Its the banks pushing us into a recession. As a small business owner they have just axed our operating line, and 2 separate banks have revoked two credit cards, no warning, no letter, no nothing. We have pumped a lot of money into this economy but rely on our line of operating to get from one contract to another. I'm going to take great pleasure in with drawing my 12k out of one of those banks today.

My Master card had nothing owing on it, so they halved its credit limit. I guess it wasn't a big deal because I wasn't planning on using it any time soon, but I could see how it could bugger up a persons credit score if say for example you go from 25% use of available credit to 50%. The credit score would go down and trigger all sorts of other potential problems. I can see that happening to a lot of people....

I guess the devil is in the details when it comes to this pension plan idea? Who is managing this, what are the fees involved, is the government making guarantees for market investments? Can the government try and direct those investments to homegrown industry for a sustainable economy? I think the pension idea can raise a lot of questions. Is this a door for public dollars and private profits through government policies and guarantees?

That said who is going to argue with the tax cuts. Really why didn't they do this years ago? I don't think it does anything to address our future problems though. It seems like political opportunism IMO using the crisis movement to move an agenda or policy. I guess we'll take it this time around, but what about the real problem... when will we hear the plan about that?

I see a housing bust in the Lower Mainland that will devastate the balance sheets of many households and thus the free money from appreciation that has been driving their economy. Last I heard Pat Bell was going to China to sign a deal to export all our logs and resources to them for processing, while he ensures his logging buddies stay working... in the process throwing the towns and their mills under the bus. Meanwhile all crown lands and resources are locked up for multinational corporation use and exploitation and diversified sustainable economies are strangled by mega corp and government red tape before they can ever develop.

Our economy...
Time Will Tell I Guess....

It really doesn't matter what Gordo and the Liberals are doing for many of the armchair economists and politicians on this board. Gordo could say the sky was blue and the same old voices would be out in full force arguing why it isn't.

The Liberals aren't perfect (what government is?), and I certainly don't agree with everything they say and do, but I'll take them any day over the alternatives. We proved in the 90's that socialism doesn't work.

MrPG isn't that our right as voters to criticize the politicians? Calling us armchair economists isn't going to prevent me from bitching about Campbell. He saddled us with a useless carbon tax in the name of environmental protection, and the recent price drops at the pump just prove that. What good is a two cent tax going to do the environment now? Or even a seven cent tax?

I agree with Ruez.
It is easy to call people something like armchair economists when in fact it is their wallets that are still taking the hit, and nowhere is that more obvious than at the pumps and in our heating bills this winter.
The tax at the pumps pissed people off, but they would have dealt with that.
Taxing the fuel that people heat their homes with is crossing the line and only shows just how insensitve and ruthless this guy really is.
The first thing I have an issue with is that I do not believe that going green had anything to do with Campbells carbon tax.
Considering the meg-projects the Liberals have on the go,they just plain need the dough, bigtime.id they see this credit/cash crunch coming?
Probably.
And now they need it even more.
So where else would they hit?
He simply saw an opportunity to grab some more cash with a carbon tax and that stinks.
And RUEZ is right,we DO have a right to bitch, and can you imagine what Campbell would be capable of if we didn't?

I didn't say people couldn't criticize the politicians, just noting that it always seems to be the same people. If it makes you feel better, go right ahead.

I'm just as entitled to my opinion as you are yours. I say we're better off under the Liberals than if we were under the NDP right now. I was here through the have-not days of the 90's and have no desire to go back to that.

If in five years there is some factual evidence that this carbon tax did some good I'll be more then happy to rethink my opposition. To date I have yet to hear an explanation of how this tax will reduce green house gases. The government says increased pricing will reduce consumption but that is faulty logic. We've just seen gas prices go from 1.47 to about 1.12 so Campbells tax has been rendered null and void. If the price keeps going down we may see prices in the 80 to 90 cent range with the carbon tax. Now explain to me how this reduces green house gases? How much driving did we do when gas was priced at 90 cents a liter? If campbell was serious about helping the environment he would be pushing for cleaner fuels in our vehicles. How about giving us grants to convert our vehicles to propane? How about helping set up biodiesel facilities in the North? We run a lot of diesels up here. Campbells a tool.

Of course we are better off under the Liberals. But that doesn't remove our responsibility to hold the Liberals accountable and make BC even better.

RUEZ: "Of course we are better off under the Liberals. But that doesn't remove our responsibility to hold the Liberals accountable and make BC even better."

That certainly is something that I personally can and do agree with 100%.

"Taxing the fuel that people heat their homes with is crossing the line and only shows just how insensitve and ruthless this guy really is."

I am doing my part. More insulation, better doors and windows...better weather sealing, a smaller more fuel efficient vehicle and an electric car when they become available as a viable alternative.

I drive less and combine trips to stores rather than make individual trips.

I don't feel that I have been treated with insensitivity and ruthlessness, especially since my overall personal income taxes are being reduced at the same time!

I also pay zero carbon taxes on the amount of carbon based fuel which I am not purchasing any more.

Just my opinion, of course.

Kudo's diplomat you are doing things that are helping. But is it better to tax people into doing that or offer some assistance? Many people can't afford a new car. If and when electrics come out that are viable for the north what do you think the cost for one will be? And I'm not talking about those dinky little ones made in Quebec that can only do 40kph. The new Volt that will be out in a few years is estimated to cost between 30 and 40k. That's not affordable for many people.

"...But that doesn't remove our responsibility to hold the Liberals accountable and make BC even better."

Again you misinterpret what I'm trying to say. I'm not against balanced criticizm where it's warranted. I do have a problem with those who constantly criticize simply because of their own personal issues they might have with Gordo or whatever.

FWIW, I have a lot of respect for the bloggers who have beefs and also hand out bouquets when the situation calls for it. As you know, there are lots of people on this site who do nothing but beef and all that does is undermine everything they have to say.

Fair enough but who left it to you to determine where criticism is warranted? Your expression armchair economists, or better yet armchair anything is often used to criticize people who give their opinions about something. As if these people know more then the person they are criticizing. Anyone who pays tax in BC has a stake in our economy and therefore should be able to criticize the government.

Ruez, I'm not going to repeat myself, I've already addressed this in previous posts. Have a good day.

It is the carbon tax money that is helping to fund all these changes the liberals have implemented FOR US!! Finally we see help coming our way and all some can do is bring up the PAST!! When was the last time that any leader cut taxes????? Harper did it with the GST and now Campbell is doing it for his people. Be thankful! I for one appreciate any help we get. A big thank you to the liberals for finally doing something for the people!!! Insult me all you want...I do not care. :}

Shellshadow how is it possible for the carbon tax to do anything? We were told it was revenue neutral. The tax on fuel was countered with a reduction in income tax.

If in five years there is some factual evidence that this carbon tax did some good I'll be more then happy to rethink my opposition.

Well Ruez dont hold your breath.Heres a little secret that many have been ignored and the fact is it really dosent matter how much we are taxed and how much effort we put into reducing green house gases. Ower climate will continue to change.In five years time I prdict that we will be growing grapes for wine in PG.

As Diplomat has told us he has done many things to reduce his/her fuel costs. That is the only advantage that we have. And if we all pulled together this could effect the record profits that are being made from fossil fuels. Ower economy has as yet not been dramatically affected and look how the cost of a barrel of oil has dropped in just a few days.

Take the bull by the horns and make changes in you life style and in five years time the oil corp's will singing a different tune .

Cheers

Cheers

So I only drive one car and walk to work, I still pay through the nose for my home heating gas bill.

Basic Charge of $22.26
Delivery charge of $60.60
Cost of gas of $214.07
Franchise Fee of $9.18
Carbon Tax of $11.03
Clean Energy Levy of $1.24
GST of $15.84

Somehow paying a carbon tax is going to encourage me to do what? Change a perfectly good furnace for thousands of dollars before it wears out? Change out perfectly good windows with new ones?

I'm having enough of a challenge keeping up with the repairs, renos and upgrades that have to be done without embarking on making my home more energy efficient by spending thousands of dollars to save hundreds of dollars. What about the carbon expended to produce all of the new energy efficient stuff?

We can't live long enough to enjoy the payback.

Quote Eagle - "My Master card had nothing owing on it, so they halved its credit limit. I guess it wasn't a big deal because I wasn't planning on using it any time soon, but I could see how it could bugger up a persons credit score if say for example you go from 25% use of available credit to 50%."

Actually its the opposite - your available credit card limit is counted against you in an assumption that you could max it out at anytime. They actually increased your borrowing power by lowering your limit - not a big point, but it is a common misconception :-)

MrPG I understand that you feel it is a simple choice between the ndp and the liberals and if one does not like aspects about the liberals we are supposed to swallow it because the only option would be the ndp and they are unacceptable. I think you are wrong that we only have two options in a black and white world.

Also you say we have nothing to criticize and so we should shut up, but I think its fair to say none of the 10 point solutions have anything to do with the genus of the global economic problems other than the Credit Union guarantees. The rest are budget issues using the global crisis to pass ideological (which I agree with in this case) mini budget policies. I might agree with the policies, but I don't agree with using a crisis to pass policies that are unrelated to the crisis. This kind of opportunism stinks like the US Patriot Act ethically and politically. Its chicken little politics conjured up in secret to advance political fortunes.

I honestly think the BC liberals represent corporate interests foreign or domestic first and foremost. I think the ndp represent government employees and entitlement redistribution of wealth interests. I think there is no one currently that represent the middle class working citizen and the small business entrepreneur. Both parties at times claim to support them in order to raid votes, but it is the core that these parties represent and those votes of the middle class and small business people are only enablers of the extremest duopoly's core agenda. I think all this mini budget is about is trying to buy those votes before the next election so same said people can be sold out and up the river with the corpratist agenda. The first step to providing an alternative is recognizing the current reality and I don't think that should be dismissed as arm chair economists at work, but rather realists identifying a problem that needs a solution.

I guess it all depends on ones perspective.

"Also you say we have nothing to criticize and so we should shut up"

Can you show me where I said this?

Ah yes, that's wat I thought.

wat = what

Bang on Eagleone, We need a centrist party for the good of the people. We will not hear about the corporate agenda in the mainstream media because, the media is run by three mega corporations.