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Rob Ford's Toronto

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A huge part of the problem is how complacent the media is in this town (with the exception of the newspapers [not the Sun]). The TV and radio news networks will report practically anything Ford says as an unchallenged fact. An example is how the media loves to play soundbites of Ford raving about how he's saved Toronto billions of dollars. After they play the soundbite, do they challenge the mayor at all and point out how that couldn't be further from the truth? Of course they don't. They move on to the next story. Now to the average Joe, who just came home from a long day of work and is watching the news, Ford saving Toronto billions of dollars is an undeniable fact. And I can't blame an average guy for coming to that conclusion. We can't expect everyone to go online to search the details of the municipal budget to see that Ford is completely lying when he says he's saved us billions of dollars. That's the responsibility of the news media, and it's something that they've completely failed at.

This is literally what I said earlier:
Literally at this point, anything that Ford says has been printed out in mainstream media loud and clear, with the truth quietly stated in the actual article. It's literally that people see what Ford says first, and the truth afterwards. And we know that this doesn't work, as CowboyLogic pointed out that people don't have the time/are mostly too lazy to go over the news. To change people's minds these days, you will literally need to state the truth right beside Ford's statements, simply and loudly (KISS). And the main area to battle him on is in finance and budgets, not Pride or bike lanes- you need to think like Ford's voters in order to change their minds. Defeating Ford is going to be a hard task if people don't step up to the plate, or simply give up and go elsewhere.

The fact that newspapers were so timid in challenging Ford allows his lies and half-truths to take root and spread. I'm constantly puzzled especially by the Globe, which seems almost reluctant to abandon Ford. And the result is Ford Nation.

Really:
Ford says something => newsapapers, tv & radio report it without disuputing his claims (aka simply reporting that Ford says he can save a billion dollars, Toronto has a lower operating budget, etc.) => people believe there is a grain of truth + Disillusionment with current political system) = Some people are absorbed by Ford's Sun-spun persona and become part of Ford Nation.

These people are really clinging onto the belief that Ford isn't part of the "system". Aka the conservative-manufactured "cartel" of unions, developers, special interest groups money wasters, corrupt politicians, etc.
 
Perhaps looking at Rob Ford as just another politician is part of the problem for those of us trying to figure out Ford Nation. Lately, I've been thinking that Ford's celebrity is just as - if not more - important than his ideology or competence as an elected official. Approached from this perspective, Ford Nation is just another overly-invested fandom whose devotion to their celebrity becomes an integrated part of their identity leading to normally outrageous behaviour and a willingness to excuse almost anything. It's akin to, say, those Chris Brown fans that have stuck by him even though there's no doubt that he's an abusive pig, or (to take it further) to those "Beliebers" who started cutting themselves for their star a while back.

And this goes for many of his detractors as well. He's tabloid fodder with every personal detail splashed out on the front page like some misbehaving starlet - a huge change from the usual hands-off approach the media takes to politicians' personal lives in this country. Scorning the man has become a form of recreation for a good chunk of the city, and the question often asked in these circles ("Who the hell votes for this guy?!") mirrors the whole "There are people who actually like Nickleback?!" thing - both in incredulous tone and in the not-so-subtle condemnation of everything the fan base stands for.

This is the only way I've been able to make sense of the Ford phenomenon.

Yah, well put. I personally like the evangelist and his cult... er, flock metaphor.
 
The man is like a god. I've seen people faces turn red with anger if you dare to say anything unflattering about Ford. It's bizarre.
There you have it. Ford Nation is very much like a religion in many ways. Many of us in UT are "Ford Atheists," in that we do not believe in Rob Ford. Many Ford Nationalists worship Rob Ford as if he were some messiah to take down the "evil libtards" and cannot take criticism of him at all.

The news media have been proselytizing the uneducated to worship Rob Ford.

The tenets of RobFordism include calling one's opponents "left of Stalin," worshipping private motor vehicles and subway trains as idols, demonizing LRTs, and such.

The Ford Nationalist flock are like Young Earth Creationists when it comes to facts and evidence.

Videos of Toronto City Council with Ford is very much similar to televangelism.
 
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Does a "Ford nation" fan site exist anywhere?
If Ford nation is the monolithic body of admirers that many posters on this thread would have us believe it is shouldn't there be evidence of such a group?
I suggest that the term is kept alive by Ford haters as a target for their invective when in fact they are just ordinary individual people with a life and no need to justify their political leanings or question anyone else about theirs.

I think most of the Ford haters on this thread should understand that they are preaching to an extremely small, almost insignificant, choir but it is a free country so knock yourself out.
 
"Ford Nation" is a term used frequently by the Fords. They use it as political capital, claiming there are all these people who speak to them with one strong voice supporting their work.
 
Yes, there's many such fan sites and pages, and it is obvious by reading them that supporting Ford's agenda is more of a dogmatic though contradictory belief system / fandom than a political affiliation.

Go to 'his' fb page (which I doubt he has ever been involved with) and you will find stuff like this written by his fans:

"Dear Mr. Ford. You are the worlds greatest mayor and even though I don't live in Toronto I consider you to be my mayor. See you at the fundraisers. Ford Nation will be there."

"Rob Ford is a positive guy, I love him, he's one of my favorite mayors I've ever lived under...................."

"Rob I love your determination and having the guts to stand your ground amongst the immature,pathetic, Liberal haters out there - Best Dam Mayor the City of Toronto has ever had ! ..Continue to stand your ground and wish you many more years of election windfalls !"

"Miserables are never happy. We can laugh to their face, though. There is nothing they can do. Honestly, I never met any pinko in my life here, or I could point my finger and laugh on them. Love to do it to them, losers."

"FORD NATION. A picture says a thousand words. The variety of people here proves he is the Mayor of the people. We will vote him in again in 2014. A billion dollars in savings, leftists cannot argue against it. The gravy train has taken its last trip. "

"Always showing as a very caring Mayor and even more decent human being with truth and morals Sending out prayers to Alberta and Calgary, I am grateful to have our Mayor, cares for the City and the People,clearly keep up the good work!!!!!"

"Dear Major, you have changed the culture of Toronto city council, in the past,what the council did, just increased the taxes and created all kind of taxes, you have scrapped driving license tax, hope you could eliminate the Land transfer Tax soon, these two taxes makes me feel shame to live in Toronto , as only Torontonian pays these taxes in the province."

"Stay focused. The truth will come out at the perfect moment . Thank you for being so strong in the face of such disheartening abuses, attacks upon your character, and insults being thrown at you. Doing good in a system deeply entrenched with nepotism and wasteful spending, is not easy. People are seeing their free ride taken away. TOO BAD. Keep up the good work. Lets keep putting the bad guys away, frustrating the freeloaders, and keeping the lions share of money in the hands of private law abiding citizens. Good Job."

"Keep driving efficiencies, kill the land transfer tax. We pay enough as it is! I was forced to move out of Toronto as it was unaffordable as it is - we don't need another $10K on average on top in taxes"

"Stay strong Mayor Ford. Ford nation is with you. We voted you in & we will again in 2014. We don't believe all the lies of the left. You've saved us a billion dollars since you've been in office. The left hate that you stopped their tax & spend gravy train. Adam Vaughan, Debearemaker, minen Wong, ainsilie, Carroll. They'll all get their answer in October 2014 when the hard working taxpayers of our beautiful Toronto put you back in office. And hoping that we get rid of all the lefties off your council so you can get some real work done. Like subways up to Scarborough & scrapping the land transfer tax. FORD NATION!!!"

"How come these bicycles travel on our roads without a license .. we have to pay for licenceto drive a car on the roads ,, why not them"

"Mr. R. Ford, I am with you 100%. The press is trying to do there best to do a "hatched-job" on you any which way they can. Hang in there as I am sure that it is taking a toll on you and your family . My heart and best wishes go out to you. And at present I have my own legal issues, all the best!!!"

"Perhaps friends of Olivia ------- are behind all this so you can be removed and she would become mayor with a election. Think about it Rob, this could be it. I think you are doing a fine job. Seems every once in a while someone tries to get you gone. I read on the web today how Olivia wants to become the mayor of Toronto. This could be what is behind all this. I think all these people complaining are just causing trouble because if there was an election you would win but if you were tossed out, you couldn't run and ------------- would get your job? Fight the good fight Mr. Ford. Everything was fine then up comes this, conspiracy perhaps?"

"I pay enough for gas, insurance and car payments. I suggest those who use the ttc should pay for the upgrades. Enough taxes"

Many of these have been replies to Ford facebook statements that are clearly not written by him, but rather by his social media staff.

Edit: I added a few more because they are just so incredible.
 
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Does a "Ford nation" fan site exist anywhere?
If Ford nation is the monolithic body of admirers that many posters on this thread would have us believe it is shouldn't there be evidence of such a group?
I suggest that the term is kept alive by Ford haters as a target for their invective when in fact they are just ordinary individual people with a life and no need to justify their political leanings or question anyone else about theirs.

I think most of the Ford haters on this thread should understand that they are preaching to an extremely small, almost insignificant, choir but it is a free country so knock yourself out.

If you want to go to the Sun messageboards and read comments on any robbie thread then come back and tell me they aren't evangelical, angry stupid people with no grasp of facts or reality and actually delight in robbie's scandals because they make lefty 'heads explode' I'd love to hear it.

Oh, and if you're going to try to make a point about the term Ford Nation, you might not want to repeat the term Ford Haters.

And only in robbie nation could more than half be extremely small and insignificant.
 
Does a "Ford nation" fan site exist anywhere?
If Ford nation is the monolithic body of admirers that many posters on this thread would have us believe it is shouldn't there be evidence of such a group?
I suggest that the term is kept alive by Ford haters as a target for their invective when in fact they are just ordinary individual people with a life and no need to justify their political leanings or question anyone else about theirs.

I think most of the Ford haters on this thread should understand that they are preaching to an extremely small, almost insignificant, choir but it is a free country so knock yourself out.

Yes, Ford Nation exists, as proven by the attendees at his festival- as typzed stated, it exists through Ford and the Toronto Sun's words. It exists on the webpages with those vitrolic McCarthy-esque comments on the Sun and National Post websites, as well as on Twitter and on Facebook. It exists not so blatantly as you see in the US, but more subtly, occasionally flaring up when politics are discussed. And it'll certainly manifest itself at the elections next year.

Here:
https://www.facebook.com/robfordtoronto/followers
https://www.facebook.com/LetFordBe
https://www.facebook.com/TorontoTaxpayersCoalition
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/07/18/st-lawrence-market-revamp-on-council-agenda#disqus_thread
http://forums.canadiancontent.net/canadian-politics/116828-rob-ford-fest-scarborough.html
http://www.freenorthamerica.ca/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9717
http://www.bloggingtories.ca/forums/topic11474-45.html
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/off-topic-f15/

Perhaps instead of constantly trying to belittle others who give Ford his well-deserved criticism on one of the few forums that discusses civics in the city of Toronto, you might find those communities up there a better fit. Or perhaps you could try following more buses to see if they're under capacity. Surely that would be a better use of your time.
 
There is no such thing as Ford Nation :rolleyes:

[video=youtube;KkKNaWEsM0k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkKNaWEsM0k[/video]

This banner was on top of a roof at the event:
FordNation-RespectForTaxpayers.jpg


Given the above image, I'd also like to point this out again. We're talking hundreds of millions of dollars:
mnMaj4L.png


And you (Spider) say there's no such thing as Ford Nation?
ThinkingGradualAwesome.gif
 
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