Poilievre the liberal versus the corruption of the Left

 

Here is an article that popped up on my Google feed: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/14/pierre-poilievre-canada-conservative-leader-campaign/ 

I was surprised to see that someone with The Washington Post would be interested enough in the backwater of Canadian politics to empty his spleen over Pierre Poilievre, who might become PM if first he can win his party’s leadership race. I see that the author finds Pierre to be “particularly infuriating and reckless.” Apparently Poilievre’s offense is that he “is a market fundamentalist…He believes government is the problem….”  Well, isn’t it? Nope…..at least according to author David Moscrop who states that “we need long-term state solutions.”  I don’t know who “we” is, but I am not one of them.

Here is what the state has done for Victoria. We have here in the Capital Regional District a population of somewhere around 425k. So far in April (and we are only halfway through), we have seen the likely permanent closure of three walk-in clinics due to a chronic shortage of physicians. It seems that physicians are not motivated to work when the state has dictated that they shall be paid only $31 per visit for attendance upon patients. From these fees, a physician must pay overhead, typically running at around $7000 to $8000 or more per month.  

Look what’s happening in the residential rental market. Landlords found out that the government can unilaterally place a moratorium on rents when doing so might buy votes. This means that landlords now have to bake into their rents the risk that they may not be paid. So now landlords find ways of substantially increasing rents. Of course, many will likely choose to not be landlords and endeavor to repurpose the rental properties they own. Consequently, now we see, in this city and many others, rents that most wage earners cannot afford. Thank you, State.

The problem is with the Left, who presumptuously and erroneously chose to refer to themselves as progressive. My observation is that left leaning leaders and activists tend to think they know how to run your life better than you do. They want power. They want to overpower you into doing things the way they think they should be done. Effectively, they are bullies. They also tend to buy people’s votes with their own money and with money from whomever they can coerce it. The Austrian School economists --- people such as von Hayek, von Mises, and Rothbard --- and writers such as Hazlitt, saw and explained that the economy is the production and distribution of goods and services triggered by needs expressed by individuals who best know their own circumstances and aspirations. The price system, working in the context of property rights and voluntary exchanges, signals who needs what and how badly they need it. When government meddles in the economy, false price signals are sent, and production fails to respond to needs. So far as I can tell, Pierre Poilievre realizes this important truth and wants to enable people to take charge of their lives. At least he says he does, and I hope we give him the chance to prove it.

Liberalism is about freedom. Oxford sees it as “a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise.” The Liberal Party of Canada has long ago ceased being liberal as it races down the dark road to ethical bankruptcy and corruption of totalitarianism. Poilievre is the real liberal here.