What I Want From My Government

I think of myself as a free market socialist. Here's what I want from my government:

- Stay out of my life. It's not your business what I put into my body, or do/have in my home. However, if you ask politely, and have a legitimate reason, I'll gladly give your agents a tour.
- Stay out of my business. Unless it has a direct effect on public safety, what I sell and how isn't your concern. How I run my business and what I'm willing to pay is also none of your concern, unless I am doing evil, like defrauding my customers, employees, or tax collectors.
- Keep me safe. Give police and military the training and tools necessary to protect me from people who would do me and mine harm. Allow them to perform their function, and hold them accountable with fair consideration for the position they're in.
- Don't waste time and resources. Pass legislation that makes sense and has a purpose. Don't just pass laws to keep the media saying nice things about you.
- Educate me. Education certainly isn't my right, but it is an investment that will almost always pay huge dividends to the community.
- Keep me healthy. Also not a right, but definitely an investment in the community. I can't contribute if I'm ill or injured, so give me a boost.
- Tax me fairly, in a way that makes sense. Current taxation is far too complicated. How many resources are wasted in simply interpreting the policies and procedures?

Know What You're Voting FOR

I have noticed a trend floating around social media. Canadians are displeased with Stephen Harper. Every time someone posts something about the Liberals or the NDP, it says, "Vote for [insert party] because Harper..." This is very dangerous.

Everyone forgets that you can't vote against Harper. In fact, you can't vote against anyone or anything. You have to vote FOR someone. Who are you voting for, and why? You don't have to answer the question for me, you have to answer the question for yourself. If you can't answer that question without the word "Harper" in the answer, then you're voting for the wrong reasons.

Don't vote NDP because you're mad at Harper.
Vote NDP because you want higher taxes, believe there aren't bad guys hiding among the refugees that want into Canada, you want to spend $1 billion so rifle owners who already have licenses should have to register their rifles, and you believe the Canadian economy will flourish without primary industries like logging, oil, and food production. Everyone needs higher wages, not jobs!

Don't vote Liberal because you're mad at Harper.
Vote Liberal because you want to legalize weed, pay higher taxes, negotiate with people whose only desire is your death, and you also support higher taxes and a $1billion registry to tell police that licensed gun owners do, in fact, own guns.

Don't vote Green because you're mad at Harper.
Vote Green because you believe that Elizabeth May was the only one in Parliament to vote against the mission in Syria, not because she's wrong, but because she's the only one who isn't. Also, oil pipelines are bad because trains don't actually do any damage when they derail.

Please, vote Conservative. Then, call your MP and tell him/her why you almost didn't, so they don't piss you off again. Get involved. Speak to your representative once in a while. If that doesn't work, then vote for someone who will listen to your phone calls.