[MetroMan]

A lot of chatter going on tonight in campaign organization circles. I'm sure a lot of it was spurred by Ford's anti-downtown comments today: Conservative supporters are not happy. Ford may be an idiot, but most smart people understand how important a thriving downtown is for business i.e. money in their pockets. By putting downtown in danger of further gridlock and loss of money to the economy, Ford threw away a lot of campaign support today. The bulk of the chatter: John Tory is on the precipice of jumping into the campaign being nudged towards the edge by deep pocketed Conservative donors.

 

[jje1000]

Of all the stupid things Rob Ford has said, this is the stupidest thing he has ever, ever said.

Ford says he also wants to look at a downtown relief line, but... "To be fair, the downtown people have enough subways already."

Here's an article in The Toronto Sun.

I hate him. I really, really hate him. This is so stupid it's not even funny. Does he think people are taking the three-stop subway in order to get around Scarborough?!

Again, to Ford, subways are really just trophies, not pieces of infrastructure that people will ride on.

 

[TorontoDoh]

A lot of chatter going on tonight in campaign organization circles. I'm sure a lot of it was spurred by Ford's anti-downtown comments today: Conservative supporters are not happy. Ford may be an idiot, but most smart people understand how important a thriving downtown is for business i.e. money in their pockets. By putting downtown in danger of further gridlock and loss of money to the economy, Ford threw away a lot of campaign support today. The bulk of the chatter: John Tory is on the precipice of jumping into the campaign being nudged towards the edge by deep pocketed Conservative donors.

What about Ray Heard's tweets?

 

[MetroMan]

What about Ray Heard's tweets?

A few days ago, in casual chat with a City Hall staffer and some of his acquaintances, people talked about rumours, one said police have what they need. It's consistent with what I've heard but nothing has changed. I think Ford will be questioned soon. Will the police make a big show out of it? Will Blair host a press conference or simply visit the Mayor at his office?

Today's downtown comments have me furious and I really want the police to hold off until the election. This man needs to be defeated by the people. But common sense tells me that at the very least, some charges will be prosecuted and they won't be a year from now, theyll be weeks or months at the latest. He's not going to make it to election day and that leaves me bitter. Jail is the easiest exit for this idiot.

 

[GeekGirl]

I hate him. I really, really hate him. This is so stupid it's not even funny. Does he think people are taking the three-stop subway in order to get around Scarborough?!

Recent lurker here and my first post. Reading this thread is maddening. Not because I am a Ford fan, but because I have not despised a politician this much since Mike Harris. I keep thinking, with every scandal he is in, that this time maybe, just maybe, he will have to face consequences for his actions, and every single time I am let down. He threatens other councillors, he is rude, mean and quite clearly disinterested in doing his job. He openly despises a huge portion of the people that make up this city. He is allowed, without any type of repercussions, to blatantly lie on a radio show which is only favourable to him (no other calls allowed). The youtube video of him being owned by Josh Matlow on the LRT is infuriating! Is it not the job of the speaker to ensure that truth is told here? I don't understand why Josh Matlow had to 'clam down' when a debate of such importance is clearly way beyond Rob Ford who obviously had no idea what he was talking about.

Lastly, you would have to be a complete and total fool to think Ford is a decent mayor.

I hope, really really hope, that this time he will be held accountable. I have to say thanks to the majority of posters here. I again have some faith in the voting public.

 

[jje1000]

A few days ago, in casual chat with a City Hall staffer and some of his acquaintances, people talked about rumours, one said police have what they need. It's consistent with what I've heard but nothing has changed. I think Ford will be questioned soon. Will the police make a big show out of it? Will Blair host a press conference or simply visit the Mayor at his office?

Today's downtown comments have me furious and I really want the police to hold off until the election. This man needs to be defeated by the people. But common sense tells me that at the very least, some charges will be prosecuted and they won't be a year from now, theyll be weeks or months at the latest. He's not going to make it to election day and that leaves me bitter. Jail is the easiest exit for this idiot.

I disagree. I would prefer if he were defeated by the law he claims to champion- excised by the knife of truth. Elections only allows the political cancer of populism to spread unchecked, as campaigns are where populists do best. If he makes it to the next election, I'm concerned that discourse in the city concerning efficiency, transit and services will be permanently ruined by the work of Kouvalis and his ilk.

 

[salsa]

He's not going to make it to election day and that leaves me bitter. Jail is the easiest exit for this idiot.

Holy shit is that what's going to happen?

 

[syn]

OK, there's a lot for me to reply to and I have things to do, so sorry if I missed anything.



I'm not going to let council off that easily. These are the elected officials who represent us and are paid consummately for their work. Disgraceful behavior on the part of the mayor does not excuse disgraceful behavior on the part of council. Yes, Ford is responsible for working with council, but I also expect council to work with the best interests of their constituents in mind as opposed to spiting Ford.

Yes...they're paid to represent their constituents and that's exactly what they've done by voting against Ford.

A Mayor is not a dictator with absolute power; he's a leader that has to build consensus and work well with others. He's a total failure in that regard.

Ford never promised to decrease the rate of spending. That would have been ridiculous. In fact, its just the very nature of spending that it is going to increase year-by-year. No mayor has ever turned in a budget lower than the previous years, and while it would be one thing to hold Ford to that if he promised it, he didn't.

Of course he did. That's exactly what 'endign the gravy train' was all about.

 

[mrtinfoilsocket]

I disagree. I would prefer if he were defeated by the law he claims to champion- excised by the knife of truth. Elections only allows the political cancer of populism to spread unchecked, as campaigns are where populists do best. If he makes it to the next election, I'm concerned that discourse in the city concerning efficiency, transit and services will be permanently ruined by the work of Kouvalis and his ilk.

Maybe both can happen?

Let's say for example a sitting mayor got arrested tomorrow... he/she could make bail and from there the courts work slowly. Is there anything stopping an accused person (pre-conviction) from holding and then running for office?

 

[blackballed]

I don't understand why Josh Matlow had to 'clam down' when a debate of such importance is clearly way beyond Rob Ford who obviously had no idea what he was talking about.

Because Frances Nunziata is quite possibly the only person on earth dumber than Ford.

 

[blackballed]

Maybe both can happen?

Let's say for example a sitting mayor got arrested tomorrow... he/she could make bail and from there the courts work slowly. Is there anything stopping an accused person (pre-conviction) from holding and then running for office?

Yes, both can happen - and, in fact, that is the most likely outcome. Ford will not go of his own accord, and he'll wear these charges like a badge of honour. If you want to know what it will look like, I strongly advise you to watch the Clay Davis storyline in Season 5 of "The Wire".

Sheeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiit!

PS. I hope Tory doesn't run, he's a tool.

 

[adma]

Holy shit is that what's going to happen?

Well, remember that other possibility besides jail (and confirmed by the way he's been increasingly appearing): death.

And actually, what I can see is Doug (and Randy?) sentenced to some kind of Kwame Kilpatrick-type term, and Rob dying before he sees trial. But whatever the case, when it comes to the Fords: whenever they fall, the tales will be mind-boggling, a la anyone from Hitler to Ceausescu...

Oh, and back to the allusions to...pedophilia?...well, that'd be a *really* left-field accusation. About the closest thing to "child abuse" I can picture is if any of those police visits to his household involved his kids.

And, come to think of it, who knows what happened within the Ford household back in the 70s/80s day: the boys playing doctor a la Penthouse Forum with Kathy, whatever...

 

[CowboyLogic]

I disagree. I would prefer if he were defeated by the law he claims to champion- excised by the knife of truth. Elections only allows the political cancer of populism to spread unchecked, as campaigns are where populists do best. If he makes it to the next election, I'm concerned that discourse in the city concerning efficiency, transit and services will be permanently ruined by the work of Kouvalis and his ilk.

That's pretty anti-democratic.

Yes...they're paid to represent their constituents and that's exactly what they've done by voting against Ford.

Tell me, who exactly was clamoring for a ban on plastic bags and how were councillors representing their constituents by banning plastic bags without any sort of consultation. They eventually had to back down, as they opened themselves up to lawsuits with that stupid ban.

Of course he did. That's exactly what 'endign the gravy train' was all about.

Complete and utter nonsense.

 

[ParkdalePetunia]

https://twitter.com/thekeenanwire/status/388844503852777473

This twitter feed is pretty amazing. Ed Keenan asked Nick Kouvalis flat out if he was responsible for those dirty robocalls tonight. Kouvalis is distancing himself hardcore!

 

[ParkdalePetunia]

@CowboyLogic Do you support the tactics used by the Mayor's office tonight against Councilor Ainslie? Do you think that using the Mayor's office to send out a call to residents to complain about a councillor is an efficient use of city resources and do you think that it is an appropriate use of power?