Rob Ford's Toronto

[Bawooka]

The Star has an editorial today about RoFo's misuse of office, which contains a good summary of the recent revelations.

 

[inyyz]

I'm offended - highly offended - at you mocking him for it. And denial is one of the classic hallmarks of the disease.

Alcoholism is, indeed, a disease. It's like mocking somebody for having cancer.

I understand your indignation, but the fact is that this man doesn't deserve our empathy or sympathy regardless of what his ailment is. It reminds me of Heather Mills, ex wife of Paul McCartney, whom I would trash. People were aghast. "How can you say such bad things about a one legged woman?!" I don't care if she's limbless, she's still a bitch.

 

[whatthe]

the fact is that this man doesn't deserve our empathy or sympathy regardless of what his ailment is.

I agree with that wholeheartedly, for many reasons. But his alcoholism is not one of them.

 

[animatronic]

I just don't see it. Doug doesn't have the interest (beyond mom's commands, keeping the job at Deco and a generous trust fund), the thick skin or the motivation for Chief Magistrate. Even as a fallback position for when Rob relapses, I don't see it. The Council Chamber will be Ford-free in November.

I doubt there's much of a trust fund - their business needs a lot of cash to run and any excess earnings above dividend payouts are probably tied up in real estate. Ford Inc. probably doesn't have much of a best egg. This isn't the Eaton family - when Deco fails the Fords will be done.

 

[JWBF]

This is how Fird Naysun is fooled. Please repeat after me:
MoFo is a horrible person.
MoFo is a horrible person.

When Mayor DoFo is fucking your city up next term it will be because MoFo decided Rabbie had enough, and it was Druggie's "turn". She is a nuveax riche self important asshole. If she was a "doting" mother would KaFo be out stealing toothbrushes to support her crack addiction? Would white supremacists have been hangin' in the family home? Would the FoFam political stain be spreading still with MiFo possibly on the scene?

I've said it before: MoFo is the main reason the piece of shit spawn of hers are on the planet in the first place, oh, and fancies herself Kingmaker, hence Fos in office. (A close second is the TO media, but will save that for a different rant).

Fine points, however, traditionally, mothers usually dote on the youngest male of the family, the baby boy in a multi kid situation. This causes a tendency towards a lack of confidence, huqe insecurities, and lack of dealing with the stresses of conflict, or just colloquially "spoiled". In Robbie's case, all this, if true, is no doubt in addition to a domineering and abusive father pushing for success at all costs.

It is traditional for the matriarch of the family to set the tone for the family, especially for their children. A good example are the dowager monarchs of Europe, a more specific example would be Queen Mary (Queen Mum) dictating to Liz II and the family.

My wife hates being the matriarch of the family, everyone expects her to be something she is not.

I agree that Diane is evil, and has created a bunch of entitled, self-serving, hypocrites, that are better as a cautionary tale instead of examples of wisdom. The fifties are over, it's time to meet the future.

 

[Kat's Meow]

I doubt there's much of a trust fund - their business needs a lot of cash to run and any excess earnings above dividend payouts are probably tied up in real estate. Ford Inc. probably doesn't have much of a best egg. This isn't the Eaton family - when Deco fails the Fords will be done.

I don't think I'd entirely agree. DoFo wears a lot of Gucci while his wife sports Chanel and the girls each got a Mustang when they got their licence. He also recently renovated his bungalow into a 2 storey, one of the few on the street. I think the "dividends" are good enough to support this lifestyle.

ETA: I'd also ventured a guess that if the business failed, sale of said business and/or asserts would be sufficient to sustain them for a while. Heck, I don't even know what the obsession with politics is anyway. No privacy, under the microscope, dealing with people analyzing your every breath etc. when you have more than enough to live very comfortably on.

And lest we forget, Robbie will get $170K in severance when he isn't re-elected.

 

[JWBF]

I don't think I'd entirely agree. DoFo wears a lot of Gucci while his wife sports Chanel and the girls each got a Mustang when they got their licence. He also recently renovated his bungalow into a 2 storey, one of the few on the street. I think the "dividends" are good enough to support this lifestyle.

Or is it just "keeping up with the Joneses", how much is actually from Doggie's pocket or tied-up with Deco, like the brothers' SUVs. It's also so easy to avoid personal taxes/costs by hiding possessions in business budgets of a private company.

 

[John_Dee]

ETA: I'd also ventured a guess that if the business failed, sale of said business and/or asserts would be sufficient to sustain them for a while. Heck, I don't even know what the obsession with politics is anyway. No privacy, under the microscope, dealing with people analyzing your every breath etc. when you have more than enough to live very comfortably on.

They own several properties, don't they? Houses in Florida and locally? Selling those off would bring in a few bucks, methinks. However undeservedly.

As for the obsession with politics, well: (1.) they're rich, so they have a vested interest in such things as keeping taxes low, and (2.) the entire family seems ego-driven to a frankly insane degree. (Hence Diane's hilariously demented comparison of her jumped-up clan of nouveau riche hillbillies to the Kennedys.) Thus, who better to "run" things than them?

 

[W. K. Lis]

They own several properties, don't they? Houses in Florida and locally? Selling those off would bring in a few bucks, methinks. However undeservedly.

As for the obsession with politics, well: (1.) they're rich, so they have a vested interest in such things as keeping taxes low, and (2.) the entire family seems ego-driven to a frankly insane degree. (Hence Diane's hilariously demented comparison of her jumped-up clan of nouveau riche hillbillies to the Kennedys.) Thus, who better to "run" things than them?

Also why they like the PC campaign promise of even lower corporate taxes. It helps them keep more of their money.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

I agree with that wholeheartedly, for many reasons. But his alcoholism is not one of them.

While I get that you're offended, I'm not. Here's why: his alcoholism and drug abuse is part and parcel of what makes him unfit for Mayor. To say I should have sympathy or ignore his alcohol abuse in office - heck, in HIS office - and just point to his other failings is a red herring. In summary: You're offended, that has been acknowledged, you have reiterated, I agree to disagree on continuing to point to all the Mayor's problems as reasons to leave office.

 

[whatthe]

While I get that you're offended, I'm not. Here's why: his alcoholism and drug abuse is part and parcel of what makes him unfit for Mayor. To say I should have sympathy or ignore his alcohol abuse in office - heck, in HIS office - and just point to his other failings is a red herring. In summary: You're offended, that has been acknowledged, you have reiterated, I agree to disagree on continuing to point to all the Mayor's problems as reasons to leave office.

I did not at all say that his alcohol use while in office should be ignored. Quite the opposite, in fact, and I agree it makes him unfit to be mayor. My issue was with "making fun" of his alcoholism. It is nothing to make fun of.

 

[ndawgg]

I did not at all say that his alcohol use while in office should be ignored. Quite the opposite, in fact, and I agree it makes him unfit to be mayor. My issue was with "making fun" of his alcoholism. It is nothing to make fun of.

He's the mayor. I wouldn't attack any private citizen for their issues, and I'm sorry for your friends or family who are suffering, but since he's supposed to be my mayor representing my city, everything, including his alcoholism is fair game.

 

[Tee]

I think most of are so bloody fed up with sheer gall of this idiot, evidenced by him refusing to resign, that we find it extremely hard to cut him any slack. Why should we? He's mocked and laughed in the face of everyone, reporters, citizens, his wife, kids and the rest of his family. He's demonstrated over and over again that all he cares about is the title on his office door. Selfish, lacking morals, a liar and endlessly crude, that's Rob Ford. May he be gone sooner than election day.

 

[tiffer24]

When Rob Ford stands in front of the media in three weeks to proudly announce that he's a "changed man", he's had yet another come-to-jesus moment, and gives us all some hack reason why he still wants to be mayor, some people will definitely feel sympathy for him. Not me. I want no part in prolonging his suffering, or ours.

 

[howl]

When Rob Ford stands in front of the media in three weeks to proudly announce that he's a "changed man", he's had yet another come-to-jesus moment, and gives us all some hack reason why he still wants to be mayor, some people will definitely feel sympathy for him. Not me. I want no part in prolonging his suffering, or ours.

I want to see a report from a doctor or licensed drug & alcohol addiction councilor at Greenestone saying that he participated in all the therapy sessions he was required to and that he has successfully completed their program. Then I would like to see that report reviewed by their licensing body (MCC, CMA, NAATP or CARF Canada). My gut feeling is that when all the paperwork is signed it be reveled it was just all a sham. He's either not really participating in any programs or he's not even at Greenestone.