Meet Your Next. U.S. President

[Asher]

Canada benefits because its big brother to the south uses its leverage to shape the international system in a way that generally benefits both countries. Canada can achieve very little on its own, because it's not that important.

What you're stating is, in fact, that Canada is better internationally because it benefits from the US' actions (in general) without having to do those actions itself. Those actions are expensive and make the US a very large target.

This is not a negative.

[Ben Kenobi]

Wow, Michigan is a pit.

The average Canadian is about as wealthy as the average American in the state of Tennessee. If Canada were a state, Canada would rank 38th on the list. This doesn't take into account the fact that your money goes farther in the US than it does in Canada. Michigan comes in at 11th. The difference is about 2k between the average earnings per Canadian, than the state of Michigan.

Now, looking at taxes. On 40k income, you would pay 24 percent in the province of Ontario, for after tax income of 33,929 CDN. You would pay 29 percent in the state of Michigan, however, there's a catch.

The Bracket for 35 percent in Ontario is just over 40k. The Bracket for 19 percent in Michigan is 34k. So this comparison isn't really fair. Bump it up to 45k, and you'd pay more in Canada. Bump it down to 34k and you pay more in Canada, but the sweet spot from 34 to 40 you pay less in Canada, at least in Ontario.

[Tupac Shakur]

What you're stating is, in fact, that Canada is better internationally because it benefits from the US' actions (in general) without having to do those actions itself.

You're fighting and dying in Afghanistan too, little brother.

[Ben Kenobi]

You're completely out to lunch on your numbers. We're talking about half that amount and ONLY if they stupidly lower taxes again by removing 2% off of the state sales tax. For the love of god, Ben, stop just making stuff up.

Business Weekly reports FY 2011 projected at 10 billion for TX. Reported 4 billion for TX in FY 2010, and 45.5 billion for CA in 2010.

[Asher]

You're fighting and dying in Afghanistan too, little brother.

Canada pulled out combat operations last month.

[Asher]

Wow, Michigan is a pit.

The average Canadian is about as wealthy as the average American in the state of Tennessee. If Canada were a state, Canada would rank 38th on the list. This doesn't take into account the fact that your money goes farther in the US than it does in Canada.

You spewed this fallacy before and were corrected. Doesn't matter to you, though.

Michigan comes in at 11th. The difference is about 2k between the average earnings per Canadian, than the state of Michigan.

Now, looking at taxes. On 40k income, you would pay 24 percent in the province of Ontario, for after tax income of 33,929 CDN. You would pay 29 percent in the state of Michigan, however, there's a catch.

The Bracket for 35 percent in Ontario is just over 40k. The Bracket for 19 percent in Michigan is 34k. So this comparison isn't really fair. Bump it up to 45k, and you'd pay more in Canada. Bump it down to 34k and you pay more in Canada, but the sweet spot from 34 to 40 you pay less in Canada, at least in Ontario.

What is the point of this post?

[Ben Kenobi]

Maybe that’s the way it should be done. But the Legislature will have to make those choices, not only only in current spending but in future spending to handle the new influx

So 27 billion is complete bull**** then.

Deficit is just revenue minus expenses. Arguing that TX isn't keeping up with it's population growth is irrelevant. Seems in line wiht my sources showing a 10 billion dollar deficit. Yes, the cuts are steep, but that's what needs tyo be done. TX can't afford to become like CA and blow 45 billion every year.

[Ben Kenobi]

You spewed this fallacy before and were corrected. Doesn't matter to you, though.

Your 'refutation' addressed the price of one commodity. Should we try cars?

[Tupac Shakur]

Canada pulled out combat operations last month.

So you only spent 10 years fighting America's enemies. You sure did get off light.

[Asher]

In Canada total tax and non-tax revenue for every level of government equals about 38.4% of GDP,[2] compared to the U.S. rate of 28.2%.[1]

A significant portion of this tax differential is due to spending differences between the two countries. While the US is running deficits of about 4% of GDP,[3] Canada has consistently posted a budget surplus of around 1% of GDP.[4] Considered in a revenue-neutral context, the differential is much smaller - Canada's total governmental spending was about 36% of GDP[5] vs. 31% in the US.[3] In addition, caution must be used when comparing taxes across countries, due to the different services each offers. Whereas the Canadian healthcare system is 70% government-funded, the US system is just under 50% government-funded (mostly via Medicare and Medicaid); adding the additional healthcare-spending burden to the above figures to obtain comparable numbers (+3% for Canada, +7% for the US) gives adjusted expenditures of 38–39% of GDP for each of the two nations.

The taxes are applied the same as well. Canada's income tax system is more heavily biased against the highest income earners, thus while Canada's income tax rate is higher on average, the bottom fifty percent of the population is roughly taxed the same on income as in the United States. However, Canada has a national goods and services tax of 5% on most purchases, while the U.S. federal government does not, increasing the tax burden on Canadian low-income earners due to the proportional nature of a sales tax. Canadian GST does not tax food and other essentials and a GST rebate for low-income earners mitigates regressiveness.[6]

In addition to the 5% GST levied on most purchases, some Canadians also pay a provincial sales tax at a rate that varies by province and can be as high as 10%. In Ontario, for example, where the provincial sales tax (PST) is 8%, consumers must pay a total of 13% sales tax on top of the purchase price. (It should be noted that Ontario has eliminated both the PST and GST, replacing them with harmonized sales tax, or HST, of 13%, which changes the sales tax on some items.) There are some purchases which are PST exempt, such as children's clothing. In the U.S., most states impose a sales tax, and cities and counties are often permitted to levy taxes as well, which can exceed 10% on purchases but realistically average at about 6-8%. Five U.S. states do not have any sales tax imposed

For some reason it doesn't mention that Alberta has no provincial sales tax.

Government spending at all levels (federal, state/provincial and local) has traditionally been higher in Canada than the United States. In Canada, government spending as a percentage of GDP peaked at 53% in 1992. Since 1992 spending has steadily declined in Canada to just below 40 percent in 2008.[8]

Spending in the United States fluctuated narrowly around 34-38 percent of GDP over the same period.[9] However, starting in 2008 US spending has turned sharply upwards to reach an estimated 42.7% of GDP in 2009[10] from 39% in 2008. Spending is expected to reach 45% of GDP in 2011,[11] and stabilize at that level.

Hilarious.

Canada is generally forced to follow American monetary policy quite closely, any large difference in interest rates could quickly lead to large problems for the Canadian economy. The U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada both staunchly believe in fighting inflation while neither aggressively pursue policies of full employment. One difference that has emerged recently is that while Canada is still hewing closely to the balanced budgets policies of the 1990s the United States has moved into a heavy deficit, a policy both countries followed in the 1970s and 1980s.

Ridiculous.

[Ben Kenobi]

Taxes make a big difference to AB. Hopefully BC can kill their PST now that the HST was nuked.

[Dinner]

Business Weekly reports FY 2011 projected at 10 billion for TX. Reported 4 billion for TX in FY 2010, and 45.5 billion for CA in 2010.

You are either a liar or stupid (or more likely both). The 2011 budget deficit is ~$25 billion [b]IF[/i] voters don't approve of the governor's effort to delay further tax cuts such as the 2% decrease in the state sales tax. You're not only clueless but you're also a liar. BTW that $25 billion figure is for 1.5 years not just 1 year. Get your ****ing facts straight, you fool.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/11/california-budget-.html

[Dinner]

So 27 billion is complete bull**** then.

No, you dolt. It's the actual number being projected using standard not rigged accounting. Texas's deficit is projected to actually be ~$2 billion worse then California's no matter how much you wish it weren't so or how much you lie about it.

[Ben Kenobi]

You are either a liar or stupid (or more likely both). The 2011 budget deficit is ~$25 billion [b]IF[/i] voters don't approve of the governor's effort to delay further tax cuts such as the 2% decrease in the state sales tax. You're not only clueless but you're also a liar. BTW that $25 billion figure is for 1.5 years not just 1 year. Get your ****ing facts straight, you fool.

If it's for FY 2011, how does that contradict my statement of 10 billion?

As for 'fair accounting', saying that the cuts needed will feel like 27 billion is just bull****. Without that massaging you get, 10 billion. Surprise that.

At least we all know that TX is kicking CA ass as usual. 45 vs 4? 19 vs 10? PWNT! And that's just projected, who knows what the final CA numbers will be.

[Dinner]

You are a hopeless liar who is not worth my time. You're perfect for Texas.