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| Does Stephen Harper have the mandate to run a 50B deficit? |
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| No. |
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| Total Votes : 29 |
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 Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 3:34 pm Post subject: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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Stephen Harper does not have the mandate to run a $50B deficit.
Last election, he said there would be no deficit. In November's fiscal update, it was a small surplus. In January's budget, it was $33B. Now, it's $50B!
If Harper wants to run deficits as far as the eye can see and wipe out virtually all of the debt paydown over the past decade, he should go to the Canadian people and ask their permission.
You never know -- they may just give it to him. |
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| cbasu wrote: | Stephen Harper does not have the mandate to run a $50B deficit.
Last election, he said there would be no deficit. In November's fiscal update, it was a small surplus. In January's budget, it was $33B. Now, it's $50B!
If Harper wants to run deficits as far as the eye can see and wipe out virtually all of the debt paydown over the past decade, he should go to the Canadian people and ask their permission.
You never know -- they may just give it to him. |
You want to run using a 50 Billion dollar debt as a platform? - did you use to work for Dion ??
I don't think there is a heck of a lot we can do now, but I want to see a firm plan as to how to get us out of this mess. The debt should be job number one. |
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IanM
Joined: 28 Jan 2009
Posts: 232
  
votes: 6
Location: Nova Scotia
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gc
Joined: 23 Jun 2007
Posts: 1698
votes: 16
Location: A Monochromatic World
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 4:40 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| cbasu wrote: | Stephen Harper does not have the mandate to run a $50B deficit.
Last election, he said there would be no deficit. In November's fiscal update, it was a small surplus. In January's budget, it was $33B. Now, it's $50B!
If Harper wants to run deficits as far as the eye can see and wipe out virtually all of the debt paydown over the past decade, he should go to the Canadian people and ask their permission.
You never know -- they may just give it to him. |
I don't think having an election will solve anything, considering we just had one.
But it does raise an important point, how to keep politicians to stick to their word? |
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Craig
Site Admin
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 4341
votes: 35
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| gc wrote: | | But it does raise an important point, how to keep politicians to stick to their word? |
I could be wrong but I don't think Harper PROMISED that there wouldn't be a deficit. He merely stated that he didn't think there would be. He also didn't campaign on massive tax increases or spending cuts. So how do you propose he keep that promise (assuming he made it) without breaking others? |
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| gc wrote: | | cbasu wrote: | Stephen Harper does not have the mandate to run a $50B deficit.
Last election, he said there would be no deficit. In November's fiscal update, it was a small surplus. In January's budget, it was $33B. Now, it's $50B!
If Harper wants to run deficits as far as the eye can see and wipe out virtually all of the debt paydown over the past decade, he should go to the Canadian people and ask their permission.
You never know -- they may just give it to him. |
I don't think having an election will solve anything, considering we just had one.
But it does raise an important point, how to keep politicians to stick to their word? |
I guess this really comes down to how firm a promise is. I can see if Harper knew this was coming and lied...then he broke a promise. On the other hand, politicians need a certain amount of flexibility. If a gaint earth quake hit Vancouver, would he have to stick to his promise not to run a deficit ? This is sort of the economic equivelent of that. |
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 5:19 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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RCO
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 1195
votes: 1
Location: Ontario
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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its not a question of if he has a mandate to run a deficit , you have to except the reality of the current economic conditions . sure there is a deficit but there is also massive stimulus spending , auto deals , tax cuts , tax credits , increased EI payments . after all these increased spending issues , there was bound to be a deficit . the reality is were in uncharted economic territory at the moment .
and what about all the provinces running deficit ? do you think they should call costly elections as well ?
and its not like there wouldn't be a deficit if the coalition was in power , it likely even be bigger . |
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gc
Joined: 23 Jun 2007
Posts: 1698
votes: 16
Location: A Monochromatic World
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 5:52 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| Craig wrote: | | I could be wrong but I don't think Harper PROMISED that there wouldn't be a deficit. He merely stated that he didn't think there would be. He also didn't campaign on massive tax increases or spending cuts. So how do you propose he keep that promise (assuming he made it) without breaking others? |
“We'll do what we have to do, so long as we remain economically prudent. We're sure not going to run a deficit ... We will maintain a surplus in Canada and we will continue to pay down debt.” |
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gc
Joined: 23 Jun 2007
Posts: 1698
votes: 16
Location: A Monochromatic World
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 5:55 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| fiscalconservative wrote: | | If a gaint earth quake hit Vancouver, would he have to stick to his promise not to run a deficit ? This is sort of the economic equivelent of that. |
I agree, but it's not like we didn't know the economy was on a downturn.
I think politicians need flexibility, but I also think they shouldn't make stupid promises (such as killing the GST, not taxing income trusts, and now not running deficits). |
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| cbasu wrote: | | Stephen Harper does not have the mandate to run a $50B deficit. |
That is pure bullshit. Show me any law, rule or regulation that prohibits the government from incurring deficits of any size. I could care less what the TorStar communists think or want. |
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 9:14 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| WestViking wrote: | | cbasu wrote: | | Stephen Harper does not have the mandate to run a $50B deficit. |
That is pure bullshit. Show me any law, rule or regulation that prohibits the government from incurring deficits of any size. I could care less what the TorStar communists think or want. |
Are you not unhappy with the size of deficit? I certainly am. Not so "prudent"... is it? Lately I don't know what to think of Harper's direction.
Is he a Liberal now? |
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| TorontoCon wrote: | | WestViking wrote: | | cbasu wrote: | | Stephen Harper does not have the mandate to run a $50B deficit. |
That is pure bullshit. Show me any law, rule or regulation that prohibits the government from incurring deficits of any size. I could care less what the TorStar communists think or want. |
Are you not unhappy with the size of deficit? I certainly am. Not so "prudent"... is it? Lately I don't know what to think of Harper's direction. Is he a Liberal now? |
Whether I am happy with the deficit is irrelevant. The premise that Harper 'has no mandate' is incorrect and inflammatory. |
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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| The question is whether or not he will have my support the next election. Now, I don't know the independents in my riding but most likely I will stay home. Harper ain't conservative so why should I support him I'm pretty sure Ignatieff would do the same so why should I go running scared to vote for someone I don't know anymore? |
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: Call an election, Mr. Harper. |
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| TorontoCon wrote: | | WestViking wrote: | | cbasu wrote: | | Stephen Harper does not have the mandate to run a $50B deficit. |
That is pure bullshit. Show me any law, rule or regulation that prohibits the government from incurring deficits of any size. I could care less what the TorStar communists think or want. |
Are you not unhappy with the size of deficit? I certainly am. Not so "prudent"... is it? Lately I don't know what to think of Harper's direction.
Is he a Liberal now? |
"Prudent" fiscal management is a lot more than just not spending money. The bills still need to get paid. People who leave all their bills in arrears aren't exactly good fiscal managers either.
How did the Liberals get their surpluses? By cutting tens of billions of dollars from health, education, infrastructure, etc, and raiding the EI fund. That's not good fiscal management either.
If you think just not spending is all there is to good fiscal management, try that with your mortgage sometime. Don't pay it, and call up your bank and brag to them about how much money you're saving. While you're at it, don't feed or clothe your kids (if you have any), don't get then any medical attention/medication they might need, and don't send them to school either to save money on transportation and supplies, etc. See if the appropriate authorities think you're a good fiscal manager. |
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