Federal Surplus Grows

[jdobbin]

Yes, absolutely he has broken some. Personally I would have favoured income tax cuts over a GST cut, but even more than that, I favour a government keeping its word, especially promises it was elected on.

If that is the case, the promise on income trusts should be taken into consideration when voting next time.

[scribblet]

Yes, expect Liberal supporters to berate the government for not cutting income taxes when they knock a cent off the GST, and berate the government for not keeping a promise if they cut income taxes instead. We may get both, which will momentarily confuse Liberals supporters until they get their talking points from Liberal INC.

So far, what we did get was the Tories raising income taxes to fund their GST cut.

You forgot about the numerous other tax cuts, and considering many competing interests that have to be deatl with in a minority gov't. he did pretty good. You also forgot to mention that all they did was reverse a cut that the Liberals only introduced immediately prior to the election in order to garner votes.

[jdobbin]

You forgot about the numerous other tax cuts, and considering many competing interests that have to be deatl with in a minority gov't. he did pretty good. You also forgot to mention that all they did was reverse a cut that the Liberals only introduced immediately prior to the election in order to garner votes.

The GST cut wasn't announced as a promise to garner votes?

The income tax cut was approved in the budgetary process. The Conservatives raised that tax to pay for the GST cut.

[Michael Bluth]

You forgot about the numerous other tax cuts, and considering many competing interests that have to be deatl with in a minority gov't. he did pretty good. You also forgot to mention that all they did was reverse a cut that the Liberals only introduced immediately prior to the election in order to garner votes.

Come one scriblett. You are being honest and looking at all sides of the issue.

dobbin isn't here for that. He's here to attack and try and make the CPC look as bad as possible.

He doesn't understand numbers very well. Somebody has told him "Stephen Harper bad" over and over and over again.

Of course he believes it. Critical reasoning isn't in his skill set.

[jdobbin]

It would appear that each time I post, I have a shadow. It appears that someone might have a man crush on me.

[Michael Bluth]

It would appear that each time I post, I have a shadow. It appears that someone might have a man crush on me.

That's a pretty homophobic statement there dobbin.

If you quit presenting your facts so dishonestly then maybe you wouldn't have to resort to personal attacks,

Naw, that would require personal integrity and a facility for critical reasoning.

[Higgly]

Were the Liberal underestimates bigger?

Not any bigger than the Tory whining about the surplus surely.

[jdobbin]

Not any bigger than the Tory whining about the surplus surely.

The TD Bank link in this thread gives an opinion of what they think about the surplus.

I notice another stalker-like response after one of my posts. Seek help.

[Michael Bluth]

Were the Liberal underestimates bigger?

Not any bigger than the Tory whining about the surplus surely.

14.4 times bigger. Please see post 19 of this thread.

[jbg]

Yes, absolutely he has broken some. Personally I would have favoured income tax cuts over a GST cut, but even more than that, I favour a government keeping its word, especially promises it was elected on.

If that is the case, the promise on income trusts should be taken into consideration when voting next time.

Any responsible government needed to end that distortion.

[jbg]

It would appear that each time I post, I have a shadow. It appears that someone might have a man crush on me.

Why not keep to responding to the posts rather than the supposed personality of the posters? This goes not just for you, but for everyone.

There are maybe five people on this board, and about 40 from other boards, that I have ever talked to on an instant message or telephone basis. For anyone to to say they have the foggies idea of what someone's personality is is utter BS.

[jdobbin]

Any responsible government needed to end that distortion.

The Tories made the promise in the election. They said the Liberals were irresponsible for even thinking about taking money out of retired Canadians' pockets.

[Higgly]

Any responsible government needed to end that distortion.

Well certainly any government that lacked the balls to build an economic model not dependent on the Canada Ponzi Plan so we all could share in the wealth of our nation.

Sad. An opportunity missed because of a government that has yet to grow any balls of its own ...

How could we expect any better from Lyin' Jim Flaherty and Steve "New York Times" Harper.

Losers.

[jdobbin]

Why not keep to responding to the posts rather than the supposed personality of the posters? This goes not just for you, but for everyone.

Perhaps you might pass that message on to those concerned. I'm not the one chasing posts around like some sort of stalker.

[Higgly]

There are maybe five people on this board, and about 40 from other boards, that I have ever talked to on an instant message or telephone basis. For anyone to to say they have the foggies idea of what someone's personality is is utter BS.

Tell that to your friends, JBG.

[Michael Bluth]

There are maybe five people on this board, and about 40 from other boards, that I have ever talked to on an instant message or telephone basis. For anyone to to say they have the foggies idea of what someone's personality is is utter BS.

Tell that to your friends, JBG.

Higgly take a look at my supposed "stalking" on this thread.

I have made valid economic arguments each time.

Is it stalking to have an opposing viewpoint?

There are maybe five people active in this Forum at the moment.

[jdobbin]

Tell that to your friends, JBG.

I don't know that he really has had a stalker that PMs him or attacks him personally in each thread to the point that it is better to put them on ignore. Even after all that, it is constant stalking. It is the reason that someone like Ricki was banned.

[sharkman]

Tell that to your friends, JBG.

I don't know that he really has had a stalker that PMs him or attacks him personally in each thread to the point that it is better to put them on ignore. Even after all that, it is constant stalking. It is the reason that someone like Ricki was banned.

Hey dude, you've done your own 'stalking' around here. Anytime I slam the Libs you're right in there with responses. You've done tons of it, don't tell me you're getting sensitive now!

[Michael Bluth]

Hey dude, you've done your own 'stalking' around here. Anytime I slam the Libs you're right in there with responses. You've done tons of it, don't tell me you're getting sensitive now!

Sharkman, you've got to understand the rules don't apply equally.

When confronted about his repeated fabrications and mischaracterizations, plus facts to prove the falseness of his points he was left with only one option. Falsify a claim of "stalking".

Thanks though.

[jdobbin]

Hey dude, you've done your own 'stalking' around here. Anytime I slam the Libs you're right in there with responses. You've done tons of it, don't tell me you're getting sensitive now!

I can't recall PMing you at any time nor using intimidation tactics or threats like Ricki did. He was a little insane about that.

[Michael Bluth]

Surplus increasing, more tax cuts coming - way to go CPC

Exactly.

It's the virtuous circle. As the debt continues to be paid down there is more and more money from revenues available for program spending and tax cuts.

[Renegade]

If that is the case, the promise on income trusts should be taken into consideration when voting next time.

Of course. But given the available choices, I also have to take into consideration that other parties also have been shown to break promises.

[jdobbin]

Of course. But given the available choices, I also have to take into consideration also have been shown to break promises.

There is still considerable anger among some, especially seniors about this decision. Their ability to recover financially is more limited than younger people.

These are exactly the people that Harper said would be hurt by the decision he took. He extended some tax benefits exclusively for seniors but those benefits don't quite the take the sting out of some people's income trust investment.

[Michael Bluth]

Of course. But given the available choices, I also have to take into consideration also have been shown to break promises.

There is still considerable anger among some, especially seniors about this decision. Their ability to recover financially is more limited than younger people.

These are exactly the people that Harper said would be hurt by the decision he took. He extended some tax benefits exclusively for seniors but those benefits don't quite the take the sting out of some people's income trust investment.

And those who were hurt most are the ones helped most by the new measures such as income splitting for seniors.

Enough time will have passed by the next election that these seniors will be able to judge the net effect of the move on their well being. For most it won't be as significant as originally feared.

The issue is over. A vote changing issue? For less than 0.1% of the population at most.

[Renegade]

There is still considerable anger among some, especially seniors about this decision. Their ability to recover financially is more limited than younger people.

These are exactly the people that Harper said would be hurt by the decision he took. He extended some tax benefits exclusively for seniors but those benefits don't quite the take the sting out of some people's income trust investment.

Here's the thing. I expect most of those seniors invested in income trusts had done so, long before Harper was elected and made any such promises. Those seniors likely benefited greatly in the run-up of income trust prices and collected the payouts. How valid is their complaints if you also don't consider the gains that the income trusts produced all those years.

IOW, another way to look at it is those who invested in income trusts were lucky to be able to take advantage of a tax break for many years that other investors did not have.

In any case, the other major parties would have ended the breaks on income trusts and it is unlikely the seniors would have been any better off under a different regime.