The WoodLawn Review

No matter where you live, the ’short sighted’ voter can be found.  He or she is effecting, in a negative fashion, how our government is administered.   There is no doubt they exist.  How do we know?  By simply observing the decisions or strategies of politicians, one cannot help but notice someone is catering to this demographic.

The ’short-sighted’ voter is a reactionary person who is easily swayed.  Their opinion is typically based on two concepts.  Firstly,  the party in power is always wrong and in need of change.  Secondly, which can override the first concept, the promise of tax cuts or other fees seen as taxes will draw positive reaction.  Unforntunately, the short-sighted voter only takes such an announcement at face value and does not take into account the repercussions of reduced government income.

The latest of these examples came when Stephen Harper and the Conservatives initiated their 2% reduction of the GST two elections ago.  At face value, politically a great strategy.  Offering to reduce “taxes” gets the short-sighted voter’s attention.  Offering to cut the GST could only be seen as a perfect election stance.   Easy to understand and easy to explain, especially to the ‘Short-sighted’ voter.  When the smoke clears however, there can only be one response to such a concept.  Jim Davies, who teaches economics at the University of Western Ontario in London, said it best “Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid”.

An overwhelming number of economists have agreed reductions in income taxes would be far more effective in the ‘real’ world.  It is even hard to believe our Prime Minister, an economist, would agree to this policy as a good idea behind closed doors.  Slashing the GST is just something that can be spoon fed to the public during an election.   Hence the reason why the Tories committed to reducing the excise tax on fuel during 2008 election.

Given our current economic outlook and the fact Canada will go into deficit status trying to boost the economy, the extra 1 Billion in revenue (from gst) would come in handy.

Examples even exist closer to home of the ’short-sighted’ voter.

During the election, which sprung Bernard Lord to power, a great deal of New Brunswickers in the Petitcodiac area were upset with a toll highway installed by the McKenna Government.  The concept was so reviled Mr. Lord let it be known he would do away with the toll booths.  “Hooray!!!!”, shouted the short-sighted voter.  Such a declaration along with the resentment built up for a party in power for 10 years, resulted in wide and successful Tory victory.  Down came the toll booths, as did the programs the toll booth revenue was paying for.   You see, the Short-sighted voter did not bother to ask the cost of this demand.

The same strategy helped the government in power deal with the crisis of rising insurance costs.  Angered by the revalations the insurance industry had earned record profits as New Brunswickers paid record premiums, a great swell of voter discontent almost cost Mr. Lord a second term.  The government reacted, putting in place  legislation touting the industry would have to bend to the government’s will.  Prices went down and the crisis was averted?   A closer look at policies revealed policy holders were covered for much less at the reduced rate.  Insurers kept their margins and the short-sighted voter was content for the time being.

In a world of instant gratification, the politician finds it hard to exist without catering to the ignorant and narrowminded voter.  This short-sighted voter does not base his/her vote or judgement on thought or a process.  This voter simply reacts with emotion or lack of awareness.  In many cases a politician would never dare try to make any meaningful change as the opposition would frame it as a ‘tax’  or a reduction of benefits and the short-sighted voter would react accordlingly.

It has been said that people are too stupid to be governed, sometimes that is very much the case.