Omnibus : Gas prices, Oil prices, Embargos

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
4,340
113
Vancouver Island
Oh, that post-WWII boom. Yeah, kinda nice being the only heavily industrialized country in the world that hasn't quite recently had the crap bombed out of it. To say nothing of sitting on 15 years of pent-up demand. We proceeded to go an a tear that lasted 28 years (I date it as 45-73, which is when real wages in the U.S. peaked and started dropping). We were so rich for so long that we raised an entire generation that thought that was the norm.

Then reality kicked in.
In Canada excessive taxation also kicked in. I was once told by a politician that 60% of program spending is eaten up in the bureaucracy. And experience with work for several government ministries bares this out.
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
4,340
113
Vancouver Island
Good point, add to that that burning gasoline is seen by many as an environmental bad guy. My question is still the same though, what has changed in Canada that justifies price increases of the magnitude we are seeing now. I'm stuck on corporate greed and opportunism, looking for a convincing argument otherwise.
It is not corporate greed so much as commodities speculators. Along with governments making it impossible to build new refineries, or in some cases even keep old ones operation. I'm thinking mainly about the former refineries in the lower mainland here, but the theme is noticeable elsewhere.
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
4,340
113
Vancouver Island
Also.. home heating and electric bills have already doubled..

Those who have retired.. you know the ones.. “I can live of of $30,000 a year”.. now you need $60,000

But you know what job will survive, always has even during the last Great Depression??? (and probably during this Great Depression)

The twuck dwiver.. because ya’ll still gotta eat fuckers..
What happened to flossy's fleet of electric autonomous trucks?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: B00Mer

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
58,031
8,310
113
Washington DC
No worries. The thesis was that approximately 60% of your government budget is eaten up by the bureaucracy.

Be interesting to see services bought+goods bought+salaries paid+payments to citizens/the government budget.
 

pgs

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 29, 2008
27,711
7,539
113
B.C.
We once had a gun registry , and told it was to cost a million dollars to implement . They blew through two billion . That is bureaucratic waste .
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
58,031
8,310
113
Washington DC
We once had a gun registry , and told it was to cost a million dollars to implement . They blew through two billion . That is bureaucratic waste .
Certainly sounds like. Not even remotely responsive to my question, though. Which sounds like you.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
15,040
2,713
113
Toronto, ON
No worries. The thesis was that approximately 60% of your government budget is eaten up by the bureaucracy.

Be interesting to see services bought+goods bought+salaries paid+payments to citizens/the government budget.
I am sure the information is available as part of the freedom of information act but I don't have the patience to navigate the bureaucracy to get it (the irony). But I think 60% is a bit high. I recall 35-40% of the budget is servicing the debt and that wouldn't leave much for actual purchases or government payouts if 60% went to salaries.