Harper's Pension Warning And American

Prime Minister Harper made an interesting assetion recently regarding the future of federal pensions.

While some Canadians, judging from the comments threads, are missing the point with strawman logic, using"corporate taxes" as the reason for why it's happening. I think it's more of demographic (our pension  funds are a mess and one of the reasons is that we won't have enough people, hence taxes, to pay for seniors in retirement. I believe once upon a time all you needed was one person to fund 4 retireees. Nowit's something like 3 - someone can correct me here I'm sure) reality the government has known about since the 1960s. Singling out Harper for the pending truth about pensions ignores this truth.

This is why RRSPs were invented. The government wanted Canadians to have a private option retirement plan with an incentive to save. That incentive is to let it grow tax free until an investor drew income from it in the way of a RIF.

It's something I learned during my Canadian Securities Course back in the 90s. It was right there in black and white (between the lines): save your money and don't rely on the government down the line.

Canadians are not net savers and Harper is merely relaying that message.

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To me, also, the argument that it's about the neoliberal agenda - which I'm totally against  -  rings hollow a little. Neoliberalism, it seems to this chump, speaks of individual rights without making accounts on how to contribute to the community around you. Libertarianism. even anarchism, don't go as far as to believe man is an island onto himself. They simply believe neighbors will help one another out of self-interest, and even compassion.

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Speaking of islands of man, I reject this belief I sense is creeping into our intellectual discussions.

"We're successful because somebody started the University of Michigan. We're successful because somebody made an investment in all the federal research labs that created the internet. We're successful because we have an outstanding military that costs money. We're successful because somebody built roads and bridges. And laid broadband lines and these things didn't just happen on their own. And if we all understand that we've got to pay for this stuff, it makes sense for those of us who've done best to do our fair share and to try to pass off that bill on to somebody else, that's not right. That's not who we are,"

Conclusion: Happiness is a warm government.



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Did I hear right during the State of the Union address that Obama, after saying no more bail outs, proposed homeowners with some relief on their mortgage payments? Cut payroll taxes but attack capital gains?

Wow.

If you fail to see the problem with this, then, it's time to admit yourself that you're likely financially illiterate. Officially.

Pat Buchanan called it a 'centrist' speech. I heard a lotta federal agencies being created. I heard a lotta empty rhetoric. Name me the ONE idea he proposed? It's as if I watched someone wage his own personal anarchy war.

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You have to admit, Navy Seal Team 6 - the unit who called Osama bin Laden - are something else. No wonder Obama likes deploying them.