More angst than accuracy Pt 2

[Pt 2 has been long awaited, I am sure. It would have arrived sooner if not for a short vacation (hold on, 3 million photos to follow) and my dealings with a wonky computer while in Ottawa. I spoke to Prime Minister Harper about my problems and he said he’d get John Baird to deal with it right away. Right, I won’t hold my breath.]

Arn Brown deals in angst. Lots of it.

So much so that if he had even a half-decent accurate argument I’d be swimming in it too.

However, most of what Arn writes in a recent letter to the editor (Sept. 23, The Londoner) fails the sniff test.

He writes, or rants, take your pick:

“You turn on the light, HST;

you turn on the tap, HST;

you flush the toilet, HST;

you turn on the coffee maker, HST.

And the list goes on. Fourteen per cent on every aspect of life.”

I get the fact we pay HST on utilities such as hydro and water, but “every aspect of life” has to be described as a bit wonky, just like the computer I had to deal with in Ottawa recently.

When Arn continues with “every necessity, every activity, every action in your home is subject to HST” I suggest we not panic.

Yes, I may pay more for hydro in the future but, unless I do my gardening with an electric-powered hand trowel, my outdoor work around the house is exempt from the tax.

So is bird-watching from my back deck (And cat-watching. I do a lot of cat-watching while 6 or 7 local feline felons watch the birds). And so on. A lot of great things in life are still free, if you catch my drift.

Arn also goes on to describe the HST as a “killing tax. It is a brutal and smothering invasion of your home.”

Now, I’m not in love with the HST but “killing tax” is over-stating the matter.

The HST is a consumption tax, in my humble opinion, and rather than kill us, it will make us more aware of how we can conserve in 1,001 areas. (1,001 is short by half, not an over-statement).

If Arn wants to sleep easier at night he should unplug as many appliances as possible that use power while he sleeps, e.g., TVs, computers, radios. And use fewer appliances while awake.

If he hates HST on his water bill then he should conserve water at every opportunity. If he loves to wash his car in the driveway or set up sprinklers on his lawn he should stop doing so immediately. He should learn to take a 120 sec. shower.

If Arn is discouraged by HST on countless shopping items he should buy fewer items.

Sure, I sound harsh. But when he said “the excessive (government) spending and tax has to end” I thought of the excessive spending we all do at times, if not all the time.

We are now being called on our own excessive spending habits, and angst will be part of the drill for many.

Arn’s angst is but the tip of the iceberg, as many protests (i.e., to say NO to austerity) in Brussels (Sept. 29), Spain, Italy and Greece seem to attest.

Changing 60 - 65 years worth of bad habits won’t necessarily be fun to watch.

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