More mis-representation on the nature of Tax Cuts. This time, Linda McQuaig, writing in today's Star, tells us that neo-cons on the Right have worked dilligently over the past several years to "deingrate the role of Government and suggest governments should concentrate on giving taxpayers their money back." In one bold sentence, she has completely misrepresented "tax cuts". As a person with right-leaning tendancies, I don't want the government to "give" me anything - I want them to stop taking so much in the first place. And thats what tax cuts actually are - cutting tax rates. In other words, lowering the percentages of your hard earned income that the government helps itself to. And guess what? As experience in Ontario shows, taking less of a bite can actually lead to - wait for it - higher overall revenues for the government (despite the hysterical cries from the Left, during the Harris years own source - eg tax - revenues GREW each and every year, to the point where the government was raking in more per capita than at any other time in its history).
Anyway for McQuaig and the Left, it appears that taxes can never, ever be lowered. Raised yes, because the government can always find new ways to spend your money. But lowered? Why, never! They need every nickel. So they can bribe their friends, and provide a nice nest egg for themselves, so that when they decide to retire from directly sucking from the public teat they can relax and enjoy their autumn years in peace.
She also bleats on about the "enourmously positive role" that government can play in our lives. No one is arguing that government can do some things - things which we as individuals cannot neccessarily do for ourselves - but rather than, as McQuaig suggests, arguing for an elimination of government, I myself argue that we need to limit governments role. Otherwise, politicians send the government off into all manner of policy and program directions, trying to be all things to all people, and ultimately doing nothing very well - and whats worse, doing nothing very well with alot of our money. I would argue that rather than trying to do everything, we should be encouraging smaller government - having governemnt concentrate on those things which it can do well - and stop meddling in all the other areas where there are better (private?) alternatives. Lets stop looking for government to do everything (raise our kids, tell us what we can or can't watch/listen to) - basically, turning us into sheeple looking for the Federal government to guide us everywhere.
Anyway...got off on a bit of a rant there, but my main point remains - I wish that commentators on the Left would stop talking about tax cuts as "giving" money to anyone...they are about taking less! And leaving a dollar in the hands of the person who earned it is much better than putting it into the hands of some politician to squander...I think that I am a much better judge of where to put my money (where to spend it, save, or invest) than Paul Martin and his thieving cronies.
Anyway for McQuaig and the Left, it appears that taxes can never, ever be lowered. Raised yes, because the government can always find new ways to spend your money. But lowered? Why, never! They need every nickel. So they can bribe their friends, and provide a nice nest egg for themselves, so that when they decide to retire from directly sucking from the public teat they can relax and enjoy their autumn years in peace.
She also bleats on about the "enourmously positive role" that government can play in our lives. No one is arguing that government can do some things - things which we as individuals cannot neccessarily do for ourselves - but rather than, as McQuaig suggests, arguing for an elimination of government, I myself argue that we need to limit governments role. Otherwise, politicians send the government off into all manner of policy and program directions, trying to be all things to all people, and ultimately doing nothing very well - and whats worse, doing nothing very well with alot of our money. I would argue that rather than trying to do everything, we should be encouraging smaller government - having governemnt concentrate on those things which it can do well - and stop meddling in all the other areas where there are better (private?) alternatives. Lets stop looking for government to do everything (raise our kids, tell us what we can or can't watch/listen to) - basically, turning us into sheeple looking for the Federal government to guide us everywhere.
Anyway...got off on a bit of a rant there, but my main point remains - I wish that commentators on the Left would stop talking about tax cuts as "giving" money to anyone...they are about taking less! And leaving a dollar in the hands of the person who earned it is much better than putting it into the hands of some politician to squander...I think that I am a much better judge of where to put my money (where to spend it, save, or invest) than Paul Martin and his thieving cronies.
