Reason.tv: Three reasons conservatives should cut defence spending now

January 11, 2012

Reason.tv: Three reasons conservatives should cut defence spending now

Filed under: Bureaucracy, Economics, Military, USA — Tags: Afghanistan, Budget, Debt, Iraq, Terrorism — Nicholas @ 10:23

Comments (4)

4 Comments

The problem is that government spending is just plain stupid now. Someone needs to step back and decide what the government actually needs to collect taxes and spend money on. An honest person would say that government needs to provide security and stability and that is really all. All the other spending is fluff that over the years has crept in. Why should a government provide health care? Why should a government collect surplus money to hand out to others? The whole vote buying has risen to epic, and stupid, proportions. There is nothing worse, in my opinion, than governments who give money to business in the form of grants. That just screws up the marketplace. The weak companies should be allowed to go under or be gobbled up, not propped up (GM comes to mind). Same here in Canada, although folks can call for cuts in military spending anywhere, here it is just silly as we cut our military spending years ago and never really let it catch up.

If I were king of Canada the first thing I would do is cut every single grant to every organization. I would cut every hand out to every company, charity and other organization like the Council of Canadians, any arts programs, etc. That would save billions right there. After cutting out the hand outs it would be time to review the programs. I would bring every Aboriginal band to the table and give them the ultimatum that treaties are now defunct and offer them a couple of million a head to join the rest of Canada in the 21st century. A one time pay out to save billions over the rest of the years to come is worth it.

Comment by Dwayne — January 11, 2012 @ 13:29
The problem is that government spending is just plain stupid now. Someone needs to step back and decide what the government actually needs to collect taxes and spend money on.

That’s a problem in pretty much every western country: we’ve all watched governments take on more and more activities and most voters have been okay with this. Now that the bills are coming due, the voters are expecting a magic trick — make the bills go away, but keep the benefits flowing.

An honest person would say that government needs to provide security and stability and that is really all. […] Why should a government provide health care?

While I’d be happy if the government limited itself to national defence, police and the justice system, Canadians in particular have bought the notion that our healthcare system is the central to Canadian identity. Any discussion of change to the system is tantamount to treason in the eyes of many Canadians. The only kind of change discussion that fits their sensibilities is “how much more money should we put in?”

… we cut our military spending years ago and never really let it catch up

And in the view of many Canadians, we did the right thing. After all (given how little history is taught these days), they don’t think that Canada has ever fought in a war, so all we need is a supply of jeeps, blue helmets, and toys to hand out to grateful tots in wartorn lands to which we nobly bring peacekeeping.

If I were king of Canada the first thing I would do is cut every single grant to every organization. I would cut every hand out to every company, charity and other organization like the Council of Canadians, any arts programs, etc.

I’ve always been especially admiring of the federal government’s willingness to hand out money in order to help people sue them. That program is a brilliant Fabian device for enrolling the courts in the endless increase in the size and scope of government.

I would bring every Aboriginal band to the table and give them the ultimatum that treaties are now defunct and offer them a couple of million a head to join the rest of Canada in the 21st century. A one time pay out to save billions over the rest of the years to come is worth it.

That might work, but we’ve done so much to undermine the aboriginal communities for so long that I’m afraid we’d see far too many people right back in destitute conditions soon after they got their multi-million dollar payout (look at lottery winners for examples of how quickly multi-million windfalls can be dissipated and how little some of them have at the end of the spending spree).

Comment by Nicholas — January 11, 2012 @ 13:50
Thanks for letting me rant and not make too much fun of it 🙂

I was reading a Winnipeg Sun article about the winter roads not being built because of the warm temps and how it is affecting the norther reserves. Is there really any reason for Aboriginals to live out in the middle of no where anymore? Are they actually subsistence hunter gatherers anymore? If they are, why do they need roads and goods from the south? The shame that is the northern reserve should be put to an end and everyone who wants to live out in the middle of no where for no good reason can stay there on their own dime, at their own insistence. Bring the rest of the folks into towns or cities, give them money to buy a house and provide for themselves, and yes, let them blow it on whatever they want and then go on welfare… it would still be cheaper in the long run! Treat them like grown ups and let them show us they are worthy. If they are not, well, too bad, so sad. At least those people who get pissed off at the government for treating them like kids will be proven wrong, and the government proven right. And for the rest that take the money and become successful and contributing Canadian citizens, I say welcome, may your children grow and prosper!

Comment by Dwayne — January 12, 2012 @ 00:41
I think the problem really is that thanks to generations of being infantilized, we can’t just insist that the aboriginal communities suddenly “grow up”. Money is part of the solution (assuming that both the money can be provided and that it would be accepted) but time is the bigger part of it. Few people over the age of 30 can completely throw off the habits of a lifetime — it’s tough enough for teenagers and people in their early 20s. Dependency is an easy habit to take up, but a very difficult one to give up again.

Comment by Nicholas — January 12, 2012 @ 15:17

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