[dt_toronto_geek]

But that cover mag is possibly a premature shot, isn't it. Ford is down but not out - not yet, anyway - and he's going to fight tooth and nail. I would expect nothing less of him.

It hit the printers for distribution on Thursday before Judge Hackland modified his ruling indicting that Ford could run in the by-election. Still, we get it - and like it

 

[adma]

The "Ford" basket was the only basket offered to the "right" in the last municipal election, that's why Ford won. I, and many others, voted for the message and accepted the messenger warts and all knowing full well his shortcomings but comforted by the fact that he was not David Miller.

I will vote for the same message in the next election but preferably as delivered by a more thoughtfull and less bombastic messenger.

Indeed, what really intrigues me about the more vociferous FordNationistas is that there is no concept of "more thoughtful and less bombastic"--it's practically Ford or nobody for them (though the "anti-democratic" judge's decision may play a part here). And for all I know, that may be the "sensible right's" dilemma--that they'd *love* to offer a sane, palatable, electable alternative to Ford; yet the Ford camp ain't budging, at least not in sufficient numbers. And at the *other* end, the Ford taint is such that it's scarcely likely that enough non-Ford voters will swing to a "sensible right" standard-bearer, either. They might, just might, have to default to Ford out of convenience yet again.

Once again, I like to say: imagine if, from the *other* ideological end, Tooker Gomberg were elected Mayor in 2000. That, too, would have been a likely catastrophe; and there, too, the diehards might have been so worked-up that they could scarecely conceive of anyone else, not even a Miller...

 

[freshcutgrass]

I, and many others, voted for the message and accepted the messenger warts and all knowing full well his shortcomings but comforted by the fact that he was not David Miller.

What a sad and pathetic statement.

Like most conservative-thinking minds...they are not "for" things....they are "against" things.
Whether it be politics or religion...that kind of dogmatic thinking is blind.
Which is why you admit that the messenger is flawed, yet this dogmatic thinking prevents you from seeing the flaw in the message itself, even though the proof is there in plain sight.

It's the same reason young-earthers continue to believe their nonsense despite a mountain of evidence disproving them.

 

[calimehtar]

Not sure if this is the right thread for this -

I'm baffled by the sudden reversal of the plastic bag ban, especially at this moment when Ford's influence is at it's lowest (to say the least). People talked about the issue as though Toronto is the only place in the world that has considered banning plastic bags, and the idea of people buying things at a store and receiving either no free bag, or a free paper bag, is inconceivable and unprecedented. San Francisco and China (to name only two very different places) have had bans in place for several years and somehow people find a way to get their groceries home.

Admittedly it's not the most important issue, but the flip-flopping and vitriol is very strange I think.

 

[CDL.TO]

Some analysis of the polls from John McGrath's blog.

No, Rob Ford’s re-election isn’t certain. It’s not even likely.

Excerpt:
it’s true that Ford has clung to 60% of his 2010 totals. But the remaining 40%, per Angus Reid, aren’t looking like potential Ford supporters

 

[sarnya]

the flip-flopping and vitriol is very strange I think.

I know what you mean... my councillor, Ana Bailao flip-flopped on the plastic bag issue. She was in favour of the five cent fee but voted to remove it. She's voted to ban plastic bags and then to reverse the ban. She came out in support of the bike lanes of Jarvis on then voted to remove them along with the lanes on Pharmacy and Birchmount. She apologized for drunk driving but pleaded not guilty. As one of her constituents, I've given up emailing her and removed myself from her newsletter mailing list... what's the point when she has no idea what's she's even doing?

The flip-flopping sort of reminds of me of an old Simpsons quote... "Tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward; upward, not forward; and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!"

Twirling is exactly what I feel like we're doing.

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

What a sad and pathetic statement.

Like most conservative-thinking minds...they are not "for" things....they are "against" things.
Whether it be politics or religion...that kind of dogmatic thinking is blind.
Which is why you admit that the messenger is flawed, yet this dogmatic thinking prevents you from seeing the flaw in the message itself, even though the proof is there in plain sight.

It's the same reason young-earthers continue to believe their nonsense despite a mountain of evidence disproving them.

So then who was the right suppose to support and vote for?

 

[Torontovibe]

In the last election, both the right and the left had no real options. I did not like any of the choices I was given.

 

[MetroMan]

My sources tell me that Olivia Chow will run barring any unforeseen circumstances. She's ready to announce as soon as an election is called. Adam Vaughan will not run against Olivia.

Now all we need is a challenger from the right. John Tory isn't a masochist. He might have run if Olivia Chow were out but she will so he'll stick to his comfy gig and surprisingly unscathed public opinion of him despite his many failures in politics. Mammolitti won't give up this opportunity unless he thinks that Rob has a chance at coming back but I don't see him as a credible threat anyway.

That leads us to already declared poor Shelly Carroll. She would make a great Mayor and is super qualified but like Joe Pants before her, charisma and name recognition are just as important (more in fact).

I think that Olivia has always relished this, going back to her time in council. Even now, she performs her MP job at the grassroots level as if she were still a councillor. Her federal role is important but I think she recognizes that she can have more influence at the municipal level. Successful policies in Canada's largest city set the model for the rest of the country to follow. Being Mayor of Toronto gives her the instant job of leader of Canadian Municipalities with leverage to make demands from Ottawa, power that she doesn't have now.

If Jack were still alive and the NDP were headed for a near certain Federal Government, her MP status would have given her all the power in the world but that doesn't look likely anymore so she continues to be a vocal proponent for her causes, yet powerless to implement them.

 

[adma]

Though, forewarned is forearmed: Judy Wasylycia-Leis seemed a shoe-in to replace Sam Katz in Winnipeg. (Of course, for all his faults, Sam Katz ain't no Rob Ford, that's for sure.)

 

[nfitz]

What a sad and pathetic statement.

Very sad and pathetic. That someone could possibly condone voting for a wife-beating, lying, alcoholic bigot over any of the other main stream candidates, only demonstrates the perversions that the Tory supporters have fallen to.

And to still defend such an action with all the evidence of just how incompetent and useless Rob Ford is as mayor.

We can only hope that such a fine example as David Miller graces the mayor's office again one day.

 

[datamouse]

Brilliant NOW cover? It's hyperbolic to an insulting degree.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1296404--now-magazine-cover-featuring-rob-ford-compared-to-time-s-cover-of-hitler

 

[gristle]

My sources tell me that Olivia Chow will run barring any unforeseen circumstances. She's ready to announce as soon as an election is called. Adam Vaughan will not run against Olivia.

Adam Vaughan ran against Olivia Chow's anointed successor when he first ran for council. She wasn't happy and I don't think he cared what she thought.

I'm not a big fan of Chow. Her running will likely steal votes from more capable candidates on the left and centre. I don't think she would be a good mayor as she is as politically polarizing as Ford is - and that's one thing the city does not need.

 

[achender]

Is no one going to point out the brilliant cover of this week's NOW Magazine? OK, I'll be happy to...

Hmm. It's possible the cover artists at Now may have received some inspiration from Kenneth McMillan's portrayal of
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in the movie Dune:

Assuming, of course, that you can get past the bursting pustules. Which is, admittedly, hard to do.

 

[adma]

I don't think she would be a good mayor as she is as politically polarizing as Ford is - and that's one thing the city does not need.

Actually, my aforementioned example of (the late) Tooker Gomberg would be the "as politically polarizing" equivalent to Ford. Though I would agree that Chow might be a bit more "partisan-seeming" than Miller, at least...