JWBF
Senior Member
Blah, blah, blah...
Hi Dave!
(sorry, but it seems you are stuck in 2010, and with the requisite diversionary practises.)
Blah, blah, blah...
What your saying is that Toronto want straight forward talk.
I agree. People want someone they can have a beer with. Chow and Miller were not that.
I don't know if Ford will win again, but I do know that "One City" will only increase his chances. Mark my words. I'm going to bet Chow drops this halfway into the campaign and starts attack ads.
I think you might be partially wrong, though I'd agree that "One Toronto" probably won't be enough to win the election for Chow by itself. I do believe that a successful campaign against Ford needs to emphasize that a key part of Chow's mission and vision for Toronto is to connect all the diverse and far-flung corners of the city, through hard infrastructures like public transportation (that is properly planned, I pray) but also through more nebulous processes like collectively defining a direction for the city.
Ford doesn't appear to have a vision for Toronto as a whole beyond 'low taxes'. His opponent will need to have that kind of vision, but in my opinion, to win a sufficient swath of the suburbs, Chow will also have to find ways to convince residents of Scarborough and Etobicoke that they will have as much of a voice in defining that vision as the downtowners.
Hi Dave!
(sorry, but it seems you are stuck in 2010, and with the requisite diversionary practises.)
"One city" attempts to bring the city together and bridge partisan divides that have been particularly pronounced since Ford came into power- it's not just a meaningless term.
In the end, "Stop the gravy train" is as much a slogan as "One city together." You can do all the mental gymnastics you want, but fact is fact.
What your saying is that Toronto want straight forward talk.
I agree. People want someone they can have a beer with. Chow and Miller were not that.
What in the world leads you to think Chow won't have specific campaign policies/political positions or issues?
So you don't think the division and animosity between different parts of the city is a real definable issue worthy of policy? I take it you're of a mind with Rob Ford in that you don't care about anyone else's desires for the city so long as you're getting what you want?
Given that you're using this sentence to prop up "Stop the Gravy Train" and cut down "One Toronto", I'm pretty sure that there's no point in talking to you because it makes zero sense.
Otherwise - the campaign hasn't even started, and we don't even know who the candidates are. You can't critique a not-yet-candidate who doesn't have a platform (....because she isn't a candidate) just because the incumbent has a set of values you're already familiar with. Get real.
The interesting thing about Municipal politics, as opposed to federal or provincial, is that with so many people in the game, there can be one person doing negative campaigning against one other, and the benefits for that (if any) would accrue to all of the other opponents, but the negatives would only stick to the person doing the negative messaging.
Which is to say that I could enter the race, be unrelentingly negative on Ford, point out each and every one of his missteps, lies, flubs and evasions, never let him say anything without refuting it, which may get some of a competing narrative out there against his creative storytelling. Then someone else (like Stinz, or Chow, or whoever) who stays out of it is clean.
Sorry, who's Dave? I have a hard time keeping track of all the people I'm supposed to be. Last time around I believe I was a covert operative from Ford's office (still waiting for the check, by the way).
I think its a real issue - in fact, I've said in the past that's part of the reason Ford won in the first place. I fail to see how electing a downtown-centric NDPer is going to correct this.
People endure huge lineups for a host of things (clubs and bars, Hollywood summer blockbusters, the latest Apple product, etc.), and usually for things that aren't free. But maybe they're all Ford voters, too.The level of a mind that thinks standing in that kind of line up for a free hot dog is a good idea is exactly the level of a mind that thinks voting for Rob Ford is a good idea.
It's by far the most successful and popular form of rapid transit in Toronto's history, and is arguably most responsible for making the city what it is. Not that hard to understand.I don't understand people's obsession with subways. Yes, it's nice that it's away from traffic and it's fast (at times) but that's about it. I would rather be above ground where I can look out the window at things, have the sun coming in, have the ability to exit and flee the area if an emergency occurs instead of being underground in a shoe box with nothing to look at but the floor. Subways can be depressing.
Ford's next campaign (Promise Made Promise Kept) will also lack substance and in fact will be yet another slogan based on a lie.
But what does "One City" mean? What policies does this suggest? What issues does this put the focus on? Non-partisanship and compromise are not political stances - they're an approach, a means to an end.
I don't think you understand what facts are.