Shooting The Hippo by Linda McQuaig
Linda McQuaig's most recent book, "Shooting the Hippo" is about the causes and results
of the debt. It is a look at both the factual causes and the arguments which are merely
presented to us through the various elements of the media. McQuaig delivers an
insightful overview of the extensive media coverage which has bombarded us over the past
few years. "With the excitement of a mystery writer, McQuaig tells the real story
behind the debt." . This book explains the history of the deficit myth, and enables
people such as myself who are not experienced in these types of problems to get to the
heart of the arguments presented so frequently about our financial situation. I found her
book an inspiration which will hopefully help us all to devote ourselves to the enormous
challenge which we will face in the future. We are responsible to inform and educate
ourselves, our friends, our families and neighbours in the difficult days ahead.
To explain McQuaig's title I'll briefly describe the beginning of the "mystery." A baby
hippo, born in a zoo, is to be shot because of recent government cutbacks which leave
nothing to feed or care for the hippo. This image grabs the attention of the reader and
leads to numerous other examples which McQuaig uses to break down the popular myths about
the deficit. McQuaig, determined to expose one by one, several of the current myths
about the state of the Canadian economy, backs up her arguments with interviews and
publications. These include: a chief statistician at Statistics Canada who has been
working on the statistics of social spending since the middle '60s; the man at Moody's
bond rating service in New York who is in charge of setting the credit rating on our
federal debt; and noted economists, among others.
The book goes on in its investigation as to why the recession in Canada was the worst of
the world's most powerful nations. It is noted that if there is a simple way to explain
the reason for most of the recession then it will in turn account for most of the
increase in the debt. McQuaig also presents a bit of history of banking, monetary
systems, and the struggle of the conflicts between the rich minority and the rest of us.
All of this is presented in a very readable and interesting manner.
McQuaig asks an intriguing question to all of us. Are we prepared to see our social
programs sacrificed in order to reduce the deficit? Our political figures would have us
believe that there is quite simply no other option but to give them up, a view which
McQuaig effectively destroys in the 285 pages of this book. In the end, McQuaig warns us
not to let our achievements as a society be sacrificed in the name of deficit reduction.
Her fear is that we, as a society will not be able to find the determination needed in
order to succeed.
Over the past few years it has been nearly impossible to open a newspaper without seeing
an article on the deficit. The subject of the deficit has been terribly misunderstood,
and it continues to be one of our largest problems. McQuaig delivers the message, which
is consequently backed up by her interviews, that the deficit is not caused by social
spending. Contrary to popular belief McQuaig argues that we are no where near hitting the
"debt-wall". She delivers and backs up the argument that fighting the recession, rather
than eliminating social programs, would do the most in the attempt to eliminate the
deficit.
McQuaig criticizes the media's uncanny ability to deliver only half the story, and in
doing so points out that the media has created a negative image of spending on certain
social programs. In reality, spending on social program has not contributed much at all
to the increase in deficit. This is according to a study put out by Statistics Canada.
McQuaig relates that Hideo Mimoto, chief of the social security section, who in fact
wrote the study, shows that increases in social spending have done very little to
nothing at all in terms of increasing the federal debt. The wrong suspects are being
brought in for questioning. Unemployment insurance, which is portrayed so poorly in the
media, has created only one percent of debt growth. In comparison one of the largest
weights on the deficit was police, military and prison spending. McQuaig delivers the
message that if people were really concerned about chipping away at the debt wall, they
would be cutting back on police and prisons. McQuaig effectively presents arguments
which give impressive evidence that we are continually being misled by the people in
power.
I believe this book has been an important step for me in considering the future of our
country. It is my generation who will benefit from McQuaig's detective work. McQuaig
delivers her findings and her opinions in a clear and concise manner. Her book is well
written and is a refreshing change to the one sided arguments that are delivered by our
corporate leaders. McQuaig effectively analyzed the problem of the deficit in a book
that was easy to read because of its voice. At no point did I feel that McQuaig was
speaking on an elevated level. She was truthful and if an opinion was voiced it was also
proven. McQuaig delivers the problem as she sees it after all the misleading information
delivered from others, has cleared away. She poses certain solutions, some of which are
unrealistic, such as her suggestion for less police and military funding, and some of
which make terrific sense. She points out that the "powers that be" are not interested
in open debate, perhaps they fear they will be contradicted. In the end, I feel this a
worthwhile piece of work, it has broadened my understanding of the deficit as well as my
understanding that just because somebody holds the power doesn't mean that they are doing
good.
This book helped explain to me the history of the deficit, and enabled me to get to the
heart of the arguments, without having to weed through a lot of high power terms, that
usually through me for a loop. I have learned we are responsible to inform and educate
ourselves, our friends, our families and neighbours on the road to a solid economical
future.
Bibliography
1. McQuaig, Linda. Shooting The Hippo. Toronto: Penguin Books Canada Ltd., 1995.
2. Stockley, Les. Http://www.wordplay.com:80/books/newreleases/shooting.html
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