The Tory Budget in Microcosm

[talktooloose]

It's hard for me to comment on the budget tabled by Harper and his band of buffoons yesterday, other than to laugh at every philosophical and policy 180 it represents.

One item affects my household directly, and if that can be seen as a microcosm of the budget, this budget is not what the country needs:

Snake and I are doing a major renovation on the ground floor of our house in the Spring. The budget promises up to $1,300 in tax credit for renos of $10,000 or more. First of all, as the business commentator on CBC pointed out this morning, people who are prepared to spend over 10 grand at this time are probably not making any kind of decision to go ahead or not based on such a tax credit. This means that the government will lose tax revenue without causing much increase in economic activity.

What's more interesting is the way that the market will balance itself out and make the savings moot. If there is a rush to renovate, we will have a much harder time getting trades in and, as a result, will have pay more one way or another to get the reno done in a timely matter. Ditto for the price of materials if there is a rush.

In other words, this budget item might only be window-dressing. What other items in the budget are the same?

I still support the coalition toppling the government tomorrow.

Comments

[briseur.livejournal.com]

L'unigue question, c'est si les liberals te soient ou non d'accord.

[briseur.livejournal.com]

Of course I meant l'unique question

[shirtlifterbear.livejournal.com]

Harper got an extra month's reprieve, and that's the best they could come up with?

I guess the NDP is FINALLY going to get a few Cabinet posts after all these years!

Yay coalition!

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Didn't happen. Ignatieff gave Harper a reprieve. Actually, I figured the coalition was pretty much dead in the water once Iggy became Lib Leader and had a good approval rating. The Libs don't want a coalition if they think they can just win a federal election next year.

[shirtlifterbear.livejournal.com]

Sigh.

Well, they'd BETTER win: WE got rid of OUR conservative asshole, now it's YOUR turn!

*grin*

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Yes. Although more long-term Liberal majorities are not necessarily the best thing for the country. My favourite configuration is a Liberal minority with strong support from the NDP and even the Bloc Québecois. Those coalition partners would push the Libs a little more left.

Not only do the Libs tend to slide right with time, they also grow painfully arrogant. Put them in power, but keep them in check.