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Editor: I have reached the conclusion that the vast majority of Conservative politicians cannot be religious.  While some may start out with good intentions, they soon become part of the pack mentality. They quickly learn to cheat, lie, defame others, and act in greedy and other dishonourable manners. They do anything to hold onto power and thus advance their individual fortunes.

Nowhere is this clearer than with the Republican party in the U.S. and the Conservative party in Canada. The actions of the Republican party speak for themselves, and the Conservatives follow suit here in Canada.

The Conservatives have reduced revenue by: reducing the GST (the only fair tax — and the reduction primarily benefited those with more disposable income); giving huge tax breaks to corporations (again benefiting the rich); income splitting to benefit the well-to-do; and myriad other tax breaks which can only be used by the well-off.

To offset this lost revenue, the Stephen Harper Conservatives have: cut support to the Canadian Forces; ignored our veterans; reduced CPP benefits for pensioners;  ignored the working poor; done very little for single parents; basically kicked the infrastructure can down the road; ignored the problems of indigenous peoples; and done nothing for the homeless or children who go to bed hungry. Of course, none of their children or grandchildren will be hungry.

What a way to balance a budget. Rob the poor to give to the rich. The sad thing is that the Conservatives are aware that only a small percentage of the poor or homeless vote, so they only have to satisfy the well-to-do who vote in droves because of tax breaks. And students and younger people know what’s wrong but still don’t vote.

I guess the old saying that I am not my brother’s keeper now applies in this  country. It now apparently lacks our forefathers’ Christian values.  If I was one of the politicians (or voters) who support  these policies and I considered myself to be religious (believing in the afterlife and hell), I would be afraid – very afraid.

Patrick MacDonald,

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