I used to say that, while Canadians pay higher taxes, studies indicated that the difference was more than made up for in terms of the costs Americans had to take on in order to purchase decent health insurance.
Now? I’m just going to point people to this article and say, once and for all, that the narrative of Canadians being drastically overtaxed compared to their American cousins is, just that, a narrative to try and hold Americans down, and keep them from fighting for the good life that Canadians enjoy.
Hat tip Colleen.
Charles McVety is “Officially” an Idiot
Resident embarrassment to the entire religion of Christianity, Charles McVety, is in a lather.
Many universities now talk about “self identified men and women” suggesting that it is discriminatory to label someone male or female unless they chose to identify themselves as a specific gender. Such political correctness has slithered all the way to the top, and now a mural depicting this insanity adorns the official seat of power of the Country of Canada.
I can just see the psychiatrist now: “Slithered, Charles? Tell us more about ‘slithered’.”
Chuck is upset about this painting on my right, called Androgeny. In his words:
“The Governor General’s website describes the giant 20 foot mural as follows: “In the Okanagan, as in many Native tribes, the order of life learning is that you are born without sex and as a child, through learning, you move toward full capacity as either male or female. Only when appropriately prepared for the role do you become a man or woman. The natural progression into parenthood provides immense learning from each other, the love, compassion and cooperation necessary to maintain family and community. Finally as an elder you emerge as both male and female, a complete human, with all skills and capacities complete.” Does the Governor General actually believe that in order to be a complete human you must be both male and female?”
…
This concept is not new. Adolph Hitler’s Nazi Party appointed Dr. Carl Jung as their head of the International General Medical Society for Psychotherapy. He taught the concept that in the uncouncious of man is anima (femininity) and in the uncouncious of woman is animus (masculinity). Dr. Jung westernized this concept from the teachings of the Dali Lama in the Tibetan Book of the Dead.”
Yeah. Because looking at that painting immediately calls to mind the atrocities of Hitler.
But, now, for the piece de resistance:
Some would suggest that “Androgyny” is only a mural…
…like most people who are not insane…
However, when you consider that the Governor General will officially invest governmental power in the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers in the shaddow [sic] of this homosexual background, the only conclusion is that Canada is “officially” a homosexual country.”
“Canada is officially a homosexual country,” I said to Erin. “Charles McVety said so!”
“Yes!” shouts Erin, “This is great news!”
“I agree,” I said. “Now that the gays are in charge, it’s not like they could screw things up any more than they already are.”
“Just differently,” says Erin. “And there’s nothing wrong with that!”
Let’s get at the root of Chuck’s objection, here, shall we? He is keyed off by the fact that this painting respects the belief of many natives that “we, as human beings, are both male and female.” The painting hopes to show “a thriving and bountiful world in which all the diverse elements, including the male and female characteristics that are part of nature, are in perfect balance,” which means that Chuck is basically blustering, going, “Nope! No way! I’m all man! There’s no element of woman in me! Nope! I’m not a homo!” And, not only does he refuse to believe it, he seeks to stamp out that belief when it manifests in other people’s creative output as well.
Geez, what a loon this McVety guy is. I’m pretty sure, now, that if somebody showed him one of those psychological inkblots, he’d immediately see young people f—————g. The guy sees homosexual conspiracies everywhere, I have to wonder if perhaps he should look in his own closet.
Whatever credibility he has, in my opinion, is pretty well shot. It’s time to retire him to the dustbins of punditry where, hopefully, he won’t embarrass normal, rational, decent Christians anymore.
Hat tips to Unrepentant Old Hippie and Slap Upside the Head.
October 29, 2008 10:50 PM
Your tax source forgot about surtaxes.
Ontario’s combined marginal tax rate is 46.41% http://www.taxtips.ca/marginaltaxrates.htm#ON
Mind you, this is much lower than I thought it was — when we still had federal surtaxes in the 1990s, the marginal rate was up near 67%.
October 30, 2008 12:47 PM
I think the tax rates discussion is problematic (no matter the ‘reality’ or one’s political leanings).
The problem is the massive, un-ending list of deductions (on either side of the border).
These serve to make the rates very deceptive.
As these are only the rates one pays if one fails to file a tax return.
From the small and relatively inconsequential (kids sports deductions, transit pass deductions etc.) to the very major, such as capital gains getting a 50% free-ride and RRSP deductions (401k in the U.S.) that are now, to my understanding unlimited in this country.
That completely perverts the meaning of the tax system.
It also fuels a gargantuan bureaucracy having to sift through and audit all those returns.
I would really like to see a much simpler, more streamlined tax system.
No deductions, for any reason, ever.
Then vastly raise the Basic Personal Exemption.
So that no one earning below the poverty line (for our purpose we will use the LICO amount) of roughly $23,000 pays any tax at all.
If any surplus remains, brackets can be increased or rates lowered accordingly.
This would allow for a much more honest, transparent tax system. Where we could realistically discuss whether what a person PAYS in taxes is fair, as opposed to an almost utterly fictitious tax rate.
Further it would save on bureaucracy (no more tax returns).
And, it would notably reduce poverty, and increase the incentive to work by removing any minimum wage earner from the tax rolls.
Which figuring, in Ontario, one would pay rougly 15+6 or 21% tax, on approximately 40% of a minimum wage income ($18,000 income - basic amount= $8,000)
That would be $1,700 less tax or roughly a raise $1.00 per hour in before tax income for a low-wage earner.
Not enough to eliminate poverty, but by far the most cost-efficient improvement we will have seen in 1/2 a century.