To the editor:
We are well into the election run and the free spending promises are being dangled in front of us like carrots on sticks to attract our votes.
These promises are not much different than those seen in past elections. From tax breaks to tax credits. From money for this program to money for that program, we have seen it all before.
Which got me to thinking. We actually don’t vote for the man or woman running in the election. We don’t seem to give much thought to their character or integrity, and whether they will do a good job or are capable of representing the best interests of all those they are supposed to represent. What we do vote for are the promises that we feel will personally benefit us the most, no matter the cost. So, it comes down to what party has the biggest and nicest carrot to attract the most votes who wins the election.
And the thing about promises, especially those that the new government does implement, be it money or some kind of benefit program or some sort of tax break or tax credit, there is always a trade off because we know, deep down, there is always a cost. The most obvious cost, or trade off, being, increased taxes, cut backs to other programs, or the end of some other program that has run its course from a previous government to pay for the new program. Other not so obvious losses include loss of personal responsibility (let the government provide for my wants and needs), and possible loss of a right or freedom for example. In other words, more new laws, rules and regulations to abide by.
And in order for a government to provide the new benefit or service, they usually need to create a new department, or increase the size of an existing department, which again, has a cost attached to it. (For example, Revenue Canada has around 50,000 employees, and growing, to administer and track all those new tax rebates and credits in addition to all the thousands of pages of tax code which outline the do’s and don’ts of completing an income tax return). And before you know it, you have a monolithic bureaucratic nightmare running the country. A nightmare that we become increasingly more dependent upon, which at the same time, increasingly fails to live up to what was previously promised.
So when you are considering who to vote for in October, just remember, if you want a government big enough to give you everything you want, you can be sure they will be big enough to take everything you’ve got.
Grant Baudais, Kelowna
