Economic Tough Talk From Stock and Another Solution No one Will Dare Attempt

Well, we heard the stock talk of  tough times ahead and how sacrifices must be made.

Since the Harpercons claim they are adamently against raising taxes of any kind for anyone and that they don’t plan to cut individual programs like old age pension (how nice of   ‘em! Considering,  if we continue down this road,  unless we save our own money, retirement won’t be possible for my generation nor for  subsequent generations; just sayin’) and they still plan to bring down that 56 billion dollar deficit; one has to wonder how this will be done. Given Stevie’s propensity for secrecy,  we should be nervous. Be very nervous. Even if this budget that will be read come March 4 will have no new cuts or spending, be afraid for the long term.

For right now, though,  it appears Stevie wishes to avoid triggering an election. Who knows what later will bring though?

Flaherty seems to be hinting that it will be pretty much a continuation of the budget and econmomic stimulus  from  2009. The same budget the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois voted for and the N.D.P. voted against.  Ok, if this is sure to produce nothing earth shattering; why the secrecy? In the past, Stevie would hold meetings before the budget with opponents. This time around, it seems that only Jack Layton was invited. Gilles Duceppe is in St-Jerome on what he thinks will happen when parliament resumes and Iggy claims he wasn’t invited.

Stock, however, has been talking sacrifices:

“just as Canadians have made significant sacrifices to maintain their own household finances, they expect their governments to do the same.”

Well, if they’re not cutting old age pensions or  not  backtracking on their tax cuts, which by 2013 will total $220 billion, including $47 billion in corporate tax reductions still to be phased in over the next few years. Wow! They’re cutting gov’t revenue, thus leading to just one of neo-cons’ wet dreams: reduced civil service. This is exactly what ol’ Stock Day has been discussing as of late. Yes, Stock has been talkin’ about that civil service cut.

No doubt the Blogging Tories will all go ga-ga-giddy now at this idea. As I mentione, cutting the civil service at all levels of government is every neo-con’s wet dream come true, next to that picture of See Sawah Run’s legs.

I saw one commenter over at the Grope & Fail saying cut as many as 12 000 civil servants off and cutting 80% (7200) in Ottawa alone.  Stop and think about this one for a moment. Thousands and thousands of Canadians have been and continue to lose their jobs with no promises of being called back by their employers, nor do they have any prospects of new jobs. They want to see many thousands more lose their jobs and go on the dole? I don’t get that.

Contrary to many people believe, civil service is actually a real job and civil servants work and also pay taxes. Even Stock had to admit that our civil service was very good:

“I do believe we have one of the best public services in the world. That’s commented on and noticed internationally … We have people who work very hard and are committed to providing good service to Canadians. We want to see that continue,”

Stock however, says this before he takes the axe to them.  A sign of bad cuts to come.

Why do neo-cons get ga ga giddy over the idea of cutting civil servants’ jobs and /or their pension plans, but they don’t call for a cut in salaries of MPs and senators? They earn six figure salaries and have, by far the best fringe benefits I’m sure. Certainly, much better than a mere civil servant.  While we’re at it: why aren’t we more outraged of the frivolous spending of our senators and MPs thanks to their generous expense accounts, courtesy of the taxpayers? I didn’t hear a neo-con whine over Mike Porky Puffy Duffy’s 44,000$ of tax dollars spent inside three months. More than what many Canadians, including many civil servants, I’m sure earn inside a year.

Next, the National Pest’s Terence Corcoran is just all so happy at the prospects of cutting modern means of  health care, which,  puts him out of touch with Canadian’s priorities.  According to Nik Nanos, health care is still a top concern, even above the economy among Canadians. Take heart, neo-cons, your boy, Terry has new lease on his so-called writing career: he intends to write a whole series on how the government can cut and reduce deficit.

Michael Bliss expresses some rather ambitious ideas about taxing the uber rich. Not a new idea. Many have this idea. What’s ambitious are some of his ideas themselves.  Things like taxing multi-millionaires 60% – 90% in income taxes.  An idea I like, but 60% is reasonable. 90% just won’t work. Either way, a bigger problem needs to be addressed; no matter how  much we may decide to tax a millionaire/billionaire or anyone earning 6 figures for that matter, there is always the problem of tax evasion. Tax loopholes and off shore tax havens. These loopholes need to be plugged before implementing any kind of new income tax scale. Many of these uber rich pay more in attorneys’ and bean counters’ fees than in actual taxes. I am for seeing teh likes of Ed Clark of TD Canada Trust paying higher taxes, but much needs to be corrected before increasing taxes.  Legislation will have to be implemented. The question is, who will have the balls to do this?

Next, this corporate welfare.  Welfare to the oh so precious  private sector.  Why continue this? No jobs are being created; in fact, many continue to ax jobs with no intentions of recalling these employees.  Neo-cons  seem more bothered by welfare recipients and other help to the poor than with these corporate tax breaks and other subsidies. Why is that? I hope someone can answer this in the comments’ section below.  We continue to subsidize companies who subcontract out work to countries using cheap labor like India and China. We no longer produce much of anything.

Now I ask, why must we be ruled by the minority billionaire / millionaires? Why can’t the majority working class rule? This is the needs of the few outweighing the needs of the many.

Yes, as many of us have speculated, Stevie and the Harpercons more than likely deliberately spent our way to a deficit in order to justify the cuts they plan to make for smaller government with little to no services, unless we make sure Stevie doesn’t get his majority in an upcoming election.

So many questions I have, but no one ever answers them.