Hot Topic #3

Government programs pop up all the time and occasionally you will hear people complaining about this or that which is fine with me. But what I find extremely annoying is when social programs come up and people ask the question “whose going to pay for it?” Are you kidding me? Just think of all the government programs that are instituted and to which we have no say whatever, who do you think is paying for them?

I am always surprised when I hear people denigrate social programs, anything from old age pensions and welfare cheques to health programs and abortions. I find them more verbal about these programs than our military programs, our top heavy government, the gravy train we call our elected officials, sponsoring the G8, being in the G8, financing Quebec and other far more expensive taxpayer funded initiatives.

A more valid question than “whose going to pay for it?” is “what are we getting for our tax dollars?” It is much more important to have real transparency in seeing where our hard earned tax dollars are going to support. Without a doubt, in my mind, programs such as education, health care, pensions, and infrastructure are top priorities that should be funded. As long as there are gravel roads funds should not be put towards sports, zoos, the arts, space programs or sponsoring royal visits. End of story. Do you know that there are more gravel roads in Alberta than any other province and yet we are the richest province? Saskatchewan has more paid roads than us! As long as seniors are merely scraping by we should not be building community hockey rinks or buying more monkeys for the zoo.

If you saw your neighbour buying a big fancy motor home, a sail boat and travelled around the world three times a year but you noticed that their four children were wearing thin winter coats, had no boots and their teeth needed attention, what would you be thinking? I recall a neighbour of ours when we lived in Ontario – the father had all these toys, skiis, skates, a boat, a canoe, a speed bike and a number of other things. The five kids wore bathing suits all summer and had no shoes – and I am not kidding you. I was really shocked when we went into their basement to play one day and saw all the things that belonged to the father. The kids hardly even had toys. There were four girls and they shared one doll – seriously. Selfish behaviour? You bet. Poor fiscal management? Absolutely.

The truth is that we individuals pay an extremely good percentage of taxes which should have no difficulty in support not only the essentials that I have noted but some of the more sensible “frills” as well. But sadly our government does not have any accountable fiscal management. We hear scandal after scandal and we spend millions, even billions, on supposed investigations but who do they think they are kidding? Conservative or Liberal, makes no difference. Dirty politics, scandalous behaviours, they are swept under the carpet. AND WE ARE PAYING FOR ALL THIS CRAP.

If you are so worried about who is going to pay then don’t fret about a $500 abortion, fret about a mother and child being on welfare for at least 18 years until the kid grows up. Think about how much that is going to cost and adjust your thinking! So don’t ask me “whose going to pay for it” because I am likely going to sock you in the chin. Forget about it. Think about what is right and sensible.