“If I had a million dollars ... I could afford to have a Small vision of Canada”

submitted to: Globe and mail, “Will Ignatieff's bid to stake out higher ground work? “, Lawrence Martin, 3 Sep.'09
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/will-ignatieffs-bid-to-stake-out-higher-ground-work/article1273746/

If my personal net worth were in the millions, then I would not have to worry about my job, EI, the recession, stimulus spending, mega-deficits, CPP, privatization of health care, child-care, leaving future generations with crippling deficits (my children would be ok, and in fact it would ensure that they would be members of the 'Haves' party) and an environmental catastrophe (those with money will surely be able to adapt) and a whole 'lotta' other things.

I would be in favour of eliminating taxes and minimalization of our federal government system since this would protect my interests. Laissez-faire, sink-or-swim, every-person-for-themself, survival of the strongest, would be at the heart of my value system and “help those that need help and protect those that need protection” would, in all likelihood, be a very foreign concepts.

I would have no reservation of employing ruthless tactics to acquire power and hold onto it, in fact my value system would require it and make right – it was good for the Romans, wasn't it. Developing and employing a propaganda machine the likes of which Western Democracies have not experience in recent history would be `a good thing`. Attacking our democratic institutions, designed and in place to protect our way of life, including our Parliamentary System and Parliamentary itself, our Charter of Rights, our Supreme Court would be fair game. Suppressing the free flow of information, curtailing openness and transparency in government, deliberately disrupting Parliament and Parliamentary Committees to the extent of making them dysfunctional so as to create a `smoke screen` for the implementation of right wing policies administratively, and to use as justification for the going against your own legislation, using the powers entrusted to you to promote your self interest, attack the opposing Parties in an effort to weaken them, suspending Parliament to avoid the natural and Constitution consequences of your actions, de facto disenfranchisement of millions of Quebec voters would all be means to be employed, why not. I would turn away from being judged by my fellow country-persons because I know that future generations will point to me and my kind with disapproval.

Hell, if my personal net worth were in the millions the only thing that would stop me from voting for Harper and the Con's is my conscience.