tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865994732097663473.post7454795703918345993..comments2024-03-01T06:01:21.087-05:00Comments on A Blog By James Curran: Harper's Better DemocracyJames Curranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064830948270604331noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865994732097663473.post-26958782793044198282008-12-23T10:23:00.000-05:002008-12-23T10:23:00.000-05:00..oh, James, btw I gave you a plug as being the ON.....oh, James, btw I gave you a plug as being the ONLY Canadian progressive blogger who had a positive response to my posts yesterday suggesting helping others out this season - which resulted in a little <A HREF="http://searchingforliberty.blogspot.com/2008/12/challenge-clearly-stated.html" REL="nofollow">challenge</A> today to all bloggers..Robert G. Harvie, Q.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10414822301931567654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865994732097663473.post-40149143979770757402008-12-23T10:16:00.000-05:002008-12-23T10:16:00.000-05:00Except for one thing Mark...The Liberals, sadly re...Except for one thing Mark...The Liberals, sadly really do need the per vote subsidy. <BR/><BR/>But they will have no choice but to let the budget pass. We have no platform, still no OLO in place, and no way for Iggy to accept help from the Bloc. <BR/><BR/>So. No election and no coalition. Simple really.James Curranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08064830948270604331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865994732097663473.post-10239066379580281562008-12-23T10:12:00.000-05:002008-12-23T10:12:00.000-05:00"...the budget will probably still contain the abo..."...the budget will probably still contain the abolishment of funding for political parties."<BR/><BR/>It's a myth, of course, that eliminating the per-vote funding represents an abolishment of public funding for political parties. It only represents one chunk. There are numerous subsidies, including the Conservative's best friend, the political donation tax credit.<BR/><BR/>Harper is duping the public into thinking that there is only the one subsidy system, while he plots to leave alone the subsidy systems which help his party the most.<BR/><BR/>By not attacking Harper effectively for this, they are potentially letting him take credit for taking all of the political parties out of the trough. This is, of course, not true.<BR/><BR/>The Liberals should campaign to let the per-vote funding stay in place, with a reduced amount per vote and a funding cap. They should then call for a reduction of the political tax donation, say by setting it at a flat rate of 33% (it is currently on a sliding scale). The point isn't to get the changes, the point is to raise awareness that there is more than one subsidy system in place.Mark Richard Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16331995640397477486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865994732097663473.post-6962097864997393762008-12-23T10:10:00.000-05:002008-12-23T10:10:00.000-05:00You think it's easy living in the head of Harper a...You think it's easy living in the head of Harper and Flanigan Rob? Picture the migraines I must get.James Curranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08064830948270604331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865994732097663473.post-44476320715394987692008-12-23T09:55:00.000-05:002008-12-23T09:55:00.000-05:00..you are much to cynical James, I would imagine e.....you are much to cynical James, I would imagine even in his current apparently manic state, Harper will not try to cut funding again.. but, I am truly saddened that, if Harper was going to go ahead with this, that he wouldn't make at least a modest effort to be truly non-partisan. I can't say that I feel any better about the Liberals than I did when I felt John Turner was stabbed in the back.. but, I'm truly ashamed today that the party I support didn't measure up to my expectations of something more.<BR/><BR/>Mr. Harper, you had a choice sir.Robert G. Harvie, Q.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10414822301931567654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865994732097663473.post-56271949956228213162008-12-23T09:48:00.000-05:002008-12-23T09:48:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Robert G. Harvie, Q.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10414822301931567654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865994732097663473.post-77255766983629578702008-12-23T09:08:00.000-05:002008-12-23T09:08:00.000-05:00The Bill can be amended past all recognition in Co...The Bill can be amended past all recognition in Committee.bigcitylibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05081538803991095825noreply@blogger.com