Quote:
Originally Posted by crazy_eoj
I just find it pedantic that there is some hidden value in a collective spending versus individual. You can take your $300 and invest it in your childs school directly. You could spend it on a health care supplement or alternative treatment. You could use it to offset school fees, textbooks or tutoring expenses. The idea being that an individual can best decide exactly where spurplus money is best spent to help themselves.
But yet, the argument that people are too dumb to spend this money where it would impact them the most and the government could better spend it is pervasive in left wing thinking. That people are stupid and would buy beer and popcorn instead of helping their children or families directly.
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Again, this is more about long term holistic thinking vs. short term individual gain. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a low income families or people in need get a nice check to help pay for books or relieve some of the stress of living. But when you look at the whole picture, the 300 dollar one time shot in the arm has a far lesser impact on society as a whole than an additional investment in Public transit, improving post secondary education or improving health care. I think most people feel there is still a dramatic infrastructure and services deficit that is still lingering from Ralph's time as premier.
I remember Ralph Bucks when they came in. I was an undergrad living on my own and value of the Ralph bucks was so insignificant that I hated the idea. I ended up putting it towards replacing a broken down monitor I was using for school. It's ten years later and I no longer have the computer or monitor. Ralph bucks wasn't enough to make a real impact in the costs of tuition or books at the time. I know many of my friends at university thought it was an awful idea and it still is today.
It's what a decade or so later and I'd rather have those original Ralph Bucks reinvested in to Public Transit or Health care than the monitor that I used for a year and a half.