Coltaine79
Active Member
I don't follow.
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Rob Ford - Why the Supervillian?
- Thread starter T-Bor
- Start date
I don't follow.
GraphicMatt
Looking forward to a FRESH START for Toronto
Come on, you're smart enough to know that character, likeability, relatability, etc. are all things voters value when supporting candidates. Yes, on paper Pantalone's policies are similar to Miller, but has he done a great job thus far at communicating those same messages to voters in a way that they understand? Nope.
I don't know if all Ford supporters are 'dumb' - I think they're more reactionary than anything else.
kEiThZ
Superstar
Exactly. And that's why Rob Ford is doing well. People are fed up. And the other candidates just don't seem to get it. Neither apparently do some people on here, who seem to think that anybody voting for Ford is an ignoramus. Apparently voters being frustrated with the current political class just does not seem to occur to some.
I've been warning about this for a while. The thought of a Ford victory makes me shudder. But unless other politicians truly understand the concerns of the suburban crowd, there's a real possibility Ford could get the big chair very soon.
And it's not just things like the Transit museum. Take all the grants that are passed out for various ethnic community groups. Sounds nice in theory. But ask people in those ethnic communities, how many have seen the benefits of that money. And you'll get a different answer. Result? Many in those same ethnic communities see this funding as waste that goes to a select few and would rather see it directed towards more city-wide programs, but are loathe to criticize it, lest they be called out by their own. It's issues like this, that piss off the average suburban voter, who sees policies like this regularly and fails to make any connection with the benefit he/she receives. Once they think government is being wasteful, it's a very short step to connect with a constant critic of government waste.
It's not hard to defeat Ford. A fresh vision with a strong and sincere pledge to curb what the public perceives as 'wasteful' is all it takes. It's truly sad that the only candidate the public thinks is doing that is Ford.
GraphicMatt
Looking forward to a FRESH START for Toronto
A certain segment of the population is legitimately mad, sure, but I think a lot of it is that all the major candidates keep repeating the mantra that voters SHOULD be mad. So they are. And no candidate is ever going to be more attractive to an angry person than Angry Rob Ford.
As long as the prevailing narrative is corruption, waste, incompetence, taxes, etc. Ford's going to stay strong. Tell voters that the most important thing the next mayor needs to do is cut spending and waste, and of course people are going to say Rob Ford is the best guy to do that.
As long as the prevailing narrative is corruption, waste, incompetence, taxes, etc. Ford's going to stay strong. Tell voters that the most important thing the next mayor needs to do is cut spending and waste, and of course people are going to say Rob Ford is the best guy to do that.
Glen
Senior Member
The only role that you defined was one of someone to 'screw up the city. To which you said that " that you actually need a politician for that role". While I am usually last one to be in the position to correct grammar, as I might be the worst offender, I just thought it was funny.
should have read .....
Perhaps we need an anti-politician to screw up the city for 4 years, to prove to "middle Toronto" that you actually need a politician prevent that.
W. K. Lis
Superstar
There is much anger in the city. Now, release your anger by voting for Rob Ford. You do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join us. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the city. Join the dark side of city council.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
I'm likely voting Smitherman, since I can't stand the foul, combative, angry and loathsome character that is Ford. That said, I can see why his voters are convinced that their money is wasted at City Hall.
In the twelve years I've owned my house in Cabbagetown, my property taxes have consistently increased more than inflation. I'm not talking about the tax rate, but the tax bill amount. I don't care about increased value in the house, I'm not going anywhere, but I know that the property tax cost of living in it has increased, so the city is getting more of my money. Also, on-street parking fees and driveway widening fees have gone way up. Now we have to pay Miller taxes to registering our vehicles and pets. For those thinking of selling/buying, there's Miller's land transfer taxes. Meanwhile we've got Miller voting himself and the council a nice pay increase, and giving nice increases to the city workers beyond inflation. Councillors have their nice slush funds, and use public funds like their personal spending accounts. The 20 year monopoly given to a well placed family re. the restaurant in the Beach(es) demonstrates the lack of connection council has with its citizens. It's as if council is inviting someone to come in and clean house.
You can certainly nitpick and quote part of my list of taxable items above. Some would say, for instance that on-street parking and driveway widening should be discouraged through increased fees, etc. but my central point is that there is no one at city hall that is the champion for the taxpayer. Until one of the candidates can counter this belief by demonstrating that the city is spending wisely, and is well run, Ford will continue to rise in popularity.
That said, I do believe that come election time people will come to their senses, Ford will quickly fade like Barbara Hall, and Smitherman will take the crown.
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Roy G Biv
Senior Member
David Miller said:
oh snap
ladyscraper
man alive
One thing Ford supporters that I know keep telling me is that the city of Toronto is bankrupt... I don't want to argue with them without any facts but I would assume that the city is not even close to bankrupt..
does anyone have any hard numbers for me?
does anyone have any hard numbers for me?
W. K. Lis
Superstar
The Torontoist.com has an interesting bit on a TDSB-owned parcel of green space in Etobicoke. Residents in the area wanted the surplus land to become part of Etobicoke's Fairfield Park. You can read it at this link.
Does one thing (gives the impression that he supports acquiring green space from the Toronto School Board), but does the opposite (votes against it).
In mid-April, we attended the WRKA’s "Save the Greenspace" rally at Fairfield Park, and while Ford wasn’t able to make the festivities, he did send a contingent of his campaign workers to cook hot dogs, pose for photos, and distribute "Ford for Mayor" bumper stickers, which gave the impression that he supported the cause.
A Rob Ford volunteer posing with a "Ford for Mayor" bumper sticker during a photo op at the WKRA's "Save the Greenspace" rally on April 10, 2010.
Does one thing (gives the impression that he supports acquiring green space from the Toronto School Board), but does the opposite (votes against it).
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SlickFranky
Active Member
classic...what a knob
W. K. Lis
Superstar
Back in January, 2010, Etobicoke York Community Councillors voted unanimously to rename Weston Wood Park after the late MPP Douglas Ford (father of Etobicoke North Councillor Rob Ford). See this link for the article.
Maybe to appease Rob Ford, the city should sell Douglas Ford Park (aka Weston Wood Park) to developers for the money.
jn_12
Senior Member
How's your quality of life though? I've only lived in Toronto for 4 years now and honestly, if you've lived elsewhere and move here you'll be amazed at not just the services (my hometown of 50,000 people doesn't have a single community centre and I can count on one hand the number of parks in the city that aren't school yards) that are available but the quality of life people have here. Unfortunately, it means you have to pay taxes, but I'd be willing to wager that a substantial decrease in your taxes would result in a correspondingly substantial decrease in the quality of this city. it's none of my business how much you pay, but what percentage of what you currently pay would you deem fair considering the services you and other Torontonians receive? We also live in a country where we believe in a certain level of socialism, which I think we should be proud of. It's because of that that this city is very safe, welcoming and vibrant. I actually look forward to making enough money where I'll be able to own a house and in turn make my contribution. Even in the 4 years I've been here the city has grown immensely and i've seen my own quality of life go up simply because of the efforts of the city. Perhaps that sounds absurd to you, but go live in a place like Welland for a year (if you're not utterly depressed by it in a few months) and I guarentee you'll be thankful you're paying for such a city to exist.
Also, we're talking about a multi-billion dollar corporation and when you're dealing with something that large, there will always be extras thrown in the budget, but things like funds for councillor's offices are so minute in the grand scheme of things that they don't really even register and to be honest, I expect that some tax dollars (at every level) will go to things like, you know, pizza lunches to boost staff morale. This idea that you should get out exactly what you put in is so far from reality, yet so easy for those who are "champions of the taxpayer" to bleet that I kinda have to role my eyes at it whenever people or politicians bring up things like that.
EDIT: I'll add, I guess all of this makes me not understand what people are angry about. It's not like Toronto is a horrible place to live in, nor is it even close to it. Toronto is an awesome city to live in and from what I've seen the city seems to have taken considerable steps forward over the last ten years since amalgamation. I spent my summers here from 2004 to 2006 before moving here in 2007 and I've seen so much growth and so many improvements in those 6 years that I just don't understand the anger. Are people really that angry about a garbage strike and people making a decent living wage? I'm not. You know, every city has its issues, but ours are of the good kind and all stem from a desire to become a greater city. I'm pretty thankful that we don't have the issues of a Cleveland or a Detroit and so on. All the backlash just seems so contrived and someone from outside this city must think that this place must have become a shithole over the last couple years based on all this anger. I just don't get it.
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Torontovibe
Senior Member
See, this is what I'm talking about, when saying Ford is being disingenuous and duping people. He intentionally mislead these people into thinking he supported them but then he stabbed them in the back. How can anybody trust someone like that? If he was consistent and stood behind his principles, I'd at least have some respect for the man. I just really think Ford is completely self-serving and has no integrity what-so-ever.
I do understand why people are mad. I agree with Ford on things like the Beaches restaurant contract, as well as other issues but you can't use that frustration to justify voting in someone like Ford. No matter how mad you are, at some point, rational thought has to come into play. You might want to punish city council but at what cost to Toronto? How will this city even function with Ford as mayor? Don't people realize Ford has only one vote and he has alienated almost everybody else on council? How will anything get done if nobody else supports his ideas?
nfitz
Superstar
I just don't get the madness though.
Mad that our taxes are lower than most surrounding communities?
Mad that Miller has been reducing the histoically high commerical taxes?
Mad that the city budget is more stable than it was a few years ago (still got some to go though).
Mad that were are expanding transit for the first time in over a generation? While many North American cities have had to cut transit service even with increased usage?
Mad that Miller played hardball with the unions, and lengthened the last municipal strike?
Mad perhaps. Legitmately mad?
Personally I am irked at the favourtism that we still see for the suburbs, over the old areas of Toronto. Look at all this transit development. Barely anything for the old city. Some like to go on about the half-billion for Union Station ... but I don't think that counts, given that those that live in the old city don't really use it ... it's for the benefit primarily of 905 and suburban 416 residents.
Which candidate will end this bias against the old city?