Hi, guys. I've been lurking here for the past couple of weeks - this forum's been quite the balm for a Ford-hater such as myself - and figured I'd finally join in on all the "fun." Just thought I'd add one or two points.
Some of you appear to be genuinely stumped at the level of support Boss Hogg is still getting from his hardcore fanboys in Ford Nayshun, but I don't think it's really such a mystery. We're observing brute tribalism at work here. Look at the Tea Party/John Bircher types across the border, and how they give passes to their own thuggish darlings for things they'd want to crucify their political opponents for doing. The Republican Party really should have "Do As I Say, Not As I Do" inscribed on a golden plaque and hung above Party Headquarters. And it's much the same with the angry, resentful, mean fuckers who adore Rob Ford. Just as the growing sadism (and even out-and-out crazyness) is part of the appeal for the far right nuts who vote for increasingly fascistic 'conservatives' across the border, the overgrown schoolyard bully routine is a winning feature for those who find themselves drawn to Ford...as long as the bullying isn't directed at them, of course.
Nobody would accuse Ford of being the brightest bulb in the box, but he has an innate, low-born animal cunning that's served him fairly well until just recently, and a demagogue's natural instinct on how to successfully pander to his audience. He's done a genuinely good job in convincing these people he's one of them, even though he's not; his wealth and pampered, privileged background would certainly see to that if nothing else would. But they think he is, and perversely enough, they're not entirely wrong in ways that actually count: The meanness, the anti-intellectualism, the anger, cultural resentments, undisguised homophobia, mild (with hints of not-so-mild) racism, the pig-ignorant-and-proud-of-it qualities, the need for "enemies" or some easily-identified scapegoat "other" that you can stomp on in order to feel better about your own (often quite barren and empty) life - none of which Ford is faking for a minute, IMO - all make him an acceptable spokesman for this particular mindset. Pointing out reality to such a person doesn't really make much of a dent; they want to believe in their figureheads. Since they identify with them so completely, criticiizing a creature like Ford is like criticizing them personally, which is nothing short of blasphemous to them: "How dare you fuckin' eleitists tell me what to do!" You can point out that Ford is an elitist himself because of his wealth, but that won't work. They approve of Ford's wealth, it's what they'd wish for themselves, and it's part of what makes him such an appealing fantasy figure. "He's rich, but he's just like us. Isn't that wonderful?"
And this crowd, above all else, is prideful. They're not going to want to admit they were wrong about Ford. The hardcore true believers are likely to go on kissing his gigantic ass right up till the bitter end. Until some new revelation bubbles up that's so damaging even they can't ignore it. Which might well happen.
As for all the speculation about Slob and Thug's ties to organized crime, I think it's worth pointing out that really successful criminals tend to be on the culturally conservative side of the ledger. These men consider themselves to be businessmen, after all, and such types generally prefer to have the trains run on time. Looked at in such a light, there's not so much cognitive dissonance between the Fords' Law 'N' Order posturing and the sort of secret criminality we're currently discussing here. Though if you were to ask either brother (or any of thier immediate family members, especially Mother Diane), they'd likely screech, "It's perfectly ok if I do it!"
