[unimaginative2]

I dunno. This Rob Ford election deal's striking me as akin to the most popular gas station around because gas is cheaper by a couple of pennies--and it turns out they're not only watering their gas, they're caught boasting about it out loud.

At this rate, I'm wondering if the Ford mayoralty'll even last long enough to get off the ground, before it chokes on ethical grounds...

But even if it does choke, he'll hang around till the end of his term (see: O'Brien, Larry).

 

[archanfel]

Here is an article written by Edward Keenan 4 years ago warning that Ford could be a powerful force despite being a lunatic:

"A deep thinker he is not, and that could be a problem for his opponents. Rob Ford only has two priorities: saving money and serving constituents. Crazy as he appears, those happen to be popular priorities. Besides, he doesn't need to think; he's out impressing the voters every day with his actions.

The people who want to beat him might want to start thinking about that."

http://www.eyeweekly.com/city/article/86510

Then in September, Keenan wrote another article which he accurately pointed out the problem:

"The crime here is that Ford defined the premise of the debate in a way that contradicts reality. Despite his assertions to the contratry, we are not a city in decline."

http://www.eyeweekly.com/article/102021

And lastly, this what he wrote after the election:

"Progressives in Toronto have done a good job talking to each other about what’s best for regular folks, for the poor, for immigrants. But they’ve done a piss poor job of talking to those constituencies, and perhaps just as poor a job listening to them.

In choosing how to work with and work against Mayor Rob Ford, and in figuring out how to beat him in four years, perhaps Toronto’s NDP-Liberal-Red-Tory establishment could start by taking a page from his book and putting demonstrating respect for citizens — even Ford voters — at the top of their own list of priorities."

http://www.eyeweekly.com/city/mayoralrace2010/article/105012

 

[unimaginative2]

I posted this in the map thread, but it's interesting to note that Ford did disproportionately well in Alexandra Park, Moss Park, and the Dunn/Jameson apartment area. Those were his best polls in the downtown area, along with the CAMH residents' poll.

 

[nfitz]

Good god man.

Why are you making this about religion?

Your hatred for Ford and others that supported him and also towards those that don't share your superior progressive values have just become irrational rants.

At least I'm not resorting to religion. And I have no hatred of his supporters ... I am tired of the lies that they continue to spread.

Why do you think you are allowed to simply tell lies here?

One DUI charge that was apparently later dropped doesn't make him a raging drunk.

He was convicted of DUI. Why are you claiming the charge was dropped?

But even one conviction doesn't make him a raging drunk ... but added to other similar events, do indicate a pattern. And the denial years later that he was even drunk when he arrested implies that he still is in denial about his drinking problem.

And if Ford is a liar, what of the many other councillors that have lied including Miller? You don't turn this same intense scrunity towards them for some strange reason.

We should compare then ... I'm not aware of Miller every lying at the same pathological level as Ford.

And what about Smitherman's very colour past?

The guy isn't fit for office based on his lack of education. I made that clear months ago, when I also commented that a University drop-out wasn't fit for office.

Or that while as a cabinet minister, he was well known for being verbal abusive on a regular basis.

I also criticized him for this ... what's your point? This thread is about the bigot known as Rob Ford.

Not one peep from you and others at this forum though about how Smitherman has a well documented history of being verbally abusive while in cabinet, having a out of control drug addiction problem in his past and himself lying to the public and obviously corrupt while in office.

Your lies here are obscene. Why are you such a liar? I criticized Smitherman for his verbal abusiveness on this forum months ago. What gives you the right to lie about this? As for his drug problem late last century ... he dealt with it, he's been honest about it, and he's shown all signs that he regrets it. Ford has not dealt with it, has lied about it, and shows no signs he's even admitted he has a problem. The contrast couldn't be larger.

Ford got into office by lying through his teeth.

tkip has come here and lied through his teeth.

 

[spider]

Nfitz, you really ought to seek professional counselling. You dismiss everyone who doesn't agree with you as a liar, must you view everything as black and white, are there no gray areas in your world?
I notice that your stock excoriation of Rob Ford has lacked the "wife beater" dimension of late. Have you received a memo re: the definition of actionable statements?

 

[nfitz]

Nfitz, you really ought to seek professional counselling.

What, because I recognize Rob Ford for the low life he is?

You dismiss everyone who doesn't agree with you as a liar, must you view everything as black and white, are there no gray areas in your world?

There's tons of gray (sic) in my world. But when someone comes here and says outright lies, I'm going to point it out.

I notice that your stock excoriation of Rob Ford has lacked the "wife beater" dimension of late. Have you received a memo re: the definition of actionable statements?

I've heard more information about the event ... turns out that he was arrested for threatening to kill his wife, rather than hitting her. Either way, it's spousal abuse ... and the act of a cowardly manchild with very low self-esteem.

 

[tkip]

Why are you making this about religion?

At least I'm not resorting to religion. And I have no hatred of his supporters ... I am tired of the lies that they continue to spread.

Why do you think you are allowed to simply tell lies here?

He was convicted of DUI. Why are you claiming the charge was dropped?

But even one conviction doesn't make him a raging drunk ... but added to other similar events, do indicate a pattern. And the denial years later that he was even drunk when he arrested implies that he still is in denial about his drinking problem.

We should compare then ... I'm not aware of Miller every lying at the same pathological level as Ford.

The guy isn't fit for office based on his lack of education. I made that clear months ago, when I also commented that a University drop-out wasn't fit for office.

I also criticized him for this ... what's your point? This thread is about the bigot known as Rob Ford.

Your lies here are obscene. Why are you such a liar? I criticized Smitherman for his verbal abusiveness on this forum months ago. What gives you the right to lie about this? As for his drug problem late last century ... he dealt with it, he's been honest about it, and he's shown all signs that he regrets it. Ford has not dealt with it, has lied about it, and shows no signs he's even admitted he has a problem. The contrast couldn't be larger.

Ford got into office by lying through his teeth.

tkip has come here and lied through his teeth.

Oh, man you need to absolutely step out of this delusional world you live in where only your views are spot on and everything and everyone else is somehow wrong.

And are you kidding about me actually trying to bring religion into this? With my harmless "Good god man" comment. You know, that you actually took this comment and somehow tried to make it about religion is almost comical but it's typical you. I don't know where to start with your endless rants about Ford and the intentional inflamatory attacks that are your trademark.

But here goes. I sometimes make mistakes. I sometimes get things wrong. I honestly thought his DUI was dismissed but this isn't the point anymore. The point is your crazy attacks on others but mostly against Ford and those with different opinions.

You actually accused me of trying to bring religion into this debate. This is an example of the type of insane rhetoric that you keep throwing out there in your posts but you never owe up to it. You always react as though it's the other person, that's reacting to and bringing attention to your continued taunts, personal insults and outlandish remarks as somehow misinterpreting what you've posted and being misinformed on thieir end.

But the venom and hate in your posts just drips with nearly every word.

Smitherman has had a history of absolutely lying to the public while in Dalton's cabinet, being abusive towards others and completely being unaccoutable for his role in the eHealth scandal and I don't recall ever seeing you or some of the others on this forum posting anything near as intense as your rants about Ford. He has this history and people were going to give him a free pass.

But Ford?

Only that he's the worst person ever for the job. And if the critism had only been about his platform and didn't descend into personal attacks and crazy accusations, I would never have had a problem. But it wasn't. Not with you. Not with others. According to you and some Ford is......

Evil, racist, hates gays and immigrants, is a drunk, stupid, elitist, lies about everthing, fat, corrupt and the other endless list of personal attacks against him that included comments about his appearance and weight that were just cheap shots. And I'll tell you why Ford gets this sheer hate on this board. It has nothing to do with ethics and morals and everything to with Ford being a conservative.

That's at the heart of this Ford hating.

This is about Smitherman being a liberal so he gets off easy in your books and Ford who is a conservative, who's the biggest threat, menace and most evil person on the planet. You just can't stand conservatives and those with conservative points of views. I've read several of your posts and you never gave Smitherman the same angry, hate filled, name calling critism as Ford. No one did.

There were just so many vile and unrepetent remarks posted about the man that were never applied to the other candidates with the same zeal. The biased here is so obivous as to why this is the case.

Because UT members are mostly left leaning but more than a few here have utter contempt for those on the right. You've been Ford bashing since the beginning. Several people did. And most of it has been completely unfounded and it's entirely because he's a conservative. If you have a different opinion and view that's contrary to a liberal one, you're ridiculed and marginalized. It happens all the time. And nfitz.....

I personally think that you're by far, the most hate filled and intolerant person on this forum.

 

[nfitz]

And you personal attacks on the man are just

I think they are just as well. At least we agree on one thing about that lying bigot.

Smitherman is a weak politician ... but at least he has far better morals that someone like Ford. I never supported him, but I don't think he would embarrass Toronto to the rest of the world, the way Ford is doing.

And Smitherman of course, is a much better family man ... having never been arrested for abusing his spouse.

 

[tkip]

Let me get this straight.

Now you're convinced that Smitherman is the superior family guy. Again, Ford has to be evil because, well, he's Ford. So obviously, he's beating his wife relentlessly and holding her hostage and traumatized his kids and Smitherman walks on water.

Somehow Smitherman bullying while in cabinet and verbally abusing countless people somehow doesn't count in your world.

It's all about Ford. And this thing about Smitherman being the superior family man? I'm willing to bet that if we really dug deep into during Smitherman's own drug fueled addiction past, there are probably moments where he probably had mistreated people in his life, made nasty comments, possibly even threatened.

But since no one including yourself is not really interested in knowing, I guess it'll remain a mystery.

Your most intense and hate filled remarks are always directed towards Ford and you're much gentler when speaking of Smitherman. Despite his very questionable history that inclludes obvious corruption and abuse while in office.

But there's such a in-your-face double standard here with your critisms when it comes to Ford. You look for anything that can be turned into degrading name calling against him which is your trademark. And just because we've never heard of a domestic complaint doesn't mean Smitherman has not at one point, yelled or screamed or mistreated his own partner.

God knows, he certainly never showed any such restraint towards others while in office.

I know I'm not the only one on this board that sees you as being completely irrational and biased against EVERYONE that has a differnt opinion than you. In your world, you're right and everyone is wrong. Others have called attention to this. Your hate filled, personal attacks remind me of Ann Coulter.

So nfitz, you're UT's version of Coulter. Irrational, intentionally insulting and batshit crazy.

 

[archanfel]

Well, I guess the lesson is people of Toronto are either bigots (since they voted for bigots) or totally gullible. The end result is that we got a lying drunken bigot as our mayor through a democratic election. And of course Ford is the one out of touch.

If that's the lesson progressives want to learn, then be my guest. Just don't come crying when the people of Toronto (including immigrants) reject you again. In the mean time, the lying drunken bigot is your mayor. It's almost worth it just to hear progressives whining about it.

 

[nfitz]

Let me get this straight.

Now you're convinced that Smitherman is the superior family guy. Again, Ford has to be evil because, well, he's Ford.

No ...

It's very simple.

Ford is a bigot. None of the other candidates were.

Ford has a current substance abuse problem; none of the other candidates did.

Ford has this habit of telling lies when he suddenly has to answer a question he wasn't expecting. None of the other candidates did.

Ford has a long record of not being a team player; none of the other candidates did.

Ford has a criminal record with multiple arrests over a period of years. None of the other candidates did.

Let's make it clear though ... I don't think any of the candidates were well-suited to the job; I said that several times, and I never supported any of them. There was only one however who clearly and totally should not have been there.

Ford is likely to embarrass Toronto whenever he does something. None of the other candidates seemed have shown this in their past actions.

Ford can't take responsibility for his own actions and mistakes. None of the other candidates did.

I'm tolerant of all views and positions ... except those who blindly support bigots for partisan reasons. I will not tolerate bigots.

Let's make it clear though ... I don't think any of the candidates were well-suited for the job. I said this several times. There was only one however who had absolutely no right being there.

 

[tkip]

I said it before and I'll say it again.

You're the most intolerant and hate filled person on this board. And you're also full of it. You have contempt for those that have different opinions, especially those of a conservative nature.

You look for anything that Ford and others say to fuel your own superior, smug values. You've never been objective towards the man and it's because he's a conservative. Plain and simple. And every time someone has posted a rebuttal to one of your crazy and insanely, narrow minded raged fueled rhetoric posts, you'll either resort to name calling, denial or accusations to defend yourself.

But usually it's the accusations that border on the bizarre that are your trademark.

People can't have an actual debate with you because you're just always right and the other person is somehow, always wrong and misguided.

 

[GraphicMatt]

nfitz, this is getting a little ridiculous and a lot repetitive. Can't you just say that you think Rob Ford will be terrible mayor and leave it at that?

 

[Admiral Beez]

nfitz, this is getting a little ridiculous and a lot repetitive. Can't you just say that you think Rob Ford will be terrible mayor and leave it at that?

I agree, please give it a rest nftiz.

 

[CDL.TO]

I think it would be best if everyone took a valium. NFitz, you may want to give it a rest for a little while. It seems to me and to others that your posts have become repetitive and antagonistic and you've even managed to get people who generally agree with your position to complain of your tactics.

Let's keep things civil and let's keep things CONSTRUCTIVE.