BEANS, AND THEIR COUNTERS

Bogie said it best in a certain movie set in North Africa.

"What happens with the HST doesn't amount to a hill of beans in this world."

Killing this offensive tax may or may not be fiscally imprudent. What do I am know? I am poor and stupid.

But, when all the accountants have gone back to the front nine and the snickering, chortling and gagging have drifted off into the fog, here is what we will remember.

An arrogant, out-of-touch Premier - his name was Gordon Campbell - made a colossal balls-up of introducing a new piece of legislation. You'd think he would have learned something after all those years in public life. But no. Like Napoleon driving into the snows of Russia, Campbell simply threw this affront to the masses. A pox on their ignorant houses. Take this, ye specks of dust!

Christy, who thinks she is so clever by a half, ran head first right into the oldest trap in the book: Be the next guy after the big mess. Get covered in someone else's goo.

Yes, the old tax may not be the greatest thing since the cell phone.

But for the suffering crowds, it is a huge and laughable pie in the face for those untouchable captains of government and industry.