Hit richer seniors harder! No OAS!

[steven lloyd]

We paid insufficient taxes for the programs we have benefited from, thus racking up debt for future generations to deal with.

And we still try to convince ourselves that paying less tax will somehow solve our problems.

[grammafreddy]

And we still try to convince ourselves that paying less tax will somehow solve our problems.

And we still try to convince ourselves that government's job is to babysit us and pander to our every fluffy desire, too.

[steven lloyd]

And we still try to convince ourselves that government's job is to babysit us and pander to our every fluffy desire, too.

[Homeownertoo]

Are you suggesting that people whose income comes from outside pensions is not counted as reportable income?

Not exactly. But 'income' that derives from capital gains is only taxable at 50%, principle that is used for living expenses is, of course, tax-free, as is principle and gains within a TFSA. Play it right (in the future) and you could retire with very little 'taxable' income, which would be the basis for an OAS clawback, even though you have a very nice lifestyle on a par with someone with a fully taxable pension who may not be eligible for OAS for that reason.

[Homeownertoo]

And we still try to convince ourselves that paying less tax will somehow solve our problems.

Not at all. Just asking voters not to support politicians who dream up new programs with no thought to how they will be funded. As for current problems, cutting spending is a far more credible approach than raising taxes; whether it is sufficient is yet to be seen. I suspect the political will to do the right thing is lacking. Just look at how the Democrats balked at a $30 billion cut to a trillion-dollar (more, actually) deficit last year.

[Captain Awesome]

And we still try to convince ourselves that paying less tax will somehow solve our problems.

Paying taxes won't solve it, but cutting programs would.

[steven lloyd]

Paying taxes won't solve it, but cutting programs would.

Cutting certain programs might help, but that's only one drop in the bucket. And reckless haphazard across the board cuts in spending without thought into what some things actually do is a recipe for disaster - as recently demonstrated here in BC. It's not as simple as one or the other. It will take some intelligent thought not predisposed by ideological bias.

Later

[grammafreddy]

[Captain Awesome]

And reckless haphazard across the board cuts in spending without thought into what some things actually do is a recipe for disaster - as recently demonstrated here in BC. It's not as simple as one or the other. It will take some intelligent thought not predisposed by ideological bias.

Understandable. No matter what you cut, somebody will call bias and call it "haphazard".

[Glacier]

The Conservative government has increased the size of government by almost 25% since taking office. Surely there is some room for cutting.

[steven lloyd]

Understandable. No matter what you cut, somebody will call bias and call it "haphazard".

True enough - and no doubt there are other ways to explain violent offenders walking away from Court with their charges stayed because of lack of due process, or innocent children murdered at the hands of their psychotic father who slipped through “the cracks in the system”. Oh wait – that was because of lazy union workers. Oh yeah, got it now.

Well, as long as it isn't really important stuff that is affected.

[grammafreddy]

My gawd, SL - you're like the Pony Express guy leading the charge for the Budweiser Team.

[steven lloyd]

My gawd, SL - you're like the Pony Express guy leading the charge for the Budweiser Team.

Better than the alternative ...

[grammafreddy]

Better than the alternative ...

That's only one alternative. And that's not exactly what I meant. Every time cutting programs and fluff is discussed, you come out with the justice system comments. I don't think there's anyone on these boards who wants to see criminals go free or kids murdered for the sake of trimming the budget. I'm pretty sure we'd all support more sheriffs, judges, court time and whatever it takes to process criminals properly and in a timely fashion. Most would support restorative justice, too. But jeezuz, can't you think of some fluffy stuff that just maybe could be cut? Some program that is just a feel-good thing and not a real necessity? Something government funds that it has no business being involved with?

Good thing they don't let me loose with a red pencil and the budget. We'd have a surplus but there would be lots of yelling from the Entitled.

[steven lloyd]

Every time cutting programs and fluff is discussed, you come out with the justice system comments.

Every time any talk of any type of government spenging or taxation comes out you refer to your default of "fluff spending". It doesn't matter what we're talking about. I bet you still haven't recognized this yet (it really is quite tiring). Can I think of "fluffy" stuff that can be discontinued? Well, on threads devoted to that topic I've provided my own ideas and objectively considered others - some quite good. None of that was relevant to this thread though so I tried to stay closer to topic.

Good thing they don't let me loose with a red pencil and the budget. We'd have a surplus but there would be lots of yelling from the Entitled.

Same thing for me, except my group of the etitled would have fsr more wealth removed from their control and not only would that surplus be more rapidly realiized, but the overall growth inthe entire ecomony much more profound due to the distribution of wealth and opportunity. Ah - finally capitalism realized as it was truly and idealistically meant to be.