Seniors Get a Break – The Rest of Us Don’t
August 11, 2004 · By H. Cameron
With a provincial election almost a certainty this fall, the Alberta government is expected to go on a spending spree – dumping cash and privilege on those demographics that will provide the governing party, the Progressive Conservatives, with the biggest payoff. It appears this week it’s going to be the senior citizens,
Alberta seniors to get break on health care
EDMONTON — In a move criticized as a “cynical” pre-election ploy, the Alberta government intends to eliminate health-care premiums for all seniors, pay part of their optical and dental care and increase the thresholds of a low-income benefit plan.
I’m cynical of the program not because the government is obviously trying to gain favour with a group that tends to vote in large numbers, but because the handout is targeting a group of individuals who, in my opinion, don’t need it. Low income seniors are already exempt from paying healthcare premiums, so by eliminating premiums for all seniors, regardless of income, the government is basically favouring those seniors who can easily afford to pay the premiums.
It’s a slap in the face to all those individuals who don’t have the pleasure of being over 65.
Now if Conservatives decided to give us all a big fat tax break – maybe lowering the provincial income tax to 8% – I might change my tune.
What gets me is the fact that the young people of this country are again footing the bill for services they may never use in their lifetime. As a mid-twenty year old, I am concerned that by the time I am old/sick enough to benefit from the money I dump into healthcare or Canada Pension or whatever else my tax dollars are paying for, there won’t be any money left! The seniors have contributed the least but are gaining the most. What is wrong with this picture?
Hehe, wow I had no idea that’s what I was really saying…”kill all old people” and “they don’t deserve anything”! Thank you Hawk for pointing out my fascist liberal ways. What I don’t understand is how you got “liberal” out of what I’ve said, but hey it is fairly obvious that you see only what you want to see.
“If you want money go get off your @SS and earn it…” How can you assume that I am sitting on my @$$ and not earning money? That is the very problem because in this country, the more you earn the more you pay. It is those that sponge off the system that gain the most for the least. This is not a liberal idea by the way.
“those old people worked most of their lives so give them a break, they paid for your education, your health care, your everything with their tax dollars, so stop this selfish whining when they get some back =p.” Where exactly are you getting this from? I recall paying a pretty penny for my ever-increasing tuition. I also recall working throughout my university career, paying taxes on my earnings and paying healthcare premiums and I’m not getting any breaks. I would be interested to see how much these “old” people as you call them, actually contributed and taken out of the system versus what I’ve contributed and taken out of the system.
And in conclusion, as a tax-payer and a voter, I have every right to complain about how the government spends MY money, regardless of the party! I wouldn’t blindly follow any political party without questioning their actions.