The "Real Agenda".. More Meat Less Kool-Aid

Alright.


So I’ve been asked to give my own $.02 worth regarding what I think are the “real issues” in the current Federal Election campaign, and what I would like to hear from the various party leaders.

To begin with, in the interests of full disclosure, I will probably vote Conservative, barring some unforeseen nightmare (like the Liberal Gun Registry which caused an immediate reversal of years of Liberal voting and a lifelong disdain of anything remotely linked to Alan Rock).

That being said, I think that, in general, no party has sought to reach beyond appeasing their base – “serving Kool-Aid to the Converted” if you will – to reach out with honest and open discussion of the pros and cons of their plans for Canadians.

Conservatives – what, exactly, do you base your theory that building more jails and legislating harsher criminal penalties will actually reduce crime? Do you, perchance, have a study or something other than the “hunches” of Stockwell Day suggesting that, in fact, there is merit in spending perhaps $5 billion per year on this effort? Yes, I know it appeases the base – but then so did the Gun Registry appease the Liberal base in Canada and we all know how you feel about that. So, in this time of “fiscal restraint”, please the background studies which I would expect you have considered which suggest this is money well spent in the interests of safer communities. The American experience with “truth in sentencing” and “minimum sentencing” suggests these measures have a negligible impact on crime rates – so I would hope we are spending this money on more than just making us “feel better”;

Liberals – upon what economic theory do you base your suggestion that reversing a tax cut to corporations will generate $6 billion in additional revenue to spend on your promises? The PBO suggests the more realistic number is $4.6 billion, barely covering your spending promises, and this is assuming a static level of ongoing income. Will you concede at least the possibility that with lower taxes, there will be greater incentive to create profit, and, hence, greater productivity – with increased taxes at least POSSIBLY having the opposite effect, and actually reducing the potential growth of business and business income in Canada?

NDP – while you suggest you are a champion of the working man – how do you exactly think that people who have been living without significant wage increases are now going to manage an added $100 per month off of their pay cheque for your increase in CPP deductions? And, when the employer’s cost is also increased by a like amount, do you believe that it is likely that what might have otherwise been that employee’s pay increase will now go to the government? In other words, would you concede that your plan, in the short run, will result in workers paying more to the state from less income?

Too often, politics in Canada is a game in which the real game-changers, the swing vote, are ignored in favor of pandering to the base. If you really want to create a party representing the whole of Canada, try speaking to all Canadians – including the ones who don’t presently support you.

Just a thought.