Rob Ford's Toronto

[West of Spadina]

I love the spots, but the Sparks are impenetrable to me. I like how punchy the end is but I haven't a clue what he is singing.

Maybe Matt Mays would let you sample the "Ain't That The Truth" line from this one (seeing as how the Mayor stole his seat at the football game).

[video=youtube;a3StxPtw7tk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3StxPtw7tk[/video]

 

[Adaax]

I was the first one to start using the catchphrase "Would you believe?" but Get Smart went and stole it from me five years before I was born.

Missed it by that much! Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[casita]

> "Once he's gone, the new Mayor and City Council need to get to work on making changes so that another Rob Ford never happens again. Ranked ballots, term limits, impeachment and ethical rules/consequences with real teeth. That's a
> quadruple lock that will definitively slay the monster that has been Rob Ford."

It could never have happened in the Metro era.

The Chairman was elected by Council.

The six mayors serving concurrently were elected by their constituents, but the Chairman was the "super-mayor".

 

[sno man]

I wonder what led to him leaving his wife and kids in the hotel while he went out and partied. I can't imagine Rob and Renata being cooped up together with two kids in a hotel room, without some fireworks.

Naw, that's a no brainer... "Hun, I'm gonna go out for a bit with Dave, see you in the morning..." Period. He is a bully, a rookie compared to big brother Dougie, but a bully. Period.

 

[CalgarianExOntarian]

However, campaigns do matter and Ford might have a chance at regaining a small portion of support, enough to make a difference in a very equal split between the two frontrunners. Ford 31% Chow 30% Tory 30% Other 9%. It could happen.

...But I'm content with our odds. My big concern is to see Ford not only lose but come out completely demolished with reality slamming him in the face like a tonne of bricks. I don't just want him out, I want him never to come back. A humiliating loss (3rd or 4th place) might just do that.

Once he's gone, the new Mayor and City Council need to get to work on making changes so that another Rob Ford never happens again. Ranked ballots, term limits, impeachment and ethical rules/consequences with real teeth. That's a quadruple lock that will definitively slay the monster that has been Rob Ford.

Yes, in several different dimensions.

Vote-splitting is a real worry in a first-past-the-post system. Popular vote breakdown for federal by-election in Calgary Centre, November 2012:

36.9%: Weak Tory candidate whose campaign strategy seemed to consist entirely of not talking to reporters and not attending all-candidates meetings.

32.7%: Strong Liberal candidate.

25.7%: Strong Green candidate.

3.9%: NDP. Hey, it's Calgary we're talking about.

So, Joan Crockatt, congratulations! You're off to Ottawa with the non-support of 63.1% of people who voted ...

Over a year later, this still bums me out, but honestly, I must admit that failing to reduce the count of low-profile useless CPC backbenchers by one is not among the worst electoral disasters ever.

On the other hand, I'm a few thousand km away and cannot deal with the nausea induced by the mere thought of a close loss by RoFo, let alone a reelection. "Completely demolished" is the right goal.

"Ranked ballots, term limits, impeachment and ethical rules/consequences with real teeth." I agree with 3 out 4, especially, emphatically, ranked ballots. But why term limits? If a councillor, mayor, MPP/MLA or MP has been excellent for years and shows no signs of slipping, why arbitrarily boot them out?.

 

[dforthandbview]

She got 'promoted' to Queens Park. And to Investigative Reporter.... (must be on something big is why we haven't heard from her in a while)

She's been writing a book.

 

[sno man]

She's been writing a book.

and tossing a few QP turds into the pool.

 

[typezed]

Unless those ads have been posted to multiple URLs or embed views aren't counted, it's surprising how few views they have received. They've been around for awhile and they make strong points very efficiently. I think they're great. This is what we need - grassroots attack ads that show our clown emperor in vomit-inducing nakedness.

I'm really tired of the man-on-the-street goofballs telling us what a great guy Rob Ford is, how honest, authentic and accessible. Somewhere today I read a few such notes of stupidity from Vancouver. I'm beginning to find it scary. It's obvious he has serious substance abuse issues, no sense of responsibility or dignity or respect for the office he holds, he's clearly an idiot, immature, in so many ways deeply disgusting, quite possibly mobbed-up or at the very least likes to live life with a side dish of criminality. And still that core of support exists, celebrates the greatness of his foolishness. It appears that 30-40 percent of the population haven't yet twigged to his toxicity, and we've been failed by most of our media, business and political leaders. Even those who have come out against him have been flummoxed over and over again by his intransigence. What happens when someone comes along, possibly on a larger scene, a more influential office, who has Ford's animal instincts for preservation and manipulation, but is smoother, less self-destructive with decent teeth and without seas of sweat sopping into his shirts? If Ford can survive even this far, how susceptible are we in North America to greater despots? Democracy doesn't look so fit to fight these forces over the decades.

We're lucky that the crack tape happened. So much has spun off of it that should be his undoing. His challengers aren't that strong, just like in the last election. If Ford wasn't every other day taking a new dart after the big crack hit he'd be running strong into this next election.

 

[JWBF]

Where are you going to go, and what are you going to do John Snow!!!

 

[euler]

I'm really tired of the man-on-the-street goofballs telling us what a great guy Rob Ford is, how honest, authentic and accessible.

Let's be honest now. How many of us actually know Ford supporters IRL? Maybe I, at 24, run a bit young for this forum, but I can honestly say I don't know a single person who supports Rob Ford. Not a single one. And I'm not some 'downtown elitist', I grew up in the burbs, spent like 6 years in Kitchener, and now live midtown. I'm not lying when I say that none of the many dozens of people I know in Toronto support him. People from all walks of life.

Where do you guys find Ford supporters?

 

[krbcan]

Know two guys at work -- one is just sort of dumb and not particularly up-to-date on things. The other is a huge weirdo -- has completely strange ideas about absolutely everything and is a social misfit.

Speaks volumes to the type of supporters Rob Ford attracts.

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

Musing again about how well I think Chris Haddock could do the Rob Ford Miniseries. Would especially enjoy the episode in Vancouver.

A daVinci crossover episode would be awesome, and I think I'd be in heaven to see an epilogue-crossover episode of Intelligence (not that new crap starring the hick-hunk from Lost).

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

It certainly fits with his later behaviour of threatening Ford with exposure of Ford's drug abuse and criminal connections; also, it would make sense that he would be Renata's confidant, as a spouse (albeit common law) of a Ford sibling who also has substance abuse problems and a history of being on the receiving end of Rob's violence. I'm guessing there is some sort of co-dependent bond formed there.

Fyp

 

[Angelunatic]

I always imagine Rob Ford's entourage making the rounds after a night out with Rob looking for incriminating pictures and handing out wads of cash ( along with his business card) to make them disappear.

 

[Kat_YYZ]

....What happens when someone comes along, possibly on a larger scene, a more influential office, who has Ford's animal instincts for preservation and manipulation, but is smoother, less self-destructive with decent teeth and without seas of sweat sopping into his shirts? If Ford can survive even this far, how susceptible are we in North America to greater despots? Democracy doesn't look so fit to fight these forces over the decades....

George W Bush happened.
I do think he gave up the blow before entering office, though.