I think I may have figured out the reasons for the almost complete absence of people/groups coming forward to support Dion's carbon tax.
I touched on this before when I asked where most of the Premiers and mayors from the major cities have been hiding on this issue; and here we are almost 2 weeks later, and with a big push(spin) by the Liberals to get the plan out there, we still have not heard from most of this same group. Aside from Edmonton Mayor Mandel, who was not a big fan of the carbon tax, the rest still seem to be absent from the debate. You know things are not going well for the Liberal plan when this normally very vocal group are silent on the subject.
I believe that the same reasons we have not heard much from the other levels of government on Dion's tax, are the same reason we are not hearing from any of the usual Liberal policy supporters; Dion's carbon tax is on all levels bad policy, such bad policy that even the usual suspects cannot support or praise it.
Let's take a look at some areas and see why everyone is so quiet.
The premiers and mayors cannot support it because they know that this tax is going to cost their own governments millions of extra dollars, and that those costs are going to have to be passed on to the taxpayer in the form of added increased taxes or user fees. It is hard to offer support for a plan, not even their own plan at that, where they are going to have tell their own voters that they are going to have to pay a lot more for.
The environmentalists cannot support it because they know that it is not really a plan for the environment. With no real targets, no tax on gas, no guarantees of any real reductions, and the knowledge that the green shift just a wealth redistribution make support difficult.
Poverty groups as well will have a hard time offering support for Dion's carbon tax, even though this tax has been revealed to be another anti poverty Liberal social program but green wrapping. The reasons are very simple; Dion's tax will impact the hardest on the poor than any other group in this country. The promised tax breaks are not going to come close to covering all of the increased costs, that is if some in this category will even get a tax break, with the increased costs for heat, power, food, shelter, property taxes, clothing and just about everything else you can think of going up, those with the least ability to pay those increases will suffer the most. It would be extremely difficult, and obviously two faced, for any advocate for the poor to call for the poor to have to pay even more because of the Green Shift.
Business can be considered a very large and varied group and tough to lump together on opinion, but they hardly could be expected to offer support for something that is going to cost them more right now just to operate, and much more in the future as their employees demand higher wages to deal with their own green shift induced price increases. While as Garth Turner has graciously admitted, "that the ultimate cost will come from consumers", meaning that business will just pass their increases on to us; it will take awhile for that to take place and in the mean time it will cost business' money, and it will kill others completely.
Buzz and the rest of the union leaders are also among those very noticeably absent on this file, and again the reasons should be obvious. The tax will not only hurt business, and business are the ones who employ those that they supposedly represent, but it will also hurt their fellow union brothers and sister with the associated increased costs. Can you honestly imagine Buzz Hargrove standing up and telling auto workers to support a policy that will, if not cost them jobs and seriously harm their industry, it will also take a big chunk out of their salaries to pay for? I don't think most of union members, with their current annual wages and lifestyle, will qualify for the alleged benefits of this poverty plan in disguise, as they will be the ones that will be paying for it.
Child Care Lobby: see poverty groups above.
Economists are another funny group to try pin down for a consensus of opinion on the carbon tax, but there is one thing that 100% of economists will agree on. Dion's carbon tax will cause a noticeable increase to the rate of inflation in Canada, and that can not be considered a good thing by any standards for the economy or individuals. (Liberal spin alert) Finding an economist who praises the green shift without qualifying that praise, is going to be very difficult to find.
Student groups: (late addition) Similar to the reasons that we have not heard from poverty groups; student advocacy groups too are very well aware of the increased costs that students will have to face with the Green Shift. Increases for rent, food, books, transportation, and even tuition hikes can honestly be expected as centres of higher education pass on their own increased costs on to the backs of students.
Your average taxpayer. Well they also have not been heard from much on this issue as of yet, but they will get their chance, and I do not think that Dion will like at all what they have to say.
Did I leave anyone out? Let me know, because with so many silent on Dion's carbon tax, it is hard to be sure I did not miss anyone.
Monday, July 14, 2008
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9 comments:
You forget something Alberta A. THE MSM! they support Dion' Green Shaft, why, because they have yet to say they disagree; How about Danny Williams, no noise; no rant and rave-take down flag-don't vote liberal have not been heard nor seen; apparently Danny like the MSM are in favour of it.
In yesterday's QP taber stayed far away from her high and mighty Dion and liberals.
Only a few liberals said they disapprove with the Green plan but no one knows of them since the MSM take great care not to reveal their names.
Usually we have a "poll" out every week - compliments of the liberal "Globe and Mail".... I guess it is so bad, they do not even want to publish it!.Even with their own reporters, they can't get a positive for dion. I notice the liberal "Red Star" is finding it hard to get any positive reaction to their articles....The Country realize this is nothing but a tax shaft to pay for their big spending spree and pay down the dept of the 2 million they borrowed to keep their party going last year....Notice also, liberal Jane and Oliver on Question Period did not even mention the Green Grab - it is going over so badly - they dare not say a word. If it was being supported, their whole show would be on it all summer, how dion's barbecue trip across the country, was setting the world on fire, they sure talked about it every week before the House of Commons resolved.......Must be sad days for Globe and Mail owners/reporters and Question Period hosts.... Harper is doing well, and dion is falling fast!
Something that strikes me is that the front bench of Liberal heavy weights were going to go out together as a team selling this tax grab all summer. It's the middle of July.
No Iggy, Rae, or Ralphie Goodale {where are they}just Dion alone. Where is the team? Where are they hiding? Silence from them says alot.
I'm also wondering about Danny Williams - did someone put tape on his big mouth or what? He didn't hesitate to spew forth when Harper did something he didn't like.
There are rumours that Buzz intends to run for the Liberals, even though these policies would hurt the people for whom he advocated for so long. What does that say about his character?
Everyone is on holidays, you bonehead! Only you "sky is falling" CPC hacks are still slaving away trying anything to get some traction for your "green shift is bad" routine.
Most people understand the basic idea of the shift in where the tax base comes from. Your moaning about it "penalizing" somebody just goes to show you really don't care about those who are being penalized now, every day that we continue to have this imbalanced tax system that subsidizes oil companies and keeps the money we could invest in alternatives out of our pockets.
CPC supporters arguing against tax breaks for average people. Beautiful!
Anon, The sky is falling is more the Liberals shtick. You know; the environment,soldiers with guns in our streets, Bush, stuff like that. I am just here exposing bad policy.
The green shift is BS on almost every level. It is not an environment plan, it is a tax grab to pay for more Liberal social program. Worse yet,it will NOT work as a tax/social policy either!
Back to your reply, but it is quite vague and I am not sure I understand what your points are.
I am not sure who "those who are being penalized now" are, but let me know because I like to know who exactly I am not supposed to care about.
You are also quite vague when you talk about our imbalanced tax system, or what the specific problem is. Without that I am unsure how the green shift would help.
The tax break part I do understand, but I am not sure you understand that the true costs brought on by the carbon tax are going to be much greater than any tax break claimed in the policy. It will cost much more to live day to day for everyone as prices get driven up on just about everything because Dion's plan. Any guesses as to which segment of our society is going to have the hardest time paying for those increases?
This is one 'tax break' the poor can do without because it will save them money.
Reading some items re the shaftalberta, one reports says after 4 yrs, 15 billion will be achieved and tax cuts blah blah.;
So, are there no tax breaks until year 4 and then only about 250.00 in reduced taxes. Or is it in yr 4 over 60 billion will have been taken out of the economy, and tax breaks will be around 1000.00 total. Of course we must mention to anon that of course lower taxes will result, because fewer people will have jobs, and those that do will be making much less money than today. All of which means lower taxes. And remember, with those lower wages you will still pay more for every item you buy, big or small. And when truckers decide to cut costs by quitting the business, or eliminating routes, there may be less items for you to buy, as they will no longer be transported to your stores. If airlines and buses can eliminate trips, why not truckers.
Why do you continue to support having taxes at all, since you claim they are so bad?
Unfortunately in Canada taxes are a necessary evil.
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