TAXES AND GOVERNMENT

Read the following press statements carefully
1. "The government is spending more that a quarter of a billion dollar on the B.C. homeowners grant.
2. " And then the government hands out another $733 million in tax relief, much of it to homeowners.
3. "The biggest oil companies in Canada are projected to receive more in corporate tax cuts than what the government plans to spend on green initiatives'

Now please think carefully about the mental image and conclusions you reach.
Perhaps it is somewhat along one of the following lines.
- The government is spending too much.
- The government is spending too much on bad ideas
- The government is spending money on homeowners
- The government is spending too much money on oil companies

All of the quotes are from the press with minor modifications to protect the guilty.

I strongly suspect that very few are aware of the subtle brain washing that is going on.

There are two broad views of government. Here greatly simplified.
Society should be the focal point of our goals.
Individuals should be the focal point of our goals.

Note that in all 3 instances the press adopts the view that the government is entitled to all, most, or a great deal of wealth and that from that wealth they dole out largess. Is this bias deliberate? Has the bias impacted your view? Have you succumbed to brainwashing.

An alternative view is that in all 3 instances the government is simply not taking away as much.

A press with the alternative bias that the government is not entitle to all, most or a great deal would say.
1a The government has reduced its take from homeowners.
2a The government has reduced its tax grab, much of it from homeowners.
3a The large oil companies are at last granted relief from high taxation.

A relatively neutral press would simply report facts.
1b The home owner grant was increased.
2b Taxes were reduced in a number of areas and the home owner grant was increased.
3b Tax rates on the largest oil companies were reduced.

Moral of the story, be alert for subtle bias in newspaper reports. I am told TV news is even worse.