[Lemmy]

sandorski sandorski:

Cutting it is the best move.

Why? Have you re-assessesd your belief in the Laffer Curve?

[Sapio]

Gunnair Gunnair:

Sapio Sapio:

The question I have is were as Carol James been on this. I have heard Vander Zalm over and over on the new, but I do not know if I have heard her more than once talk about it. This is a gift for her and she had done nothing.

Most of her public complaints are against the process. I believe she is anti-HST, but she certainly hasn't been swinging the political bat. Very telling when Van derzalm, the disgraced ex-premier carries the flag while the opposition flounders in lost political opportunities.

Bu-bye, Carol! (I hope)

The only thing I can think of is that she wants to make it look like the NDP having nothing to do with the campaign. Just keep the party out of it, but I still think she is just not on the ball.

[Gunnair]

Sapio Sapio:

Gunnair Gunnair:

Sapio Sapio:

The question I have is were as Carol James been on this. I have heard Vander Zalm over and over on the new, but I do not know if I have heard her more than once talk about it. This is a gift for her and she had done nothing.

Most of her public complaints are against the process. I believe she is anti-HST, but she certainly hasn't been swinging the political bat. Very telling when Van derzalm, the disgraced ex-premier carries the flag while the opposition flounders in lost political opportunities.

Bu-bye, Carol! (I hope)

The only thing I can think of is that she wants to make it look like the NDP having nothing to do with the campaign. Just keep the party out of it, but I still think she is just not on the ball.

If that's the case, then her political ineptitude has hit a new low. BC is in the middle of a tax revolt, and her lack of leadership in it almost smells like some tacit support of the tax. Her being NDP, maybe that's the case, and her public handwringing is simply a smokescreen.

[Sapio]

Gunnair Gunnair:

If that's the case, then her political ineptitude has hit a new low. BC is in the middle of a tax revolt, and her lack of leadership in it almost smells like some tacit support of the tax. Her being NDP, maybe that's the case, and her public handwringing is simply a smokescreen.

I agree %100, she has no idea whats going on, light a dear lost in the head lights, because of that fact the liberals could hold on to power.

At the same time this next election could be the 1st in a long time were another party has a change to get some seats.

[andyt]

herbie herbie:

You fools, you cut income taxes not consumption taxes. Cut our goddam income taxes 2% instead.

And there was no cut offered. More smoke out the ass of that doddering dinosaur who should've been plowed under with his Fantasy Garden.

They did cut taxes. The raised the basic exemption. Not sure if they also cut the percentage on tax rates. Plus of course they give some sort of rebate for low income people. (Unlike Ontario, which gives a rebate for up to 80k per individual). So unless you're a real big spender, there are probably even savings to be had with the HST.

I signed the petition not because I think harmonization is such a bad idea (I'm not planning on buying a new house any time soon) but because of the way it was brought in. The Libs have just become too arrogant to flat out lie like that.

[herbie]

They failed do do that by timing it with the HST decision. They needed to make it look like an offset, and at least pretend it would be revenue neutral. Stupid move like Harper cutting the GST at almost exactly the wrong time economically.
I signed the petition too. For pretty much the same reasons as you. Not because I'm a black&white teabagger with a simplistic 'A tax is a tax and all of them are bad" attitude.
It cost me a lot of unpaid time and money to convert stuff for the HST. There's no way I want to do it again to undo the damn thing.
And the NDP position is to 'renegotiate'. The tax is in. To end it now would imply penalties to BC, but next election, two years into the term it could be renegotiated without penalties. Like her or no Carol James isn't a fool and won't commit to some bad idea simply because it's popular. Of course nobody 'likes' new taxes. Criticize the NDP because it should announce they know the HST impacts people and they should announce another $1000 raise in the personal exemption to offset it.
With the fucked up way things work, put $1000 more into consumers pockets and they'll think they can spend $5000 more on credit. Then the HST will really bring in money.

[Lemmy]

herbie herbie:

They failed do do that by timing it with the HST decision. They needed to make it look like an offset, and at least pretend it would be revenue neutral. Stupid move like Harper cutting the GST at almost exactly the wrong time economically.

I've been as hard on Harper, et al, as anyone for their handling of the economy, but the one smart thing he did was to cut the GST. I don't know how you could say it was the "wrong time economically". It was exactly the right time. The lower GST rate helped out a lot of Canadians when the economy went in the toilet. It was an actual tax break when a lot of folks sorely needed one. Furthermore, the tax cut worked as a stimulus by allowing Canadians a little more disposable income when they really needed it.

[sandorski]

herbie herbie:

You fools, you cut income taxes not consumption taxes. Cut our goddam income taxes 2% instead.

And there was no cut offered. More smoke out the ass of that doddering dinosaur who should've been plowed under with his Fantasy Garden.

Generally I agree with this, but this situation is different. Cutting the HST isn't for achieving the best Economic result, but for making the HST more palatable to the Public.

[sandorski]

Lemmy Lemmy:

sandorski sandorski:

Cutting it is the best move.

Why? Have you re-assessesd your belief in the Laffer Curve?

No, I don't consider the Laffer curve at all.

[herbie]

Lemmy Lemmy:

herbie herbie:

They failed do do that by timing it with the HST decision. They needed to make it look like an offset, and at least pretend it would be revenue neutral. Stupid move like Harper cutting the GST at almost exactly the wrong time economically.

I've been as hard on Harper, et al, as anyone for their handling of the economy, but the one smart thing he did was to cut the GST. I don't know how you could say it was the "wrong time economically". It was exactly the right time. The lower GST rate helped out a lot of Canadians when the economy went in the toilet. It was an actual tax break when a lot of folks sorely needed one. Furthermore, the tax cut worked as a stimulus by allowing Canadians a little more disposable income when they really needed it.

No, if they cut income taxes instead you'd have a few bucks more to spend. Nobody thinks about the GST that much and a 2% reduction in the end price means dick shit.
Well except for the cheap prick I know who made his entire family wait until AFTER Christmas so he could save $8 on a computer.

What would YOU rather see. A candy bar drop from $1.14 to $1.12 or $20 more on your paycheque?

[ASLplease]

extortion.

need I write more, is that enough?

[Gunnair]

ASLplease ASLplease:

extortion.

need I write more, is that enough?

Please don't bother. Removing the gun registry won't help....

[Lemmy]

sandorski sandorski:

No, I don't consider the Laffer curve at all.

Clearly. So the government can just keep cranking up tax rates and continue to generate more revenue? Taxation has no disincentive effects on work effort, is that your position?

herbie herbie:

No, if they cut income taxes instead you'd have a few bucks more to spend. Nobody thinks about the GST that much and a 2% reduction in the end price means dick shit.
Well except for the cheap prick I know who made his entire family wait until AFTER Christmas so he could save $8 on a computer.

What would YOU rather see. A candy bar drop from $1.14 to $1.12 or $20 more on your paycheque?

I, personally, would rather an income tax break. But I'm not poor. Poor people don't pay income tax. Poor people spend all their income. For poor people, sales tax is the only tax they pay. So cutting sales tax is the best way to help out the poorest element of society.

[sandorski]

Lemmy Lemmy:

sandorski sandorski:

No, I don't consider the Laffer curve at all.

Clearly. So the government can just keep cranking up tax rates and continue to generate more revenue? Taxation has no disincentive effects on work effort, is that your position?

herbie herbie:

No, if they cut income taxes instead you'd have a few bucks more to spend. Nobody thinks about the GST that much and a 2% reduction in the end price means dick shit.
Well except for the cheap prick I know who made his entire family wait until AFTER Christmas so he could save $8 on a computer.

What would YOU rather see. A candy bar drop from $1.14 to $1.12 or $20 more on your paycheque?

I, personally, would rather an income tax break. But I'm not poor. Poor people don't pay income tax. Poor people spend all their income. For poor people, sales tax is the only tax they pay. So cutting sales tax is the best way to help out the poorest element of society.

No. At the same time Government can't keep Cutting Taxes(what the biggest proponents of the Laffer Curve always spout) and always have Increases in Revenue.

[Lemmy]

sandorski sandorski:

No. At the same time Government can't keep Cutting Taxes
(what the biggest proponents of the Laffer Curve always spout) and always have Increases in Revenue.

Well that's precisely why you need to know where on the curve we are. If you ignore it, you don't know what effect a change in taxation rates will have on revenues. It's helpful to know whether an increase in tax rates will net higher or lower tax revenues before you introduce the tax change, no? And what do you mean by "can't keep cutting taxes"? That's a meaningless statement without knowing the goal behind cutting tax. In general, however, governments don't cut taxes. That's not what they do. So there aren't any governments that "keep cutting taxes". 99 times out of 100 a change in taxation means an increase.

I'm not sure what you mean by "proponents of the Laffer curve". People aren't proponents of the Laffer curve, they're observers of it. It's a measure, like "temperature" or "income" or "score after the 2nd period". There's no emotion or vested political interest in its calculation. Here's a very recent attempt at estimating the Laffer curve. It's conclusions are similar to most studies, that being that we're very near the peak.