Readers can decide truth from fallacies

By Letter to the Editor on December 15, 2018.

Re: “Few facts offered to support argument,” Dec. 12

Ms. Dirk begins her letter by falsely assuming two things. One that I am trying to manipulate readers and two that the readers are “untrained” (liberal-speak for unintelligent). I am merely responding to the factually incorrect assertions of Peter Mueller. Readers are well-equipped by our publicly funded schools to read and decide what is true and what is false. Again, Ms. Dirk incorrectly labels “progressive” governments as Conservative governments. It is not a fallacy to point out when something is labeled incorrectly as both Mueller and Dirk have done. Both would like the PC governments to appear as a far right party rather than a centrist one, as they actually were.

Dirk’s assertion that no money was contributed to the trust funds after 1987 is not only a fallacy, it is a bald-faced lie. As for transfer payments, they most certainly do have relevance to the faulty comparison of Norway to Alberta as presented by Mueller. As for “begging the question” of how much Alberta would have saved if not for transfer payments, how about I provide the answer? Successive PC governments asked Albertans repeatedly for their views on how oil and gas wealth should be directed. Under the percentages Albertans decided upon via consultation with their government, it would be roughly $30 billion more. Had tax rates been set at 50 per cent, it would have been 100s of billions more saved. By the way, the provincial government still funds post secondary education, social programs, health-care, etc.

The point I made about paying more in taxes obviously went over Ms. Dirk’s head. Albertans chose their governments based, in part, on paying less in taxes and thereby having autonomy over their finances. Liberals like Ms. Dirk would rather they take this money from taxpayers and spend it on their behalf, as they know better what the taxpayer needs. Such arrogant elitist thinking has been soundly rejected in Alberta for almost a century. As for a fact check on the carbon tax, perhaps Ms. Dirk should look at Australia’s experience. Under a carbon tax, emissions and inflation went up and the standard of living went down. They scrapped the tax as they realized it was a tax grab in the sheep’s clothing of environmental stewardship.

Thankfully most readers do see though lies and unsupported arguments, false labeling and misdirection.

Jim Taylor

Medicine Hat

8
-7