11 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
LogicFirst's avatar

This was an interesting article from a Canadian standpoint.

https://juliusruechel.substack.com/p/14-questions-about-the-51st-state

Expand full comment
Donna in MO's avatar

Wow, this is really well thought out and brings up some excellent questions.

"the Canadian government has grown so large that 44% of every dollar spent in Canada is now directly spent by the government, and that number rises to 64% when you factor in coerced spending (compliance costs, tax subsidies, spending mandated by regulation, etc.). And government employment has grown so large that 1 in 4 employed Canadians (25%) now works directly for one of the various branches of government (federal, provincial, and municipal) or in the multitude of bureaucratic institutions that keep the gears of government turning (for perspective, in the United States that number currently sits at around 14.5%)."

Even 14.5% is way too much! Go DOGE!!

Expand full comment
SB's avatar

And how much of that goes to their socialized medicine which is so awful people come here for medical care?

Expand full comment
Lori's avatar

MAGA, DOGE, MAHA

Expand full comment
Paula's avatar

About the same in the US, is my guess.

Expand full comment
Donna in MO's avatar

And it just occurred to me - this parallels the voting patterns in local elections in my city. The school district is the largest employer and they not only vote, but influence the vote of their family and friends, and they are by and large very liberal. School district (and city) employees are easily the largest voting bloc in our local elections and they are the reason we have a left leaning SB and City Council despite being a red-leaning city. Conservatives don't vote in local elections, and this is something I have been helping to fight for the last 7 years. It is the most frustrating thing ever, and needs to change.

VOTE in local elections, or the liberals will do it for you!!

Expand full comment
SB's avatar

I always vote! As Jeff says: Local! Local! Local!

Expand full comment
Pat Wetzel's avatar

Have you been following the property tax lawsuit that started in Texas? It's good reason for people to wake up and get involved. See https://www.youtube.com/@realestatemindset

Expand full comment
Donna in MO's avatar

No but we have our own going on in my county. Sadly there are now >26K properties delinquent on property taxes, some now due to a massive increase in assessed values in 2022, which raised tax bills - ours went up 42%! Over 50,000 appeals, some still wending their way through the process. I went door to door for 6 months for a friend who was running for county executive in 2022, telling people you are going to get walloped next year on your tax bill if you vote for the incumbent Democrat. Blue voters just wanted to know if she was a Trump supporter and/or pro-choice (neither of which has anything to do with County business) and she lost.

Expand full comment
Pat Wetzel's avatar

Also Sachs Realty on YouTube

Expand full comment
ViaVeritasVita's avatar

That was helpful. Thank you--esp. as daughter and her husband (and children) live "up there".

Expand full comment