Rob Ford's Toronto

[James_D]

I don't see why it matters anymore if Rob is at the office or not. All his powers that could possibly be taken away have been taken away. We wanted him to resign or take time off. Kelly is handling the business of the city. Those of us who oppose Ford should be consistent on this. It's better that he's not there - he's just an impediment and a distraction when he is. Yes, focus in the campaign on the fact that Ford when he was fully mayor wasn't working full days, that he was instead coaching football and hanging out in the woods getting high like a teenager. But tracking his whereabouts now is nothing more than paparazzi detail.

It matters because it further demonstrates that rob and doug are a pair of lying hypocrites.

 

[GeekGirl]

I don't see why it matters anymore if Rob is at the office or not. All his powers that could possibly be taken away have been taken away. We wanted him to resign or take time off. Kelly is handling the business of the city. Those of us who oppose Ford should be consistent on this. It's better that he's not there - he's just an impediment and a distraction when he is. Yes, focus in the campaign on the fact that Ford when he was fully mayor wasn't working full days, that he was instead coaching football and hanging out in the woods getting high like a teenager. But tracking his whereabouts now is nothing more than paparazzi detail.

In practical terms you are right, it doesn't matter. But, Ford Nation believes the bullshit that Ford is a hard working councillor with a better rate of attendance than any other mayor (right!). The media needs to keep making the connection between his drugs and booze and his no shows at work. Actually, you know what? Ford Nation doesn't care anyways. Ford Nation is a Isle of dimwits whose main purpose in supporting Ford is to piss people off. Lets forget these clowns too.

 

[TOvp]

I don't see why it matters anymore if Rob is at the office or not...But tracking his whereabouts now is nothing more than paparazzi detail.

It matters because the electors who elected him to represent Toronto, to be the public persona of their city have every right to know where and when he is doing his public duties.

 

[dforthandbview]

I think Jon Stewart said it best. "Let him be your country's super". Let's just let him look at apartment buildings all day and leave the other stuff to someone else.

 

[newearthling]

I don't see why it matters anymore if Rob is at the office or not. All his powers that could possibly be taken away have been taken away. We wanted him to resign or take time off. Kelly is handling the business of the city. Those of us who oppose Ford should be consistent on this. It's better that he's not there - he's just an impediment and a distraction when he is. Yes, focus in the campaign on the fact that Ford when he was fully mayor wasn't working full days, that he was instead coaching football and hanging out in the woods getting high like a teenager. But tracking his whereabouts now is nothing more than paparazzi detail.

We are paying him $160 000 a year to do nothing. I hope he gets hounded every day until he resigns.

 

[tiffer24]

It matters because the electors who elected him to represent Toronto, to be the public persona of their city have every right to know where and when he is doing his public duties.

It also matters because he is running again and our silence gives him credibility...

 

[RoboHobo]

Actually, you know what? Ford Nation doesn't care anyways. Ford Nation is a Isle of dimwits whose main purpose in supporting Ford is to piss people off. Lets forget these clowns too.

That's basically it.

I have unionized workers at my hotel (I am non-union) who love Rob Ford because he "is one of us" and "wants to get rid of the gravy train". When I point out that he is as anti-union as they come, demonstrated by privatizing garbage, and if he were in charge here that a 25% pay cut would be underway to the union's living wage, eyes glaze over due to the logic bomb I had just dropped. 95% of the unionized workers are immigrants.

Ford's ant-gay rhetoric also plays well with a surprisingly large group of people.

 

[rutefoot]

Out of curiosity, are you a parent? I assure you that I've talked to my child about city government (you know, how governments work, how taxes work, why a budget is a concrete manifestation about what we think is important, what we expect from politicians - silly things like that), and specifically about Rob Ford.

We've all been rightfully critical of Ford dragging his family into his mess. Bringing kids to a city hall sit-in could be viewed similarly by the right. We can be better than that; we don't need to use kids as props.

Perhaps there's some good reasons to bring the kids down there. I mean, it's always great to get young people interested in politics. But perception is everything. The right could turn around and use this as ammunition in their constant attempts to dismiss criticism about the mayor.

 

[justindw]

We've all been rightfully critical of Ford dragging his family into his mess. Bringing kids to a city hall sit-in could be viewed similarly by the right. We can be better than that; we don't need to use kids as props.

Perhaps there's some good reasons to bring the kids down there. I mean, it's always great to get young people interested in politics. But perception is everything. The right could turn around and use this as ammunition in their constant attempts to dismiss criticism about the mayor.

I did not see an answer to my question. Are you?

Yes, kids (some of them) are pretty upset about the budget cuts to things that, really, kids use (libraries, parks, recreational programs). They have a stake in this. Is there any reason I should be worried about the "right" that you mention?

I am sorry to hear that there are those who view "participating in democracy" as "being props". I'm not, however, really going to suggest people change their actions based on the views of those people.

 

[PinkLucy]

Kids can be proactive. Perhaps coming to City Hall was their idea. Who says they're being used as props?

Or perhaps these parents were sick and tired of trying to answer their children's legitimate questions about the mayor.

 

[kbdid]

Then again, isn't Ford still hosting odd school trip in his office? I agree that dragging young kids down to City Hall makes it look like parents are pushing it, but kids at about aged 10 or 11 are going to be all over the topic. I'd like to see some stable, democratically-inclined teens take a go at him.

 

[betty183]

Does anyone know who makes the Ford Nation Rebuttal videos on YouTube?

 

[ahm]

there's a difference between bringing your children in, as a politician, to excuse your behaviour or as a blatant ploy to distract from what you have done or propose to do, and bringing your children to city hall to engage them in municipal politics. after all, how much criticism did Miller receive for not running in the 2010 election because he wanted to see his children more?

give these kids some leeway for perhaps being interested in this subject, and not just a prop for their parents' political agenda. the kind of parent who would do a sit-in protest in front of the mayor's office is likely the kind of parent who has brought up an intelligent kid who is politically active.

 

[John_Dee]

Whatever happens, I want him and any faith people placed in him thoroughly discredited. Otherwise, he'll get a show on Talk Radio or a ghostwritten column in the Sun, other Fords will run for government and their poison of division, blame, negativity, simple solutions and lies will drag on the city for years. He's a celebrity now - not going to go away unless he and his family are fully disgraced.

All very true, but the stakes here are bigger than the ultimate fate of just one corrupt clan of hillbilly small-time bullshit artists. In retrospect, the most shocking thing about the entire sorry situation is just how open to abuse our system was...and still is.

It's obvious with 20/20 hindsight (rather painfully so, in fact), but the thing that's so genuienly surprising here - and the one that's truly gob-smacked observers from other countries, as we've seen - is just how ripe for the plucking Toronto was for the first Rush Limbaugh-style demagogue to come sliming along. And moreover, one whose subsequent behavior would have gotten him the boot a dozen times over in any number of other settings. Here in Toronto, though, he simply, stubbornly refuses to leave, and he's allowed to not only get away with it, but to do whatever the hell he damn well pleases in the meantime. It's mind-boggling. Especially, as the man under discussion is such a crass, boorish, ignorant-and-proud-of-it, out-and-out moron. He was indulged far longer and far later than he should have been, and even now, he's being treated with kid gloves to a large extent. It's infuriating, but it's also a train-wreck of epic proportions. Little wonder that so many people are riveted by the spectacle. I never expected to see such a thing in this city, and I feel foolish as all get out for such naivete; knowing what I do now, it actually seems inevitable that something like this would have happened sooner or later.

Since he slithered into the Mayor's office, the so-called 'opposition' to Ford has absolutely sickened me with its weakness, cowardice and unwillingness to take the harsh steps necessary to combat such a man. As anyone who's ever gone to grade school could tell you, the only response creatures like Rob and Doug Ford understand is pushback. But the situation is now well beyond the two scumbags. If Ford is allowed to get away with all the shit he's pulled, then I suspect the floodgates will be well and truly open: Any nut, any self-serving liar, any political extremist, any snake oil salesman or grifter, or just plain old vindictive crank who can get their talons on sufficient funds to run for office will feel empowered to do so. This could just be the beginning.

So, yeah, Slob and Thug need to be taken down, and taken down hard.

 

[rutefoot]

Out of curiosity, are you a parent? I assure you that I've talked to my child about city government (you know, how governments work, how taxes work, why a budget is a concrete manifestation about what we think is important, what we expect from politicians - silly things like that), and specifically about Rob Ford.

I did not see an answer to my question. Are you?

Yes, kids (some of them) are pretty upset about the budget cuts to things that, really, kids use (libraries, parks, recreational programs). They have a stake in this. Is there any reason I should be worried about the "right" that you mention?

I am sorry to hear that there are those who view "participating in democracy" as "being props". I'm not, however, really going to suggest people change their actions based on the views of those people.

I'm a big believer in principle but sometimes it conflicts with results. If Doug goes on the air and complains about the left using kids as props and his brother's support raises another 5%, is principle worth it? Yes, Doug would be a hypocrite and those who threw their support behind Rob would be wrong to do so. But in the end we're left taking a step backwards in getting this guy out of office.