Who's more right-wing: Harper or Obama?

[ShonTron]

Who's more chewable? Obama clearly is at Queen of Tarts on Roncevalles:

I think Harper can be found in the No Name department at your local No Frills....

Actually, I think Harper would be a President's Choice product. As in President GWB.

 

[Transportfan]

Harris was never socially right-wing.

And he wasn't exactly an individualist either, as he supported Big Government (amalgamation), and Big Cops (OPP). Hardly like the American system with their plethura of municipalities and sheriff's departments.

 

[Chromeboy007]

You really have to examine this through the prism of what is politically possible in each country. A better measure of how 'right' or 'left' these polticians are would be to imagine what they would do if installed as benevolent dictators for life. I think you'll find that Harper is indeed more right-wing than Obama. And indeed, Harper has been selling his party on his mushy-middle agenda by saying: "what until we have a majority. Then I will deliver you to the promised land of flat tax, privatized CBC, etc."

I agree with this very much.

In simple terms, Harper is not acting as right as he would like because Canadians in general are on his left, and Obama is not acting as left as he would like because Americans in general are on his right.

 

[lordmandeep]

Flat tax...

now that is an issue that really divides people by the classes..

I would be in favour of it because yes it hurts the poor but if would benefit my family. Yet if I were poor I would not support it.

Its best not to bring up such issues that really can divide a society.

 

[kEiThZ]

Flat tax...

now that is an issue that really divides people by the classes..

I would be in favour of it because yes it hurts the poor but if would benefit my family. Yet if I were poor I would not support it.

Its best not to bring up such issues that really can divide a society.

Flat taxes can be made progressive by adding large exemptions. I wouldn't mind seeing a flat tax with the Basic Personal Exemption equal to Stats Can's low income cut-off.

I also like the Hong Kong tax structure. Same flat tax for income tax, corporate taxes and sales tax.

 

[lordmandeep]

in Canada the tax situation will not change much. As long as the economy recovers all the provinces would go back to surplus but with larger debt loads.


Watch out in America though. They are going go through some serious tax wars over the next decade.


I like your version of the flat tax but I do have a rather conservative view of why should I punished for being prosperous. However one cannot ignore looking from the other direction.

 

[confusion]

Flat taxes can work, if implemented properly across the entire country. Flat taxes should have been implemented when Mulroney brought the GST out. But he was too busy pulling a hit and run to implement that properly.

Items that are exempt from PST now, should also (not sure if they actually will) be exempt from the GST. Items that are exempt out east, should also be exempt here. So when the flat tax is applied, the poor are not hurt.

Reading the news site comments today, McGuinty's implementation of the HST really shows how many people are ill-informed on the subject and have no idea about business and the economy. The flat-tax will save billions in the long run for business, and will also make us more attractive to foreign business. This simple fact alone should pass on enough savings to the consumer. Unless the coorperate greed factor kicks in... but I still think it is for the best.

 

[jade_lee]

Flat taxes can work, if implemented properly across the entire country. Flat taxes should have been implemented when Mulroney brought the GST out. But he was too busy pulling a hit and run to implement that properly.

Items that are exempt from PST now, should also (not sure if they actually will) be exempt from the GST. Items that are exempt out east, should also be exempt here. So when the flat tax is applied, the poor are not hurt.

Reading the news site comments today, McGuinty's implementation of the HST really shows how many people are ill-informed on the subject and have no idea about business and the economy. The flat-tax will save billions in the long run for business, and will also make us more attractive to foreign business. This simple fact alone should pass on enough savings to the consumer. Unless the coorperate greed factor kicks in... but I still think it is for the best.

Mr Dodge also agrees with the flat tax being good for the recession in the long term. He is really starting to come across as a great Canadian adviser.

I also agreed with the notion that equality among the provinces with respect to tax collection is a good way to increase the health of our sense of fairness here in Canada.

Harper is appearing more like bush the oil guy recently, a stark contrast to Obama. I wonder if these two, Harper and Obama are even communicating with each other?

 

[ungodlycrosscheck]

Just thought I'd point out that the most conservative (notice the small c people) Canadian province (Alberta), is still more "left of centre" than the most liberal (again small l) US state (Massachusetts).