Tax Promises
Created | Updated Jun 21, 2003
Election after election, the two main parties target each other on the same issue. No, not education, not health, but taxes. Each time, one accuses the other that it will impose heavy tax burdens, which is immediately denied. The moment they come into power the past is forgotten, and up go the taxes again. Then, months before the next election, the taxes are minimally lowered and the cycle begins anew. But why? Why do this keep happening?
Most people don't like to admit that they are attracted to the party that offers the magical solution of lowering taxes while improving nationalised services and making pigs fly. But for some reason, when the government in power chips a small amount of the tax burden, all is forgotten and their tax policies seem to make sense. Whoever's in opposition constantly criticises the many promises the current incumbents are breaking. Then they fight it out, each promising a wonderful tax-free utopia and foretelling the great evil that will occur under the opposing party. But are people influenced by this? Is that what they look for in a party?
Well, the majority of Britain seems to think so. Most voters go for one of the two - red or blue (whichever is currently in style). Then there's those 'Lib Dems'. Yes. The yellow ones that promise to raise taxes - oh what fools they are! Do they think they can woo voters through their morals and common sense? They must be mad!
Though people may say in a drone-like fashion that they don't mind if taxes were raised so our public services would improve, when they get to that secret ballot box it's a different story! What people have to face is that the only way to lower taxes is by reducing funding to public services. But not according to Wee Willy Hague. He's got something else in store. Reducing taxes is a moral obligation (Okay William, if you say so. No problem with that). If taxes are reduced, funding will increase (Hmmm... now, how does that work?). Well, by reducing nasty, bad, mean taxes, people will give more to charity. In fact, they'll feel obligated to give. So, if taxes are lowered, people will donate more to charity. This means that public transport funding will be slashed, but that the charity down the road will earn a few quid. Now, that does sound like a great way to run a country! So, yet again, we're sluggishly heading for another great period of proclamation of optimistic, never-to-be-materialised tax policies.
The two main parties (if you can call Willy's Wacky Thatch'R'ite party main) are battling for the most popular tax lowering slogan and the Lib Dems face yet another great victory, even if they only gain two seats. Well, it might be different this time; it might not be so vicious and unproductive. Nah! I think the current system is here to stay :-).
