Rob Ford's Toronto

[nfitz]

Why would you want to do this?

Why wouldn't you want council to take away the extra powers they've granted the mayor?

Congratulations! You've just Godwinned the thread.

Ford was compared to Hitler back in this thread in 2010, only a few days after taking the oath of office. And it also happened a few times in 2011. I'm not sure you can Godwin a thread that has had several Nazi and Hitler references already.

Godwin's law was originally in reference to to Internet discussions about non-political discussions. The point was every discussion if long enough would go that way. Clearly discussion about a maniacal, alcoholic, bigoted, right-wing leader, who is acting like a tin-pot dictator, might be more likely to go that way sooner - and yet the thread survives, without dwelling in this.

Surely though, Andersen references are more apt here than Hitler references.

 

[Silence&Motion]

I can't figure out if he's doing this purely out of spite (bad) or if he truly believes that what he's doing is in the best interest of the city (worse). In either case, IMO, council can't act quickly enough to shut him out of every decision making process they can.

In fairness to Ford and the council's right wing, they truly do believe that Rob Ford's landslide victory was a clear rejection of the Miller administration and everything it stood for. They saw Miller as a ruthless bully himself who forced through his agenda without ever receiving a strong endorsement from the city as a whole. They reject the fact that Miller's agenda ever had a strong mandate to begin with, since Miller was initially elected on an anti-corruption campaign and with a minority share of the votes, and then reelected against a weak opponent. They believe that most Torontonians, like they themselves, sat on the sidelines during the Miller administration, fuming over the "radical" left-wing policy initiatives being pushed through but being unable to stop them.

This is why the council's right-wing is so frustrated. They feel that they have a clear mandate and strong public support to undo all of Miller's policies, but because of meddling Miller-era bureaucrats and narrow-minded councilors, they have been unable to accomplish this goal. As long as they believe (mistakenly, in my opinion) that they represent a majority of Torontonians even if they are only a minority of council, they will continue to act aggressively and erratically and paying little attention to the collateral damage they are producing.

 

[ttk77]

In fairness to Ford and the council's right wing, they truly do believe that Rob Ford's landslide victory was a clear rejection of the Miller administration and everything it stood for. They saw Miller as a ruthless bully himself who forced through his agenda without ever receiving a strong endorsement from the city as a whole. They reject the fact that Miller's agenda ever had a strong mandate to begin with, since Miller was initially elected on an anti-corruption campaign and with a minority share of the votes, and then reelected against a weak opponent. They believe that most Torontonians, like they themselves, sat on the sidelines during the Miller administration, fuming over the "radical" left-wing policy initiatives being pushed through but being unable to stop them.

This is why the council's right-wing is so frustrated. They feel that they have a clear mandate and strong public support to undo all of Miller's policies, but because of meddling Miller-era bureaucrats and narrow-minded councilors, they have been unable to accomplish this goal. As long as they believe (mistakenly, in my opinion) that they represent a majority of Torontonians even if they are only a minority of council, they will continue to act aggressively and erratically and paying little attention to the collateral damage they are producing.

I have no problem with council's right wing. Financially I consider myself to be right of centre and do believe that it's time Toronto do some belt tightening. The swing of control between the builders and the bean counters is required for the long term health of our society.

It is Ford that I have a problem with. He is not a true fiscal conservative, nor does he have the brains or social skills required to perform in his current job. Even when he had the support of council he was a dismal failure at producing any meaningful savings for the city. The best long term savings come from increased efficiency through careful examination of process and procedure, not through the slash-and-burn tactics favoured by the mayor. He is interested only in axing as much government as possible, not in actually saving money.

Council's right wing will be far more effective without the Ford brothers weighing them down.

 

[Silence&Motion]

Council's right wing will be far more effective without the Ford brothers weighing them down.

You can't just blame Ford for these problems. Ford can only act insofar as he gets support from council's right-wing. Anyone can talk about belt tightening on the campaign trail, but once they're in power they have their political goals to accomplish just like the left-wing, and accomplishing political goals often means spending money.

 

[ttk77]

You can't just blame Ford for these problems. Ford can only act insofar as he gets support from council's right-wing. Anyone can talk about belt tightening on the campaign trail, but once they're in power they have their political goals to accomplish just like the left-wing, and accomplishing political goals often means spending money.

I can, and do, blame Ford for these problems. He was elected on a mandate of belt tightening, and it was council's responsibility in my opinion to support him in that mandate and give him a chance to reach those goals. He has been unable to do so, and it does not appear that his tactics will ever produce. He has had his chance and its time to move on. If the right wishes to continue to pursue their cost cutting mandate, it only makes sense that they should abandon the mayor and try to form a coalition around a councillor who can produce the required consensus. This appears to be what is happening.

Our mayor may be useless and ineffectual, but the process is working to route around him.

 

[Paleo]

Why do people keep referring to 47% as a landslide?

 

[PinkLucy]

McGuinty is getting ticked: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/02/21/toronto-ttc-dalton-mcguinty_n_1291397.html?1329851723

 

[EMP1729]

^^^
Maybe premier dad, Dalton, should send "little" Robbie to his room for a time-out.

 

[Ak2809]

It is Ford that I have a problem with. He is not a true fiscal conservative,

I don't believe fiscal conservatives actually exist. We hear the same rhetoric constantly about how lefties are spend spend spend, and yet when we elect conservative parties to power they do the same thing.

I voted for Ford based on his record of being responsible with taxpayers dollars. I've since come to regret it, and will never vote for another conservative.

 

[gabe]

People who voted for Ford are surprised he turned out to be such a train wreck!! Did you guys completely ignore his track record as councillor when you voted for him?

 

[MetroMan]

I voted for Ford based on his record of being responsible with taxpayers dollars. I've since come to regret it, and will never vote for another conservative.

^ As much as I want to say "I told you so" and "You were naïve", I just hope that there are another 379,277 like you.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

People who voted for Ford are surprised he turned out to be such a train wreck!! Did you guys completely ignore his track record as councillor when you voted for him?

Do you actually think people who voted for him did actual research!?!?!? Most people I know who voted for Ford did so because he had the most lawn signs and he had catchy slogans.

 

[Voltz]

I don't believe fiscal conservatives actually exist. We hear the same rhetoric constantly about how lefties are spend spend spend, and yet when we elect conservative parties to power they do the same thing.

I voted for Ford based on his record of being responsible with taxpayers dollars. I've since come to regret it, and will never vote for another conservative.

I'm just curious what was it that made you think he was responsible with taxpayer money? Because all I saw was a buffoon who had no clue what he was doing.

 

[spider]

Do you actually think people who voted for him did actual research!?!?!? Most people I know who voted for Ford did so because he had the most lawn signs and he had catchy slogans.

Most people I know voted for Ford because he was the 180 degree opposite of Miller.

 

[BobBob]

I think most people voted for Ford because he told them they were being ripped off, which people love to hear. "You're richer than you think."
Some others voted for him because he said he was going to build subways.
Some others voted for him because the other guy was gay.

All of the above are fools, and there is a cost that the city must pay for having so many fools.