[dt_toronto_geek]

Dude, this attitude isn't cool. The amalgamation genie is out of the bottle, and it can't go back in, get over it. The reasons Ford got elected are more complex than you think, but instead of asking questions about how to better understand your neighbours, you'd rather be a dick about it.

This is what Rob Ford has done. Toronto was a city that worked, now it's turned into an angry show-down between those who live in the suburbs and those downtown. As one who grew up in the burbs and have lived dt for the second half of my life I see the benefits and the pitfalls of both, but each can be a great area to live based on what you want in life.
We need Ford gone and then the healing between a divided city must begin.

 

[picard102]

This is what Rob Ford has done. Toronto was a city that worked, now it's turned into an angry show-down between those who live in the suburbs and those downtown. As one who grew up in the burbs and have lived dt for the second half of my life I see the benefits and the pitfalls of both, but each can be a great area to live based on what you want in life.
We need Ford gone and then the healing between a divided city must begin.

Ford didn't create a divide, that would be giving him to much credit, he just capitalized on the one already there. His rise to power is a testament to the elitism on both sides, and the previous administrations.

 

[Bennett000]

But the paradox is I sincerely believe that MOST of the people who are furious at Ford (myself included) genuinely, totally sincerely, want him to get help.

On the other hand there is something sick about someone willing to let this man - this married father - do hard drugs and hang out with the shadiest people, so they can save a couple of hundred on their tax bill. I don't care about anyone's fiscal policy. I don't want anyone to die to save a few bucks for me and anyone who thinks Rob Ford should risk his life or die or, even more simply, put his family through this circus just so they can save $60 on a Vehicle Registration Tax and MAYBE, if they're lucky, 10% on the Land Transfer Tax is an irredeemable human being.

IMHO.

I think this is worth sharing again. People are willing to let this man abuse himself to death so they can save $60 is vehicle registration, and $0.05 on plastic bags.

Then again, this is Ford Nation. Somehow they think killing transit projects, and raising transit fees will help them on their daily drive to work. We really need to figure out how to educate people better.

 

[SFO]

yeah, anyone who falls for the "this was the first time I smoked crack" line is an IDIOT. Seriously, it just so happens that the first and only time he tries to experiment, he happens to get caught on video by a bunch of crack dealers???? NFW. The only way this works is if the dealers know that he smokes crack, and that they know he is COMFORTABLE smoking in the Basso house, and that he will let his guard down while it happens. That means the dealers knew he would use if it was offered.

If I had to bet, I would bet that Ford uses crack whenever it is around, as often as he possibly can. But, I also bet that he doesn't have the opportunity to use it that often because due to his high profile/position it is would be hard to do it without drawing attention, so I suspect that he uses blow more frequently because it is much easier to be discreet about it.

His actions over the last week (particularly his inability to admit that he actually has a PROBLEM) have shown that he is in fact an addict. Most likely cross-addict as described earlier in the thread.

Bang-on. Been thinking exactly the same. Another case of Ford telling an improbable-sounding lie (he "probably" smoked crack one time while he was drunk but he can't remember??) right before more of the truth is about to come out. Why does he keep doing this? Why can't he stop lying? Part of addiction, some would say, I guess.

 

[pattycakes]

Copy of an interesting quote from Don Cherry, I believe he said this at Ford's inauguration:

https://twitter.com/BigGoats11/status/397909450394054657/photo/1

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Yeah, Ford Nation people drink Kool-Aid. At the same time, there are many anti-Ford people who're eager to jump to wild conclusions and say vile things based on their hatred for the man. Personally, I think both sides can look pretty stupid at times. Whenever excessive anger or excessive devotion is involved, you're bound to get people who make everyone look bad.

Hahaha... the man is a CRACK SMOKING DRUNK who does not work but uses City resources to coach high school football! What could I possibly say about him that was WORSE than that?

 

[arksi]

The difference is, one side is always eventually proven to be right, and the other is always wrong. This false equivalency thing is bullshit.

Always is a bit of an overstatement. Speculation, especially when based on second or third hand information has a tendency to not lead to the truth. Even our beloved Metroman gets it wrong now and again. You can call it a false equivalency if you want, but I think it's important to not get carried away with the vitriol that sometimes takes place in regards to both Ford and his supporter

 

[SFO]

yeah, anyone who falls for the "this was the first time I smoked crack" line is an IDIOT. Seriously, it just so happens that the first and only time he tries to experiment, he happens to get caught on video by a bunch of crack dealers???? NFW. The only way this works is if the dealers know that he smokes crack, and that they know he is COMFORTABLE smoking in the Basso house, and that he will let his guard down while it happens. That means the dealers knew he would use if it was offered.

If I had to bet, I would bet that Ford uses crack whenever it is around, as often as he possibly can.

Actually, let's revise this a little. It's not like he was "offered" crack, like it was a party at the Basso house and he was wasted and said what the hell. He contacted those dealers because he wanted crack. I can't accept any shred of the idea that this was somehow accidental or circumstantial. He made this happen, 100%.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Ford didn't create a divide, that would be giving him to much credit, he just capitalized on the one already there. His rise to power is a testament to the elitism on both sides, and the previous administrations.

Maybe I missed it but I never saw a divide prior to that d*ck-for-brains getting elected as "Mayor". Who started all this nonsense about [paraphrasing] "bicycle riding downtown elites", "the war on the car", "rip out those bike lanes", "get rid of street cars to ease traffic", "we want some of that section 37 "shake-down" money in the suburbs", "Scarborough deserves subways"/"there are enough subways downtown"? ...and more. Rob Ford did. He divided the city on issues that we never needed to be divided over and that no previous Mayor did since amalgamation, or prior.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Dude, this attitude isn't cool. The amalgamation genie is out of the bottle, and it can't go back in, get over it. The reasons Ford got elected are more complex than you think, but instead of asking questions about how to better understand your neighbours, you'd rather be a dick about it.

The anti-suburbs stuff going on is the worst. The Star and Huffington Post have both written articles it as, like, a way of blaming the suburbs for forcing this guy on downtown, which is were all the awesome, clean-living, open-minded people. It's the worst kind of stereotype and the irony is that it's EXACTLY the same kind of stereotype that got Ford elected. Instead of talking about all Torontonians, he talked about how there was this alienated group that needed to be brought into the fold (not that he uses big words like that - he just says Taxpayers! Subways!) and all those people who felt ignored by Miller (who was elected based on an airport issue that affected like 500 condo dwellers) jumped on it. (The fact that Transit City was designed to serve suburbia far better than the half-brained transit "plan" Ford has pushed is immaterial when you feel left out.)

If people like "kicked it in the sun" were more inclusive, and treated Scarberians, North Yorkers etc. like fellow Torontonians instead of looking at them based on old, ill-informed stereotypes, the whole city will be better off. THAT is the challenge for the next Mayor and I suspect John Tory will be able to do it much better than Chow.

 

[Conrad Black]

500 condo dwellers

Miller was hardly elected by only 500 condo dwellers. Say what you want about Miller and his politics but I can't recall one Mayor that was so decisive as Ford from day one. Crombie, Sewell, Lastman, Hall and more. All tried to work with the others. Ford on the other hand brought in Don Cherry to put a stick in his opponents eyes from day one.

 

[Jado]

Miller was hardly elected by only 500 condo dwellers. Say what you want about Miller and his politics but I can't recall one Mayor that was so decisive as Ford from day one. Crombie, Sewell, Lastman, Hall and more. All tried to work with the others. Ford on the other hand brought in Don Cherry to put a stick in his opponents eyes from day one.

Assuming you mean "so divisive"...

 

[blahblahblah]

http://savetoronto.ca/pressrelease See press release. See you there today and next Wednesday.

Assuming you mean "so divisive"...

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Miller was hardly elected by only 500 condo dwellers. Say what you want about Miller and his politics but I can't recall one Mayor that was so decisive as Ford from day one. Crombie, Sewell, Lastman, Hall and more. All tried to work with the others. Ford on the other hand brought in Don Cherry to put a stick in his opponents eyes from day one.

No - I said his main issue was an issue that only affected 500 condo dwellers, which is obviously a bit of hyperbole. I don't think Miller was intentionally divisive but don't tell me anyone in North York cared about the island airport. Obviously he was elected by having a broader appeal than just one issue but when you compare the airport bridge to the "gravy train" rhetoric, you can see what Ford was doing.

 

[Dubster]

With regard to the suburbs/downtown "war," I think it should be stated that Ford didn't win with suburban support alone. That's just not true. Nor can he win election without significant support in the downtown either. The numbers just aren't on his side.

I'm a pretty left wing person, but the last election infuriated me for a number of reasons. First, Ford's opponents ran against Miller's record in order to take advantage of the complete made up controversy over the garbage strike in which it was ENTIRELY the doing of Miller and not a labour issue that went well beyond the confines of City Hall (you can thank the Sue Ann Levy brigade with an assist from the middle right Thomson-owned GAM for that). But they were also nervous of alienating the middle left, so as a result, Smitherman and co. didn't have a coherent message whatsoever.

Ford, whose populist, contrarian candidacy wasn't bound by any such delicacies, ran a simple, clear message: I will stop the big spending at City Hall and fight for the taxpayer. He didn't need a specific plan or set of promises, just: "if the left likes it, it's bad, I'm against it." After years of Miller and the recent garbage strike, that message resonated.

The thing is, the left had a golden opportunity to fight them on the other flank to win suburban votes, but all they had was Joey Pants. The message could have been: "Transit City will make your commute to work faster, and because of that, raise the property value of your home. It will open up businesses in the suburbs, too. And the best part is the plan is already in place and agreed to with the province!" Instead, the left did what it always does in this town: parrot the same old bullshit about bicycles and yell stammering in Ford's face, "This guy is a maniac!" I mean, they were right, but that was never a strategy to win votes.

My biggest fear is that Chow will fail to learn the lesson of the last election, and just run on the same old tired crap without even bothering to reach out and take suburban issues seriously on terms suburban voters care about. And that will pave the way for Ford to get re-elected as the vote is yet again split by weak-kneed opportunists on the right of the spectrum like Stintz and Tory.