It seems that there are
still some folks that cannot see the difference between taxpayer
funding of political partys by a per vote subsidy and taxpayer
funding by tax credits for individual donation, and the The
Jurist had a great breakdown of the numbers last week
Apart from the fact
that the former amounts to a relatively minuscule amount and the
latter exceeds that by a considerable factor, the former is spread
across partys by the number of votes the get and the latter, whilst
25% is directly from the supporter, is largely (75%) paid for by us
all but directed by the greatest amount of donation, there is another
difference.
It is this. If a partys
platform appeals to the typical working man, low income families, the
less fortunate in our society, those desperately seeking work in
order to support themselves and their families, and each of those
supporters makes a modest donation commensurate with their ability to
do so, it will differ considerably from those who do so from a
stronger financial position both in the ability to find the funds and
the cost to the taxpayer..
If 10,000 folks in the
$20,000 income bracket scrape together a donation each of say $50 the
party of their choice will get 500,000. Interestingly most of this
will come directly from the individuals and in most cases they will
receive LITTLE OR NO tax relief as it is improbable that the extra
tax credits (minimal as they will be for that small donation) will
alter their tax position.
If 10,000 folks in the
$100,000 income bracket make a similar donation (percentage wise
based upon income) their $250 donation (an amount much easer to come
by than the $50 for the less fortunate) will raise 2.5 million and
given their tax bracket it is a given that the full 75% tax rebate
will be taken, so that around 1.8 million will come from general tax
revenue and just 25% from the individuals.
It can be clearly seen
that those partys with a platform supporting those with a more
affluent lifestyle and failing to support the less affluent in out
society have a real advantage when it comes to fundraising and
taxpayer support. Which is, I submit, why one particular party is
once again trying to skew the funding model even further in their
direction.
It is this same mind
set, I believe, that has led to the childish, immature and
anti-democratic spate of TV ad's emerging from the Harper regime.
Simply put if they can push reasonable and clear thinking Canadians
to the point where their view of our political system leads then to
disconnect, walk away in disgust, fail to support any party and not
vote, then all that leaves is the rabid right, the extreme left, the
nut bars and the easily led who believe all the spin. And thusly will
King Harper come to get his One Party dictatorship, not by democratic
means but by default!
Many have said that the
next federal election will be a turning point for Canada, there is
little doubt that this is true. The question is will it mark a return
to a more democratic and inclusive government or a further decent
into a more anti-democratic and exclusive autocracy. Its your choice
Canadians, stand ready to make it, but please do not do so based upon
the lies and spin currently being aired on your television set.
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