If only I would talk more about over-taxation! Well here goes. I found this interesting in John Ivison's column today (subscriber only).
...party sources suggest these are only a warm-up for more broad-based tax cut announcements planned after Christmas to tap into what the Conservatives hope will be a growing sense of economic disenchantment among middle class voters. The party's research suggests that 85% of voters see themselves as middle-class and 95% think of themselves as over-taxed.
There were two key qualifiers in that statement. One was "Conservatives hope" and the other is "party's research".
However, as Greg from Sinister Thoughts has pointed out, Liberal strategists like Tom Axworthy are promoting that the Liberals should offer a very large tax relief plan to protect their right flank. This is the same Tom Axworthy who called for the NDP Coalition Hail Mary weeks before the Liberals effectively pulled it off. All of this is good news for all us 85% stuck in the middle. If the next election is fought on who can offer better tax relief to Canadians then no matter who wins things could work out well for Canadians looking to keep a little of their own hard earned money.
This brings me to another point well brought up by Sinister Thoughts Greg. There is a danger in conservatives saying a vote for the NDP is a vote for the Liberals as it may convince people to go ahead and vote Liberal. However is tax relief does become a key issue that the opposite characterization may become important. If tax relief is your top of mind issue and you are a blue grit you have a choice to make in who to vote for. More to the point, which minority is more likely to get you these tax breaks. If the combined Liberal-NDP seat count is above 155 don't count on any relief when NDP Leader Layton re-writes another budget. Whereas a CPC minority, with the Liberals needing a break to pick a new leader, would be much more likely to enact breaks. In this sense, a vote for the Liberals is a vote for the NDP.
