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Will Rob Ford Finish His Term? If Not, What Then?

Redroom Studios said:
how is this panel being chosen? it was my fear that the panel would be composed of Ford cronies who would be "experts" in name only and that they would really just be there to lend weight to Ford's position. If indeed they do give an honest assessment of the situation then Ford will surely have no other options left.
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A "panel of cronies" should be rejected by council. Remember council? Almost everyone had them written off, but they have shown their collective hand now
 
scarberiankhatru said:
Rob Ford hasn't really done much yet to ruin his chances of being reelected, let alone being forced out of office. Yes, it obviously depends on who's running for mayor next time. Everyone knew what they were getting with Rob Ford, and they voted for him, anyway. The idea that he'll engage in some sort of self-immolation on confidence/mandate grounds is just wishful thinking arising from severe bitterness that he was elected in the first place. Even his weight loss is helping to prevent a 'Mama Cass-meets-ham sandwich' sort of end to his term.
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I agree that people knew what they were getting with Ford, but they were too stupid to realize what Ford meant in the context of council. Most Ford-voters were likely uninformed about operations of council, and the actual powers of a mayor. I am sure they expected he would unilaterally impose his vision, and that would be it.

Ford could probably get relected again. The more informed types, who follow municipal affairs in the news, didn't vote for him last time. He could probably say he stopped or slowed down the gravy train, and the masses would eat it up. Remember that North American elections are often won through the manipulation of stupid people.
 
Roy G Biv said:
I agree that people knew what they were getting with Ford, but they were too stupid to realize what Ford meant in the context of council. Most Ford-voters were likely uninformed about operations of council, and the actual powers of a mayor. I am sure they expected he would unilaterally impose his vision, and that would be it.

Ford could probably get relected again. The more informed types, who follow municipal affairs in the news, didn't vote for him last time. He could probably say he stopped or slowed down the gravy train, and the masses would eat it up. Remember that North American elections are often won through the manipulation of stupid people.
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pretty sure next election will have a really high turnout to make sure that he isnt re elected.

all sorts of people wanted to fight the unions but realistically how many people really want to pay road tolls for a subway. people dont even want to pay 65$ drivers fee. im pretty sure it wouod be 65 a month to for his road tolls. how exactly would that work? finally no one is going to vote for ford now that for the next two years he is a lame duck mayor. he cant get support of council so how can he lead? doug ford is wrong. theres a better chance mayor mell will get reelected then a second ford term
 
scarberiankhatru said:
Rob Ford hasn't really done much yet to ruin his chances of being reelected, let alone being forced out of office. Yes, it obviously depends on who's running for mayor next time. Everyone knew what they were getting with Rob Ford, and they voted for him, anyway. The idea that he'll engage in some sort of self-immolation on confidence/mandate grounds is just wishful thinking arising from severe bitterness that he was elected in the first place. Even his weight loss is helping to prevent a 'Mama Cass-meets-ham sandwich' sort of end to his term.
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I tend to agree. I'm also concerned this whole transit mess may hand the Mayor the next election. If he can frame this as subways vs. LRT and continue his push that "elites" are deciding what's best for the suburbs, then you can at least see possibilities for him winning again. Of course the debate wouldn't be an honest one, but nor was the the "gravy train" campaign. Ford is about to get a whole lot more popular in the suburbs until this blows over, and if there's any issues with the LRT contruction, it won't blow over at all.
 
And simply because he has 50% support, it doesn't mean he has 50% of a potential vote. You have to consider that he'd be running against other candidates that people may prefer more.
 
sixrings said:
in 2 1/2 years both finch and sheppard will be so far along as lrt there will be no turning back even if you vote for ford. anyways whats the purpose in voting for ford when you know he cant change the councils opinion?
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How do you figure? Before Ford was elected, they weren't planning on starting to dig Finch West until 2015. The province has clearly laid out how much money is available each year. How do you get it fast enough to do both?
 
nfitz said:
How do you figure? Before Ford was elected, they weren't planning on starting to dig Finch West until 2015. The province has clearly laid out how much money is available each year. How do you get it fast enough to do both?
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This is why the Province is waiting to hear about the fate of Sheppard. Sheppard was going to be built first. If it's not going to be LRT and the advisory committee decides to reserve the money and start planning for a subway extension, then Finch construction will get bumped up.
 
Rob Ford will continue to be the mayor because he employs the same tactic that Pentacostal churches have used to become the fastest growing religion in the world: spend some face time talking to the poorest, most vulnerable people in society and promise them a simplistic answer to a complex problem.

For every educated, media savvy person who can cut holes through Rob Ford's policies like swiss cheese, there's more than a few blue collar, uneducated voters in some downtrodden suburb who never reads the papers, never follows the news and just cares that a politician spent some of his time meeting with them and letting them air their grievance.
 
I like Hume, but I think he sometimes engages in wishful thinking. Ford's not going anywhere til the bitter end, and then he will make a solid effort at a second term. The thing about Ford's numerous and very real defeats is that they help feed the core myth that appeals to his supporters, ie. that Ford is a lone defender of the common man against a conspiracy of "leftist" high-spending elites. Anyone who opposes him is simply tossed into the enemy camp (witness Stintz now being referred to as a "lefty" with no sense of irony) where they serve as more fodder for myth feeding.

In an odd sort of way, I think that if Ford is unable to implement many of his desired policies, he may have a better chance at re-election than if he is able to implement them, which would give everyone an opportunity to see the reality of the results.

Perhaps the best hope for those of us who don't want to see a second Ford term would be for a strong centrist candidate to rise, one who could more diplomatically and sensibly balance the interests between the left and right, the suburbs and the downtown, and put an end to the dramatic left-right swinging pendulum of recent elections (ie. Lastman to Miller to Ford). Do those sorts of politicians exist anymore, or is it no longer possible to be elected without riling up an extremist base?
 
.... there's more than a few blue collar, uneducated voters in some downtrodden suburb who never reads the papers, never follows the news and just cares that a politician spent some of his time meeting with them and letting them air their grievance.
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So true, my sister-in-law and late mother-in-law fit this demograph exactly. They would be extremely impressed by any politician that knocked on their door at election time even if the guy was a 5 star goof.
 
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