Intelligence Among Us

I believe in liberty.  That means that I am free to live my life as I see fit.  That means that I can associate with whomever I choose and express my opinions without fear of repression or persecution.  When presented with the false choice between liberty and safety I will err on the side of liberty.  I believe that the state’s power should be constitutionally limited so that my basic freedoms are not relentlessly eroded over time.

From the Edinburgh Review in 1843: Be assured that freedom of trade, freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of action, are but modifications of one great fundamental truth, and that all must be maintained or all risked; they stand and fall together

I believe in law & order and that we have more than enough laws currently on the books.  I believe that if evidence is seized by the police illegally then it must be inadmissible in any attempted prosecution and the police punished.  This means that guilty people will occasionally walk free.  I believe that the state should never be able to seize a citizen’s property without being convicted of a crime. The state will argue that this can be necessary in the interest of public safety.  I contend that this is a nascent form of tyranny.

Benjamin Franklin: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety”

I believe that those who commit and are convicted of crimes against people or property should be harshly punished equally before the law – regardless of race, colour or creed.

I believe capitalism is the least bad economic system the world has discovered.  I believe in creating an economic climate where corporations can do business competitively is the surest way to generate wealth for all a country’s peoples.  This means that corporate taxes are low and  red tape is kept to a minimum.   I believe that people should be rewarded for taking risks, being innovative and working hard – more than those who don’t.

I believe that I am a better judge of how to spend my money that the state.  I believe I should keep more of what I earn.  The indignity of being bribed with my own money is an affront to my intelligence and liberty.

I believe that as a rule, the private sector is more efficient than the public sector.  I believe single-payer private/public health care system is ideal.  I also believe that we should be able to have a reasoned debate about this absent the histrionics.

I believe that I, and I alone, am ultimately responsible for my successes and failures as a person.

I believe that men and women are equal and different and that those who judge others based on race or religion are fools.

I believe that if a gay couple wants to marry it’s no business of mine or the state’s.

I believe in having a strong military to assert our sovereignty and protect ourselves against foreign invaders.  I believe that war is a political tool and that clear political objectives must be established before sending our best and bravest into harm’s way.  I believe attempting to spread democracy and Western values through the projection of military power – either by war or occupation – is a mistake.

I believe in immigration as a way of making our country stronger by welcoming with open arms people that will contribute to the building of a strong and prosperous Canada.  I believe in them assimilating these newcomers into Canadian culture while enriching it with the best of their history and traditions.

I believe in democracy. I believe that democratic countries are more prosperous, advanced and free than those that aren’t.  As Winston Churchill stated, “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.”

And finally – I believe I ate far too much Chinese food buffet at the Mandarin for lunch today.

(yawn)

Parliament has been dissolved and Canadian’s are going to the polls on October 14.  This has all the earmarks of the single most politically unimportant event since Confederation.  Here’s what you need to know in a nutshell about the party leaders:

Stephen Harper:  Our current prime minister – a mannequin masquerading as a human being.  He has led a realitively successful minority government for approaching 3 years.  

Liberal’s take: far-right, libertarian whose goal is to put homosexuals back in the closet, put guns in the hand of every citizen, act as George W. Bush’s lap dog and remove a woman’s right to abortion.

Reality: wants a majority government, has increased spending and the size of government faster than the Liberal’s before him, is engaging in targeted “aid” of specific industry sectors despite railing against that in the previous election, massive reversal on Income Trusts.  Has lowered some taxes (GST) and created some targeted tax credits (see previous posts).

My take: he’s the least bad option

Stephane Dion:  The “leader” of the opposition.  Won the leadership in a come from behind victory which basically means that through circumstance the man that the least amount of people wanted to be the leader won.  He looks and talks like a nerd and his mangling of the English language is always good for a laugh (then a good cry).  His major schtick is promoting himself as the champion of the environment.

Conservatives take: he’s weak and his Green Shift will kill the Canadian economy – they are painting it as the phoenix of the National Energy Program rising from the ashes.  He’s a Quebec academic who is totally out of touch with the rest of the country.

Reality: his biggest enemy are the ambitious wanna-be’s in his own party.  If he loses this election he’s done – the knives are already out. He’s already back pedalling on his Green Shift and I’ve discussed my thoughts on Governments and “revenue neutral” ideas.  He’s probably loathed in Quebec more than anywhere else.  He has impotently sat on his hands for many votes on issues he previously deemed non-negotiable because his party is broke, their election machine is disorganized and he was afraid to go to the polls.

My take: he’s a dead man walking however honest and principled he may be.

Jack Layton: the leader of the NDP – Canada’s resident socialist, I mean truly progressive,  party.  The NDP may play kingmaker in this election more so than in previous elections by bleeding support from the left wing of the Liberal party. Ironically a recent poll indicated that Canadian’s view Layton more commited to the environment than Dion – which is a huge problem for Dion.  He’s well spoken and his ideas resonate with a relatively small number, typically younger Canadians.

My take:  The NDP, despite their protestations is a fringe party whose support is concentrated primarily in cities.  Their seat count and rises and falls within a narrow window but their level of popular support remains fairly static.  Jack is probably toast should the NDP fail to make a breakthrough.

Gilles Duceppe: Leader of the Bloc Quebecois our Quebect separatist party.  They have never won a seat outside of Quebec and nor do they run candidates outside.  Their primary raison-d’etre is a sovereign Quebec – what a dumb idea.  As a huge recipient of federal largesse in the form of transfer payments and vote buying they’d do well to stay in Canada.  Support for separation is at a low point and its hardly on the radar of the average Canadian.  What a change from 1995 when we almost lost the country.

My take: Gilles is always the most entertaining in the debates because he can say whatever he wants without fear of repercussions- his base is focused and supportive.  Gilles probably wants out and into provincial politics and the Bloc is bleeding support to the Conservatives in Quebec.  If the Conservatives want a majority they need to take a chunk out of the Bloc’s hide.

One practice that politicians have engaged in from time immemorial is bribing taxpayers with their own money.  The unfortunate reality is that it seems to work.  Instead of an across the board tax cut for everyone, or an actual reduction in the size of government, they offer us the “targeted tax credits”.  The “target” is not based on a strategic vision for the country.  The target is based on political expediency and which particular demographic or region the pollsters have concluded will benefit the government in the next election.  It’s crass and transparent yet it actually seems to work.

One of my personal favourites is the Conservative’s much lauded Child Care Benefit.  This was developed in response to the previous Liberal governments national child care program.   The Conservative’s solution was to:

1. Take my money from me in the form of taxation
2. Launder it through the bureaucracy of government with a not insignificant percentage used to feed the inefficiency of that very bureaucracy
3. Cut a cheque for 200 dollars for each child under 6 and mail it to me.
4. Which I then must declare as revenue and lose close to 50% again in taxes

My solution

1. Don’t take it from me in the first place and allow me to decide how to spend my own money

I believe strongly in the potential of the individual over the power of government.  Government obvioulsy has a role to play in our lives but I can see our freedoms eroding over time in the name of progress.

Let me close with stating my firm belief that Canada is one of the best countries in the world in which to live.

Looks like we’re heading for an October election here in Canada.  I suppose it was inevitable but its a disappointment nonetheless.  The approximate cost to the taxpayer is 300 million CDN and the odds are the result will within a few seats either way, pretty much the same as they are now – a Conservative minority government.

Strategically I’m not sure what Stephen Harper is planning.  The leader of the opposition, Stephen Dion, is perceived as extremely weak and his much vaunted Green Shift has the makings of round 2 of Trudeau’s National Energy Program is going to be impossible to sell in my view.  When a leader of any party sells a program as “revenue-neutral” look out.  The size and scope of government only gets bigger over time.  Having said all that, the knives in the Liberal party are drawn and ready should Dion fail to win even a minority government this time around so Harper risks his current best asset being replaced by a stronger leader.

I voted Conservative in the last election but I have been gravely disappointed with the direction Harper’s taking our country.  The spending increases have been massive, larger even than under Paul Martin’s disastrous, thankfully short-lived stewardship.  The conduct in commitees of the Conservative MPs has been deplorable.  In my view Harper, while a shrewd politician, is petty and cynical.  His finding a “loophole” in his own government’s fixed election date legistlation smacks of opportunism. 

I’m losing hope my dream – a fiscally Conservative but moderately socially liberal party that will focus on cutting red tape for business, lowering corporate and personal taxes, funding R&D, simplifying the tax code, getting rid of social engineering programs and “targeted tax breaks”, having the courage to stand up to our entrenched Native leadership and work on fixing the horrific situation of our First Nations people, eliminating political patronage and the gun registry.  All this while not focusing on abortion, gay marriage, mandatory minimum sentencing, misguided attempts at nation building etc.

We’ll see.  I’ll be following this election intently.  The funny thing is most Canadian’s will be transfixed with the American election which promises to the most exciting one in a long time.