[sno man]

I get what you are saying, but I read that as "Just a squatter" [...as apposed to someone connected to the Fords] YMMV

 

[evvabeing]

we reached our hotel, which is literally across the street from Toronto City Hall. In fact, the hotel and City Hall use the same underground parking garage. When we pulled in to park, there was an intense and unmistakeable odor of marijuana smoke. However, Mayor Ford was nowhere in sight.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/golden-dukes-pool-report-3--2

 

[FromTheHammer]

Is anyone watching his presser? He's getting annoyed because reporters are asking him tough questions.

Edit: And it's over because he's said all he needs to. I would hate to be a city hall reporter, he is so bloody annoying.

http://www.cp24.com/

Here's a full recording of Ford's presser. The reporters were basically saying that Ford's claim that he could find $50 million in savings in the 2014 budget contradicts his claim that Toronto would require financial assistance from the province for the storm cleanup. Ford actually handled the questions quite well in explaining that the budget process and the assistance request should be considered separately.

The nuance that is missing here is that the city only has $30 million or so in reserve (according to Ford) and will need about $170 million (again according to Ford) for the ice storm and the July flood. Ford delivered a zero tax increase in his first year basically by blowing through the $374 million reserve that David Miller left behind. Now he wants to go hat in hand to the province and feds. And he backs that up by saying that it wouldn't be fair for the "taxpayer" to have to pay for this - as if the province and feds have some sort of magical non-taxpayer funds that they can fork over.

 

[Jado]

Ford delivered a zero tax increase in his first year basically by blowing through the $374 million reserve that David Miller left behind. Now he wants to go hat in hand to the province and feds. And he backs that up by saying that it wouldn't be fair for the "taxpayer" to have to pay for this - as if the province and feds have some sort of magical non-taxpayer funds that they can fork over.

That first point needs a lot more air time.

And as per your second point, I thought exactly the same thing. Are there really lemmings out there who will perceive provincial funds as a marvellous magical windfall of savings to them the taxpayer? (Sigh. Don't answer. I know.)

 

[DeathSilver]

That first point needs a lot more air time.

And as per your second point, I thought exactly the same thing. Are there really lemmings out there who will perceive provincial funds as a marvellous magical windfall of savings to them the taxpayer? (Sigh. Don't answer. I know.)

Most Nayshuners do and will later blame it on the Liberals.

 

[JWBF]

I think the thing to do would be to outsource the debt to Toronto businesses, it would fit right in with Robbie's P3 scemes.

 

[tariqata]

That first point needs a lot more air time.

And as per your second point, I thought exactly the same thing. Are there really lemmings out there who will perceive provincial funds as a marvellous magical windfall of savings to them the taxpayer? (Sigh. Don't answer. I know.)

What drives me particularly crazy about that is that Ford himself makes the argument that there is "only one taxpayer" ... when it suits him.

 

[adma]

It's comedic, but this guy will actually get a few votes, and that's terrifying to me.

Don't let "a few votes" terrify you. 2 or 3 % of the vote is still fringe.

 

[adma]

Well said. Obviously, there are other factors that explain Slob and Thug's interest in "public service" - Ego (with a Capital "E") and spite being two of the biggies - but at heart, they're basically looking after their own interests, as well as those of people who are like them. Which pretty much amounts to the same thing.

Taxes bad. Unions bad. Commies bad. Rich good. Corporations good. Right wing nuts good. Paternalistic super-rich Daddy Warbucks stand-ins very good. Like the Tea Party loons and other such types we've seen in this extremely nasty far right populism that's been sweeping the entire globe since the 1980's, the Fords are out to prove that government doesn't work, and how better to accomplish that goal than to seize control themselves and wreck everything?

Well, maybe the subtext is: wreck everything before everything wrecks *them*. And who knows the kind of shape Deco's *really* in these days, given the boastful goofs that represent the firm's current public face...

 

[sno man]

Don't let "a few votes" terrify you. 2 or 3 % of the vote is still fringe.

2010, Rossi (in 4th) had 0.616% in the Mayor race... 2 or 3% is huge comparatively...

 

[Kat_YYZ]

I've tried using Rob's strategy for ignoring his own wrongdoings on my wife and it's worked really well so far. "I'm not perfect. Maybe you are. I'm moving forward."

and you're not sleeping on the couch?

interesting... isn't $5,000 how much ford gave his office staff for sticking around? so renata's home staff that stuck around? sounds about right.

and it was $5,000 and a car offered to M. Siad for the crack video.
RoFo must think $5,000 solves everything.

 

[salsa]

Oh Doug Holyday. What an ass kisser.

Councillor Doug Ford will have to learn to “play by the rules” if he jumps to provincial politics from city hall, advises one of his staunchest allies.

Progressive Conservative MPP Doug Holyday said Wednesday he hoped Mayor Rob Ford’s brother runs for the party in Etobicoke North in an election expected as early as spring.

“He could be a good MPP. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. He does know how to save a dollar and how to operate efficiently. Certainly that’s needed in this place,” said Holyday, the former deputy mayor, who was elected in a provincial by-election last summer.

“If he does come here, I’ll certainly be speaking with him on how I think things work here (and) what I think he needs to do to help us,” he said.

http://www.thestar.com/news/queensp..._play_by_the_rules_if_he_runs_for_tories.html

 

[evvabeing]

more hints that Harbour Sixty is somewhere we could learn some dirt...

Along with a team of waiters, the staff included a crew of attractive women who tended bar, danced with the all-male clientele, and sat on their laps. At the other end of the bar, a pretty blonde staffer gossiped about a recent table full of "politicians."

"It was like 'Groundhog Day,'" she said.

Sadly, we were unable to overhear more of her conversation.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dinner-and-drinks-with-rob-ford

 

[evvabeing]

Prior to bestowing the award, the TPM delegation will be holding a press conference tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM by the elevator on the ground floor of City Hall to discuss the Golden Dukes.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/press-conference-tomorrow-in-toronto

 

[atodaso]

Elements of Fascism - I found this link posted in a comments section of CBC (the source is a bit dodgy but it's interesting nonetheless): http://www.rense.com/general37/char.htm

Try to ignore some of the more extreme elements at first, like the torture, and just focus on the ideas. Then go back and think about Ford's violent rants, and the drug related murders.

Most of the 14 criteria fit Ford and his nation of imbeciles to a T. The fact that the Ford's refer to their 'nation' and use sloganeering as a means of building solidarity is extremely indicative in itself. The 'firm grip on the media' is one notably absent element - and it's telling that this has always been a great source of frustration for the Fords, and explains why they are so determined to take their propaganda to the airwaves. If they thought they could control and suppress the media, they would, and they have tried.

Same goes for the police. Imagine if the Ford's had the police in their pockets?

And Fords renewed interest in religion, showing up and randomly crashing congregations...

The Ford's are wearing their fascism training wheels!