Conservatives Are the Lesser of Two Evils

I was a bit surprised the NDP didn't bring down the Conservative
government. But since Canadians are not ready to support an NDP
federal government, as an NDP suporter, I have to ask myself: who are
worse: Liberals or Conservatives?

For many social democrats or "progressives", the answer is easy:
Conservatives are pure evil. But in the context of a federation, the
answer isn't that easy.

Most of the things social democrats/progressives believe in, social
safety net, universal healthcare, quality education, can be adressed
at the provincial and local level.

Granted, it is easier in provinces with independant income tax
systems, but even in places such as New Brunswick, the tax systems
allows provinces to restore fairness.

It might involve raising certain provincial taxes, but if the federal
conservatives keep federal taxes relatively low by cutting everythig
they can...

That is a big if, granted. Jails cost money. So does war. Or preparing
for war. Still, fundamentaly, the Conservatives are wired to cut
federal taxes. They may cut the CBC or Via rail to do so, but they
will spend less than the Liberals.

It is hard to imagine Ignatieff cuting national defence. There will
always be some "moral" war somewhere. There are opressed minorities à
la Kurds all over the world. And Sadam Hussein was not the last
dictator. And perhaps it is even harder to imagine the Liberals
cutting the CBC and Via Rail.

If the federal government increases federal spending, as the pro war
Ignatieff Liberals surely would, it is going to be that much harder to
increase provincial and even municipal spending.

I don't like the Harper's views on morality, next thing you know the
age of consent will be 35 and we will all have friends in jail. But he
is a fiscal concervative. He is not a fan of corporate wellfare. A
lean and, clearly, mean federal government will offer us social
democrats oppertunities at the provincial and municipal level.

We may have to watch more PBS and take inter-city bus, but purhaps
fighting homelessness will be more paletable to people who just got a
tax reduction. Upper middle class folks don't realise it is not the
poor that are sucking up government resourses, it is them!

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