Wednesday, June 4, 2014

The value of government



Government is a valuable and indispensable role in making our society a better place to live.

You don’t have to vote for bad math or bad ethics

In the case of Hudak's immediate goal of firing 100,000 government workers – let me say this….

We all know the case against bureaucracy. Just say the word to yourself and consider the images it evokes. Massive waste. Inefficiency. Poor service. Ever-growing organizations. Mindless rules. Reams of useless forms. The term “bureaucrat” also comes loaded with a whole host of negative connotations: lazy, hostile, overpaid, imperious, and inflexible. In short, bureaucracy and bureaucrats are unmitigated bad things – with absolutely no redeeming qualities. 

Conservatives like to play on this popular prejudice by constantly equating government with bureaucracy. Once government is thought of as “bureaucracy,” the case for reducing it becomes obvious. Who could complain about wanting to reduce these “armies of bureaucrats”? Everyone knows that we would all be better off with less bureaucracy and fewer bureaucrats in our lives. So when conservatives want to make shrinking government sound attractive, they say they are cutting “bureaucracy” – not “programs.” 

Most people value government programs – especially in the areas of education, health and the environment – and do not want to see them reduced; but everyone hates bureaucracy. Using the term “bureaucracy” in this way is a rhetorical sleight-of-hand that obscures the real costs of cutting back on government programs.
Every day at the door I meet people who are scared that those government programs will be cut.

Then the is the case of ethics in goverment.  If we re-elect the Liberal government, wil that engage our youth?  Will that instill a positive message in those who are not engaged in the process?  No and No!  I was a Liberal when McGuinty launched the 25/5 promise – that poverty would be reduced by 25% in 5 years.   Except that he didn’t bother to provide adequate resources to make the program work – and poverty climbed to 30% from 25%.  How is that for a priority?

While many parents struggle to put food on the table, our children’s future has been mortgaged with the weight of over $4billion of corruption and scandals.  I quit the Liberal party and subsequently joined the NDP because the emphasis is on maintaining and improving programs, making life affordable – and the NDP will govern in an ethical manner.

An NDP government will be the right choice - they will invest in infrastructure where it's desperately needed.  Every dollar invested in infrastructure for poverty and affordable housing, $1.50 is returned.  That's a great return. Investing in our own people is the best investment.

With notes from Government is good.