Thank you Bill

Well I am sure Bill Vander zalm is pretty happy tonite with the results of the HST vote. While the results of the vote are important, what is even more important is the exercise in democracy that we just conducted.
Think about it, despite regulations to make it as difficult as possible, the group opposing the HST manged to get enough valid signatures on a petition to force a referendum onto the government and then got enough votes to win the referendum. It's a pretty remarkable feat.
 Needless to say it was the organization behind Bill that won both the petition and the referendum, but he was the spokesman and was able to harness peoples anger about  how the tax was implemented. Bill reminded people that the authority to govern rest with the citizen, the government governs on our sufferance, this referendum is a message that we are not pleased.
Note to Bill this referendum was about the tax, don't be thinking this will allow you to come back. Sit back and enjoy the victory and stay in political retirement. Attempting to run again will likely not go well.

why I am voting Yes

The HST referendum is upon us, I will vote Yes to extinguish the HST. I have heard arguments on both sides, some businesses do benefit from less paperwork with the HST, but many people shoulder a greater tax burden because of it and I see that extra tax every day.(Not to mention the recent carbon tax increase and the proposed Evergreen line levy)

Yet that is not the main reason I am voting to rid us of the tax. For me it was the way the tax was imposed on us after promises it would not and the way it was sold, which was downright dishonest. The Government need to punished for that breech of trust. A vote to extinguish the HST will be a clear message; "You govern on our sufferance". Governments by their nature quickly become arrogant and the government under Gordon Campbell was more arrogant than normal and much of that attitude and the players still remain.

If the referendum is successful we will return to the GST/PST tax which was far from perfect, however there will be nothing stopping government from improving it and even proposing a new HST. I am not against that, but do it properly, be open, debate, be prepared to go to the polls on it. Had they done the HST honestly we would not be doing this referendum right now. This is a lesson the government needs to learn, a vote to support the HST is a vote in support of dishonest government and will tell them there is is no consequence for lying to the public.
The government is feeling the pressure though, promising to lower the HST to 10% from 12%. Lets be real, if it was not for the referendum, the HST would remain at 12% and we would be stuck paying more in tax. So I ask, if the government can afford a 10% HST, why then did they original try to ram a 12% HST down our throats? Where do these tax numbers come from? political whim or true costs?

Beware the ides of November!

A busy week this has been politically speaking. In the US the Tea party has growled loud and clear, decimating the Democrats in house and giving them a good thumping in the Senate where the Dem’s majority hangs by a thread. Ones wonder if Obama can hear the message sent or is he going to replay the bunker scene in the movie “Downfall”?

I think part of Obama’s problem was that the Democrats did too well in the previous election, winning the House, Senate and the Presidency. This “Perfect storm” diluted the checks and balances built into the US system and coupled with an inexperienced president who had been oversold as a “messiah” by the media has lead to the vast disappointment and outright contempt for him. Had he faced a more balanced government, he might not have destroyed his brand and reputation so quickly. I think Obama is done as a President and will forever more be seen as ‘damaged goods”.




Meanwhile back here in BC our Premier aka “Gordo” suddenly decided to step down. Somehow I don’t think this move was voluntary. I suspect he stepped into his very pissed off cabinet and saw all the knives sitting on the table sharpened and ready to be used. Likely he was given the choice to resign or play the lead role in a domestic version of Julius Caesar.
BC has a habit of destroying political parties as both the Social Credit and NDP found out the hard way, I expect the Liberals to desperately try to salvage some political credibility prior to the next election. Can they succeed in steering their ship away from the reef of political doom? Only time will tell. I suspect the new leader might move up the binding referendum on the HST as a means to distance themselves from Gordon Campbell. I suspect he might be encouraged to take a long vacation out of the public eye for a bit.

HST the gift that just keeps taking

Thanks Gordo, your brilliant idea just added .33 cents to my coffee break and .75 cents to my parking. Sounds like peanuts? Assuming a 220 day work year that’s $72.60 extra for coffee and $165.00 extra for parking a year. It should also add $140 to the repair of our hot tub. Man the underside of the table is looking good!

Now just don’t get me started on “Carbon Tax” ARRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you didn't sign the anti-HST petition then you should be paying double-double!!

UPDATE
Did you know they charge HST on the recycling deposit? Found this out when I got back from Superstore