— Musings —09.09.2011 06:18 AM
— Musings —09.09.2011 06:18 AM
Staying on a singular Tea Party-style rant as your whole campaign may activate the base in certain ridings but it shouldn’t be confused with a populist movement. The circumstances that sent Rob Ford into office are different than our Provincial issues and that’s where the Hudak PCs have misjudged voter sentiment.
It’s dawning on Toronto voters that there really wasn’t a gravy train to stop and painless elimination of whatever wasteful spending exists won’t come close to balancing the budget. Hoping that a similar, simplistic theme will propel them into office, the Hudak PCs’ politics of opposition are turning out to be more self-serving than anything. As Sutcliffe points out no new and fully costed policies are put forward, there’s no big vision for Ontario that captures the province’s imagination or desire to be a world contender. Instead the PC’s talk about dismantling things and the big issues go undiscussed in the process.
The old PC party was better than this and I think they know it.
Rob Ford went after the hipsters on fixed gear bikes, and the circle that surrounds them. A nice clean target. Timmy’s rural crew, who don’t work in Dixie Road office park, still live in lily white exurb Ontario, don’t quite realize that most of the suburbs are mixed and dog whistle attacks on “foreigners” are attacks on colleagues neighbors acquaintances and friends. You’re attacking the lady that makes my double double? Really? She means a lot more to me than you do, Tim. Don’t fuck with her. I’ve got her back.
I hear you. I mentioned the guy who works at my local Mac’s Convenience Store – who has a PhD in Biochemistry – just the other day. I love that guy, and he has great conversations with my fiance, who is doing a PhD in Biochemistry right now (that’s how I know he’s legit, she says he understands her). We should be using this guy’s knowledge, not making him sell chips and chocolate bars. I’ve got this guy’s back, because he deserves better (so does his wife, who apparently has a MSc in Chemistry).
It’s really simple, Tim: DON’T GET POLICY ADVICE FROM WHITE SUPREMACISTS.
I must admit that when the Liberals announced this tax credit, I thought it was a terrible issue with which to open the Fall campaign. I can see now how somebody in the red camp was thinking of the long game.
That’s the thing about McGuinty and the current Ontario liberals. They have usually done what is better for the long term as opposed to short term benefits. This is a huge contrast to other governments.
Personally I was a bit split on the tax benefit. I think the intent of it is probably a good thing though. I’m willing to wait and see if the program works since it is more of an experiment.