I'm not just talking about regular citizens. In fact most of the people I know are not University Grads with PH.D.'s or degrees, they are regular, middle class people with children, raising a family, paying down their mortgage and trying like crazy to get somewhere in this world.
No, I mean - by this title - our well educated leaders and economists. They have, over the years, created such a complex system, that minor bumps and hurdles can almost throw the world into a depression.
Let me start with the most recent recession - the one the governments claim we are slowly creeping out from.
Before I start ranting, let me clarify, I'm not an economist, but I can keep my budget balanced week to week and am smart enough not get into more debt than I can realistically pay off.
The recession - which in earnest - began in the USA in 2009, was caused by banks and government stupidity. Yes, that is correct - the people we trust our money to, the same places Americans have been putting their savings and borrowing from for years, couldn't see past their greedy noses and created a recession in the USA, which quickly spread to the rest of the world.
Rather than go into details - most of which everyone already knows - I'd just like to rant by saying this "What the heck are you people thinking?" When the government offers huge payouts to anyone who buys a home, and the banks are willing to finance any human with even the most meagre of jobs, no wonder the USA economy dropped like a ton of bricks!
When the CEO of a bank makes 3.5 Million a year, but his bank is losing money, isn't there a thought somewhere in the recesses of his greedy brain that might say "Maybe me and the other execs are being paid too much, we should take a pay cut so our business survives."
I read a story, when the recession started, about a bank who gave a mortgage to a couple who wanted to buy a home. It was in Florida I think. The home cost between $700,000 - $800,000, and this would have been their first home and their dream home. The only problem I saw in this story was that BOTH husband and wife worked at Wal-Mart. Their combined salaries were about $62,000 a year, and they had 2 young children.
This particular bank must have thought that people employed at Wal-Mart were both secure and good credit risks (cause nobody ever gets laid off or fired from Wal-Mart!). So they decided to lend them the amount for the mortgage and amortize it over 50 years. They owned their home for 5 months before having to declare bankruptcy!
Enough Said - Stupidity abounds.
Yesterday, September 22, the British Prime Minister paid a visit to the Canadian parliament. He spoke eloquently about the problems facing Britian and Canada over the next few years. He spoke about the British and world economy, the ongoing European debt crisis and all the dangers we face in the near future. He spoke about business taxes and trade and making cuts, he spoke about Libya, about sanctions, about making the tough choices.
In fact the only thing he absolutely forgot to mention was anything to do with the people who live in England and Canada. Apparently, humans no longer exist! This seems to be an ongoing issue. Politicians and leaders have forgotten about the citizens of the country. They are concerned with lowering debt, how much savings can the 'government' find in wasted $, how they can increase trade and business. Laying people off is just a number now, no humans are actually involved!!!
Cameron spoke about making tough choices (ie: cutting the civil service), and lowering debt (ie: cutting services and reducing the civil service). He spoke about the ongoing European and American debt crisis (ie: lending our tax dollars to foreign countries who can't manage their own budgets). He spoke about increasing trade (ie: more tax revenue for the government). Seems somewhere along the line, he forgot about those human beings living in his country.
LISTEN UP POLITICIANS:
You can lower corporate taxes, good idea! Businesses can and will hire people because of this. You can give them tax breaks for every Canadian they hire - another good idea. Remove trade borders and open our markets to imports and exports - AWESOME!
But you seem to be forgetting something very important.
Business cannot survive if people can't afford to buy their products!!! If people don't buy their products, they don't hire anyone, they lay people off! No tax cuts will compensate for the lack of revenue. In other words (yes I'm making it simple), if people don't have money to buy stuff, the company can't sell stuff, and nobody keeps their job!
Here's a bit of insight for you narrow minded politicians and economists. PEOPLE are the country. Not businesses, not buildings, not property, not the stock market, not banks, PEOPLE.
I'm going to break down for you why the economy isn't working. Then maybe you will understand:
An average family earning $70,000 per year, married 2 or 3 children, perhaps a pet, owning a $300,000 home with a mortgage and a car: (This is loosely based on my own budget)
Federal Taxes deducted from paycheque $17,000
Provincial taxes - About $3000 give or take
UI and Pension deductions aprox $3000
Union dues and other fees aprox $4000
Property taxes: Depending on city $3500
School taxes: $500
Mortgage or rent paid per year $14,000 (aprox)
Vehicle Insurance, home insurance $1500
School fees (not taxes) $600 for 3 children
Loan or lease Car Payments $4800/yr
Utilities (Hydro, heat, phone) $3600/yr
Before paying for any food, clothing, transportation, credit card payments, misc loans, kids activities, entertainment (Cable, Internet), License plates and drivers license renewals, tires or even gasoline - we've already spent $55,000 a year.
Yet, leaders talk about increasing trade between countries, lowering corporate tax rates, increasing old age security, fixing health care and sanctions to other countries. They really have forgotten we exist!
Here's what you should do to get the economy rolling: Lower taxes to those earning under $100,000 a year to almost nothing. Increase corporate taxes to large enterprises and leave SME alone. Take some of the sales taxes OFF items such as food, clothing, fuel and hydro, then we citizens might have some available money to spend at these same businesses.
The common folk will be able to spend money and these businesses will grow faster than any tax breaks, any new government related grants .... the stock market will be more stable as companies will be earning profits instead of losing. and more people will be employed.
You wants cuts to lower the deficit? Try cutting funding to most or all of these special interest groups. Force them to earn their revenues or close shop. If they are so important to our country, then they will have supporters willing to donate!
---------------------------------------------------------
Years ago, my wife and I make a decision, that she would stay home and raise the children, take care of the house and all that goes into it. I would go and earn the money to support the family, as my parents did, as their parents before that did. My children have turned out pretty good thus far. Not perfect, no Rhodes scholars, but they are doing well for themselves. I know we made the right decision back then.
But there was a sacrifice involved in this choice. My wife didn't get any new work experience, she didn't have time (we raised 4 boys) to go to school and learn a trade or get a degree. Now - after 3 of the 4 boys are older, she is having trouble finding a job. She's worked in a couple of kitchens for morons, and had to leave due to overwhelming bull-crap.
But taxes and the increased costs of everything plus the lack of a second income are hurting us and every family that chose the same path. Our governments, and those across this planet, need to step back and realize that 'taxes are the devil' and that over-taxing is the true cause of the worlds financial problems.
I'm not writing this for pity, or for people to say "Aww poor Colin" (Mind you, if you want to click on the ads beside this blog - I might get an advertising cheque from Google.) . We made our decisions years ago and they were the right ones for the most part. I'm writing this because I really believe that our leaders forget we exist for the 4 years between elections.
No, I mean - by this title - our well educated leaders and economists. They have, over the years, created such a complex system, that minor bumps and hurdles can almost throw the world into a depression.
Let me start with the most recent recession - the one the governments claim we are slowly creeping out from.
Before I start ranting, let me clarify, I'm not an economist, but I can keep my budget balanced week to week and am smart enough not get into more debt than I can realistically pay off.
The recession - which in earnest - began in the USA in 2009, was caused by banks and government stupidity. Yes, that is correct - the people we trust our money to, the same places Americans have been putting their savings and borrowing from for years, couldn't see past their greedy noses and created a recession in the USA, which quickly spread to the rest of the world.
Rather than go into details - most of which everyone already knows - I'd just like to rant by saying this "What the heck are you people thinking?" When the government offers huge payouts to anyone who buys a home, and the banks are willing to finance any human with even the most meagre of jobs, no wonder the USA economy dropped like a ton of bricks!
When the CEO of a bank makes 3.5 Million a year, but his bank is losing money, isn't there a thought somewhere in the recesses of his greedy brain that might say "Maybe me and the other execs are being paid too much, we should take a pay cut so our business survives."
I read a story, when the recession started, about a bank who gave a mortgage to a couple who wanted to buy a home. It was in Florida I think. The home cost between $700,000 - $800,000, and this would have been their first home and their dream home. The only problem I saw in this story was that BOTH husband and wife worked at Wal-Mart. Their combined salaries were about $62,000 a year, and they had 2 young children.
This particular bank must have thought that people employed at Wal-Mart were both secure and good credit risks (cause nobody ever gets laid off or fired from Wal-Mart!). So they decided to lend them the amount for the mortgage and amortize it over 50 years. They owned their home for 5 months before having to declare bankruptcy!
Enough Said - Stupidity abounds.
Yesterday, September 22, the British Prime Minister paid a visit to the Canadian parliament. He spoke eloquently about the problems facing Britian and Canada over the next few years. He spoke about the British and world economy, the ongoing European debt crisis and all the dangers we face in the near future. He spoke about business taxes and trade and making cuts, he spoke about Libya, about sanctions, about making the tough choices.
In fact the only thing he absolutely forgot to mention was anything to do with the people who live in England and Canada. Apparently, humans no longer exist! This seems to be an ongoing issue. Politicians and leaders have forgotten about the citizens of the country. They are concerned with lowering debt, how much savings can the 'government' find in wasted $, how they can increase trade and business. Laying people off is just a number now, no humans are actually involved!!!
Cameron spoke about making tough choices (ie: cutting the civil service), and lowering debt (ie: cutting services and reducing the civil service). He spoke about the ongoing European and American debt crisis (ie: lending our tax dollars to foreign countries who can't manage their own budgets). He spoke about increasing trade (ie: more tax revenue for the government). Seems somewhere along the line, he forgot about those human beings living in his country.
LISTEN UP POLITICIANS:
You can lower corporate taxes, good idea! Businesses can and will hire people because of this. You can give them tax breaks for every Canadian they hire - another good idea. Remove trade borders and open our markets to imports and exports - AWESOME!
But you seem to be forgetting something very important.
Business cannot survive if people can't afford to buy their products!!! If people don't buy their products, they don't hire anyone, they lay people off! No tax cuts will compensate for the lack of revenue. In other words (yes I'm making it simple), if people don't have money to buy stuff, the company can't sell stuff, and nobody keeps their job!
Here's a bit of insight for you narrow minded politicians and economists. PEOPLE are the country. Not businesses, not buildings, not property, not the stock market, not banks, PEOPLE.
I'm going to break down for you why the economy isn't working. Then maybe you will understand:
An average family earning $70,000 per year, married 2 or 3 children, perhaps a pet, owning a $300,000 home with a mortgage and a car: (This is loosely based on my own budget)
Federal Taxes deducted from paycheque $17,000
Provincial taxes - About $3000 give or take
UI and Pension deductions aprox $3000
Union dues and other fees aprox $4000
Property taxes: Depending on city $3500
School taxes: $500
Mortgage or rent paid per year $14,000 (aprox)
Vehicle Insurance, home insurance $1500
School fees (not taxes) $600 for 3 children
Loan or lease Car Payments $4800/yr
Utilities (Hydro, heat, phone) $3600/yr
Before paying for any food, clothing, transportation, credit card payments, misc loans, kids activities, entertainment (Cable, Internet), License plates and drivers license renewals, tires or even gasoline - we've already spent $55,000 a year.
Yet, leaders talk about increasing trade between countries, lowering corporate tax rates, increasing old age security, fixing health care and sanctions to other countries. They really have forgotten we exist!
Here's what you should do to get the economy rolling: Lower taxes to those earning under $100,000 a year to almost nothing. Increase corporate taxes to large enterprises and leave SME alone. Take some of the sales taxes OFF items such as food, clothing, fuel and hydro, then we citizens might have some available money to spend at these same businesses.
The common folk will be able to spend money and these businesses will grow faster than any tax breaks, any new government related grants .... the stock market will be more stable as companies will be earning profits instead of losing. and more people will be employed.
You wants cuts to lower the deficit? Try cutting funding to most or all of these special interest groups. Force them to earn their revenues or close shop. If they are so important to our country, then they will have supporters willing to donate!
---------------------------------------------------------
Years ago, my wife and I make a decision, that she would stay home and raise the children, take care of the house and all that goes into it. I would go and earn the money to support the family, as my parents did, as their parents before that did. My children have turned out pretty good thus far. Not perfect, no Rhodes scholars, but they are doing well for themselves. I know we made the right decision back then.
But there was a sacrifice involved in this choice. My wife didn't get any new work experience, she didn't have time (we raised 4 boys) to go to school and learn a trade or get a degree. Now - after 3 of the 4 boys are older, she is having trouble finding a job. She's worked in a couple of kitchens for morons, and had to leave due to overwhelming bull-crap.
But taxes and the increased costs of everything plus the lack of a second income are hurting us and every family that chose the same path. Our governments, and those across this planet, need to step back and realize that 'taxes are the devil' and that over-taxing is the true cause of the worlds financial problems.
I'm not writing this for pity, or for people to say "Aww poor Colin" (Mind you, if you want to click on the ads beside this blog - I might get an advertising cheque from Google.) . We made our decisions years ago and they were the right ones for the most part. I'm writing this because I really believe that our leaders forget we exist for the 4 years between elections.
yup taxes are too high for sure. if we all had more spending money ...
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