels have negotiated massive obligations with their unionized employees and offered
even bettewr deals for their salaried employees.As our population lives longer all these employees have pensions that are under funded,and must come from general revenues,putting huge strain on the bugetting.
Until we as society adress that issue we will be left with withg hamstrung governments.

 

[Colpy]

never mind.

 

[JLM]

never mind.

You were right on the first time. :smile:

 

[china]

Excuse me?

Political donations from companies are illegal.
Donations from individuals are very limited, by law.
Harper tightened donation rules.
The Conservatives out-pace the other parties because tens of thousands of their members (like me) dig into their pockets and send them small amounts of money. In other words, the little guy Conservative puts his money where his mouth is, while Liberals and NDP (and Bloc) just BS and whine.




What crap!



Ahhhhh....excuse me? Harper has raised Canada's respect in the world, by building a capable military, fulfilling our responsibilities according to our mutual defense treaties, and behaving on principle....

Canada has an honourable voice in the world again...........we were not even noticed before.....and we haven't been peacekeepers for DECADES!!!!!



Here's a fact for you.....the vast majority of corporate donations, Bay Street bucks, back when it was legal....went to the LIBERAL Party....that has traditionally been the party of the very rich....not the Conservatives.



Yes, the Americans are our greatest ally and friend.....you would prefer China?



Hilarious! Where do you get this stuff? The Conservatives showed up at debates in the last election, didn't they???

You look like a damned fool spouting nonsense that 10 seconds of research would show is completely false.

BTW, all Liberals have sex with farm animals.

Colpy,

Yes, the Americans are our greatest ally and friend.....you would prefer China?

I think that Americans are our friends simply because they are the only neighbors Canada has .What' wrong with being friends with China - there are more Chinese who are Canadian citizens and who live in Canada than the Americans .33% of Vancouver alone is populated by the Chinese.