Hi all - I'm off on summer holidays until early September - but don't worry - I'm still fighting the HST and everything else that makes the world worse!
My columns will still be appearing in 24 hours and The Tyee online and I will try to post all your comments on blog items as best I can while travelling and doing some R & R - please be patient.
And get some rest your good selves - this promises to be a wild fall as the province gets ready to teach the BC Liberal government a powerful lesson about the HST - you work for us - not the other way around!
Oh - and did I mention the Basi-Virk/BC Legislature Raid trial resumes Monday September 13?
Be safe, remain cool and stay tuned.
.
15 comments:
The Tielemanator?
What's this I hear about BC First!
Bill I will campaign for you in a heartbeat! I want to get involved if it is true - let us know!
"The Tielemanator?"
Give it a rest.
"Activist" is a better label.
This has started showing up on the net.
http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2010/08/bill-teilemans-sal-vetros-chris.html#comments
Let me beat you to the punch PAB
"Activist?"
"Terrorist" is a better label
How dare any little people antagonize Howe Street?
FROM SEATTLE - Just to clarify a posting and link above to the Powell River Persuader blog - I have absolutely nothing to do with the BC First Party, nor have I joined it, nor do I have any intention to.
BC First founder Sal Vetro is a key part of Fight HST and it shows the wide political diversity of opposition to the HST that Sal and I are working together cooperatively, as I am with Bill Vander Zalm and Chris Delaney.
I wish Sal well and appreciate the strong anti-HST stand he is taking in launching the party.
Have a great holiday, Bill. You deserve it.
The photo contradicts the charge of your opponents that you see things through rose-coloued glasses.
Wow, hadn't realized I'd been away so long. So much Tieleman nonsense to get caught up on. Probably not worth the effort, it will be old news by the time I get to it. Thank god, you'll never give up on this HST farce, that will always be topical.
So you think you've had a 'success' in seeing the Citizen's Initiative go to the Legislature. That was almost inevitable. What was the top riding, about 31.5% of REGISTERED voters? That's the best you could do in a Liberal riding in 90 days? And now you think you can manage to find SEVEN!!!!!!! ridings where you will sign up 40% in 60 days for recall? It's a good thing you're on vacation, you seriously need it.
The Conservative party fracturing is kind of funny. Of course the Conservatives support HST. It was one of theirs that brought it in. Gordon Campbell is more Conservative than Liberal. Liberals will be done within a couple of election cycles, probably the Conservatives will be back as soon as they weed out people like Blake MacKenzie and Chris Delaney. Maybe they will end up at BC First, who knows.
Here's what we know for sure. The Liberals will be dead but they will re-appear somewhere. The NDP will assume control of the province and screw it up in their own fashion and then, by the early 20's, wherever the Liberals end up, be it BC First, Conservative or perhaps the other master of illusion named Bill will bring back the Social Credit, we will get another change to the same old BS we 'elect' every 4 years under the thinking that new is better.
Oh, and HST will still be here.
Hey Evalynn, I never knew the PR section of the Gordo government could go on holidays? Getting the petition through the court and now ordered by the court, to go the next step, arrive at the committee is big time. Gordo and his friends paid big bucks trying to stop the petition. Most thinking people know that there is now two options, both of which will hurt Gordo and friends politically. Or do you think we should all just shut up and let the arrogant convicted drunk driver keep sticking us with more items that he or his friends likes( often not that well thought out)? Recall will be tough, but let's not forget, some of you self claimed experts figured no one would bother to sign the petition either.Too many people have been sitting on their hands since Gordo started doing things he promised not to do. My MLA has no concerns about recall, but then again she isn't a Liberal hack either.
Basic, which is to say elementary, economics suggests that higher sales taxes will lead to lower prices. I do not understand why this concept is counterintuitive, but it must be, because people are stirred up against taxes when they should be for them, admittedly up to a point. Think about it. A price is a price, based on the market. If the price is made higher because of a tax, the producer must make an adjustment, which usually limits price increases. In other words, for most producers, higher taxes mean lower prices, after the first price shocks. That's why housing prices are lower when taxes are greater. (Note that professional services, such as medical or legal, are likely to go up, on the dominant principal that doctors and lawyers will raise prices and work more to avoid reducing their own incomes. But these are luxury services anyway.)
An interesting wrinkle regarding this fact relates to wages. Higher taxes mean higher wages, since, collectively, workers need a certain amount of disposable income regardless of taxes.
Check out the real life validation of these statements in Scandanavia, where the after tax income is comparable to North America, even though, technically, have the wage is taxed. So Scandanavians get all the disposable income we do PLUS all the services we don't, all for the same amount of work. Why do we reflexively argue the billionnaires point of view instead of our own self-interest?
Hey DPL, interesting thought. Does the Liberal PR section take a holiday? My guess is not. It must be so overstaffed because they don't seem to have anybody working on other things like, oh I don't know, improving health care so more people stay alive or not alienating most of the province with BS rhetoric or making education a higher priority so less people will be blinded by political bafflegab.
Big time. Give me a break, you've been paying homage to Bill far too long. I believe I said that part was "almost inevitable" and it damn near missed! Abbotsford South was projected at 17.78% sign rate but came in at only 11.78%. And their were 11 ridings projected lower than that! Good on Bill, Bill and Chris for having the forethought to aim where they did. Look at it this way, this 'slam dunk' that was signed over 257,000 times more than necessary only passed by 600 votes.
The 'thinking' people meanwhile realize that the two options are a sideshow to keep people from seeing the big picture, I guess that includes you. Hurt Gordo politically? He could care less, as long as the money continues to line his pockets, and it will. Let's check my comment for another quote. Hmm..how about this one: "Here's what we know for sure. The Liberals will be dead". Can't hurt worse than that and Gordo won't feel a thing because you don't eliminate a person by eliminating a party. That's the way our system works. But don't take my word for it, ask some expert with a Political Science degree. Geez, wouldn't you know it, he's on vacation.
Should we shut up? Hell no! Start fighting them instead of playing their game. But first of all you need to recognize the enemy. Gordo? No, he's just a figurehead. Liberals? No, they're just the patsy. Big business? Getting warm. They control everything with their wealth and ruthlessness. And what else do they use to control our lives? That's right, democracy itself, with rules wrapped so tightly around themselves for security that it's impossible to wrest control from them legally. They simply have their pawns in government make up any necessary laws regardless of ethics and declare victory.
My MLA also has no concerns about recall. I might be the only person in my riding wanting to recall this NDP hack but what's the point in doing so only to be replaced (or possibly not) by somebody else equally opposed to freedom?
I never for a minute thought that people would not sign this petition. There's still far too many sheep out there who think talking and signing their name will do the trick. They're called voters.
We need to stop empowering others to do our bidding as elected representatives, especially when they more frequently ignore us, and take more direct control of our own lives. When Bill thinks that we would be better off with madatory voting, essentially the opposite, doesn't that tell you that he's the wrong person to follow?
I figure the NDP MLA in her riding must be doing a pretty good job if Evalynn is the only person there thinking of a recall. Sure I support some similar causes to Bill T. Do I agree with him all the time? No. He and others organized, worked hard and got big results. Did I support the old Socreds or the part Socred Campbell crew NO. But a lot of folks including many, who followed Gordo got irate when he stuck them with a tax that simply removed the tax off the large companies by letting us all pay. Those folks signed on to the resolution. And yes a number of signatures got disallowed, but enough are in place, something that has never happened before. Sure we should all be glad somebody actually stirred the pot, and organized. So you say we should all fight THEM and that's what is happening now. Who's game are you saying we all are playing? The original legislation was proposed by a Socred, written by an NDP Government. Gordo claimed he would change the legislation making it easier, but didn't. So who and how do you intend to fight, or are you waiting for the next provincial election to see what might happen. Well over 700 thousand showed their dislike of what is going on, and you seem to think it's some sort of sideshow. Gordo who was going to fight tooth and nail against the results, went on holidays, his Finance Minister, each time he opens his mouth upsets more folks. What do you suggest? Armed insurrection in the streets? The tools available are being used by some folks who want something changed yet you see it differently. Maybe its time for you to tell those thousands of people they are wrong, you are right, and here is the way to sort things out. I'm sure even the Liberals expecting recall might be interested in your plans. GO ask Murry Cole( who got elected by a very few votes last time around)if he is concerned for his job? A number of other Liberals are there with very little number of votes, but they are there and we are not.
Anonymous 11:57
Name just one item whose price has dropped because of the HST since July 1st, would you? And one wage that has risen...
Today's news seems to be pointing out that businesses where the profit stays in BC, such as restaurants, are suffering because of the HST, while business that removes the profit from the entire country, such as major movie studios, are loving this new tax. And how is sending our hard-earned tax dollars to the US good for us?
By the way, which country do you live in that considers a doctor's service a "luxury" service?
Burrowing: the term used for political appointees digging their way into the bureaucracy as permanent civil servants after their administration is gone.
"One of the Campbell administration's longest-serving political staffers is leaving the legislative precincts next month. Jamie Braman, who is presently a senior aide to Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon, has been hired as the Interior Health Authority's strategic initiatives coordinator." - Sean Holman, Public Eye Online
the alternative title for this post was -- 'The Rats are Leaving the Sinking Ship'
I'll try to be brief. First of all my MLA is doing sweet F.A. except make a lot of useless noise because that's the way our system works. Let's not confuse MLA competence with voter ignorance.
I think we can agree that a lot of hard effort went into getting all the signatures and every volunteer who spent countless hours working on the petition should be recognized and congratulated for their work.
Where we disagree is the results. You say they're big, I say they're squat. Let's check the scoreboard. Currently it says HST: up and running, NO-HST: standing still. I'm not ignoring that the petition has passed, just saying it isn't worth anything by itself. Until the HST is repealed, which is not happening in our current political landscape, those opposing it are on the losing side.
(Note, I am opposed to the manner in which it was brought in and the level of the tax - the full 12% - but not necessarily the principal of the tax. I would like to see proper debate on that before rendering my final opinion but as you know, we lack the integrity of honest debate. That's the way our system works)
Who is the enemy? You said it yourself and don't even realize, Socred-NDP-Liberal, it took all three working together each in turn to put us in this mess. The only thing they have in common is what put them in power. Appealing to the wealthy and waiting for their turn at the helm of the coalition. That's the way our system works.
The wealthy elite of our society are in complete control and they will not relinquish except by force. The petition, and for that matter, recall are not a threat unless backed up with some show of force so until then, there is no fight. The tools you are using are for the purpose of keeping things as is but what you want is real change or at least what you should want.
"What do you suggest? Armed insurrection in the streets?"
I don't have to suggest, it's the natural progression if we continue to have leaders like Gordon Campbell. And yeah, I'm happy this petition was put together and passed the threshold, but not because it would accomplish anything democratically. Rather I think it will make people realize when the anti-HST drive runs out of steam, that there is no other option. Both a last resort and our only hope. If it's not pretty let's at least hope it is swift.
Hmm, so much for being brief. I don't want to be misunderstood, I'm not an advocate for violence. The "plan" we have is simple, stop listening to "authority". In order to maintain "control", violence is/will be inflicted on us (eg. G8/G20). I think it is unfortunate that in order for us to move forward we will have to first of all go backwards, out of this dead-end street we are currently stuck in. If you like this environment then fine, it's all yours but let me out. It's a death-trap and like I keep mentioning, that's the way our system works.
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