Quote of the Day: “Anyone who studies the history of ideas should notice how much more often people on the political left, more so than others, denigrate and demonize those who disagree with them — instead of answering their arguments.” Thomas Sowell
On the Editorial Page today, we have Evelyn Forget’s second op-ed in the last few months. And this is the third op-ed that TheRecord has published in recent memory on the Universal Basic Income (UBI). Why? Well, as I mentioned before, I think that the UBI is a great idea if it is implemented as designed as a unified social policy and not just another government handout. The UBI as a negative income tax might work out very well if it eliminates all the patchwork of programs now in place. Forget mentions that there are 194 programs at the federal, provincial and municipal level to “help” lower income people in BC alone. Wow. But in her op-ed, even Dr. Forget can’t bring herself to suggest that the trade-off is that all of these programs must be dropped to pay for the UBI. And maybe if Dr. Forget wants to advance this cause, I suggest she does not compare this to our current medical system – which we all know is completely fiscally and morally bankrupt.
I have no idea why TorStar controlled papers continue to publish the nonsense that comes out of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). This group hasn’t had an original idea since it was formed. I’ve never read a single “alternative” from this group – except for the “raise taxes, spend more, raise taxes” type of policy thinking. Randy Robinson, is the Ontario Director of CCPA and he has an op-ed on the Insight (Huh?) Page today. Nothing but class warfare from this guy. He suggests that the “ultra-rich” of “Canada’s top 44 Billionaires saw their wealth surge by $53 Billion – roughly equivalent to $1,400 for every Canadian”. Of course, what Robinson neglects to mention is that “wealth” is mostly on paper since almost all of the “wealth” is in stock market gains. So, the same stock market that holds everyone’s pension plans, long term investments and drives businesses forward is some kind of a bad thing because “Billionaires” have increased their investments as well. Too stupid for words.