I love it when an opponent is, you know, honest.  My hat’s off, therefore, to putative star Ontario PC candidate Jeff Allan, who candidly admits Tim Hudak’s Tea Party North his heading towards the Electoral Valley of Death in the Kitchener-Waterloo by-election:

“Jeff Allan, the populist talk-radio host for 570 News (he hosts a very entertaining call-in show called The Hour of Rage) had publicly mused about running for the Conservatives, so I checked in with him.

Allan likes to talk, as you’d expect from someone who makes a living from barely pausing for breath. He talked about how he would have to take a leave of absence from his day job if he ran. He had just decided, five minutes before I called him, that he wouldn’t try for the prize after all. “I don’t know if I’m mature enough!” he said. “I don’t know if this is a winnable seat right now. I’m not going to give up everything I have, to be — humiliated!”

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What does this poll – which is consistent with many others, recently – mean?

In my opinion, the rise of independents. Lots and lots of citizens no longer see themselves attached to any single ideology. They’re now the biggest single demographic, and they’re growing.

Dippers will claim it means they are most popular, but that’s superficial and ultimately false. The Cons and Libs are simply the most familiar choices: the new independents are looking for newer choices.  The Occupiers, Tea Party and non-voters are all part of this: they are turning away from the traditional alignments.

I think something big is happening, here. What do you think?

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…so, if you’re starting to get the impression that Ornge was a run by a network of Conservative lobbyists, lawyers and hacks, you’d be right.

“Potter testified he first met Mazza in 2005 when he was asked by Kelly Mitchell, of Pathway Group, to become a board member. Potter also told the hearing he is a lifelong member of the Conservative party and ran as a federal candidate in Thunder Bay. Mitchell is also a prominent Conservative.”

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It is one of the best ten albums ever made, and the song itself ends the darkest Against Me! record.  Regular reader Chris pointed me to the lyrics which I have heard, and thought about, many times:

But you knew all along,
went on pretending nothing was wrong,
you said I will keep my focus, till the end.
And in the journal you kept,
by the side of your bed.
You wrote nightly in aspiration,
of developing as an author.
Confessing childhood secrets,
of dressing up in women’s clothes,
Compulsions you never knew the reasons to,
Will everyone, you ever meet or love,
be just relationship based on a false presumption?
Despite everyone, you ever meet or love,
in the end, will you be all alone?

A few years back, I interviewed Tom Gabel at the Phoenix before a show.  He and other AM members were battling colds. I remember two questions distinctly.  I asked him if he’d rather do something else.  “Yes,” he said, right away.  “Write novels.”

And I asked him who Searching For A Former Clarity was about.  He shook his head, holding a bottle full of chicken soup.  “I’d rather not say.  Sorry.”

Was it about him?  We may never know.  Either way, it’s trite, but I hope she has clarity now.

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Still thinking about the big news.

My kids, too.  All four of them are huge, huge Against Me! fans.  My daughter is still processing it, she says.  Son One was with a friend, and tried to dismiss it with humour. (I’ll talk to him when he’s alone.)  Son Two was mad, really mad, but then he got in the car and wanted to hear certain AM songs, over and over.

Andrew H., a conservative punk friend (they exist) sent me a tweet this morning, saying to look at verse two of The Ocean, from the last Against Me! album.  When I looked at the words (for the first time, having not been overly-ethusiastic about the last two albums), I said to my daughter: “Well, it’s pretty hard for the band or fans to say they’re shocked, now. He’s been telling us all along.”

The verse:

And if I could have chosen, I would have been born a woman
My mother once told me she would have named me Laura
I’d grow up to be strong and beautiful like her
One day, I’d find an honest man to make my husband
We would have two children, build our home on the Gulf of Mexico
Our family would spend hot summer days at the beach together
The sun would kiss our skin as we played in the sand and water
And we would know we loved each other without having to say it

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My daughter was at her cast party when she called me with the news: “Dad! Tom Gabel is becoming a woman!”

Checked out Twitter, the bee hive, and there it was: Rolling Stone reporting that the Against Me! singer is transgender.

This band has been my favourite band for a decade.  I’ve interviewed them, I’ve taken my daughter to see them backstage, I’ve hung out with them.  Hell, I get up to ‘Pints Of Guiness Make You Strong’ every single morning, as my alarm ring tone.  And their songs have gotten me through plenty.

I spoke to one of Tom’s friends tonight, and she told me it’s true.  So me and my daughter wished Laura Jane Grace best of luck, and shed a tear for the greatest punk band of the past decade.  Can’t see them going on after this.

Here he is from his solo album, perhaps providing hints.  The way I figure it, I told a slightly-confused 16-year-old daughter, he’s supported us through a lot, so now we have to support him.

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She’s one of the stars – well, of course, I always consider her to be one – and I have arrived about an hour early. She will consider me even more embarrassing, as a result, but that’s what you get with Proud Dad Syndrome.

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…and those are just some of the nice things they say.  Still think it was a good idea to read out that statement Tim Hudak’s minions gave to you, Nicholls?

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This is awesome.  As someone who regularly tells trolls and twits to piss off (or worse), I heartily applaud young MacDougall’s retort.  Well done! Pip pip!

It reminds me of a friend who happens to be a former Premier of Ontario.  Shortly after leaving politics, this ex-Preem was approached on a Toronto street by some loon, who launched into a loud invective-filled rant.  Remembering that he was no longer Premier, and no longer needed to bite his prime ministerial tongue while being abused, he thereupon said:

“Fuck off.” 

And walked away.

I love, love, loved that.

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Simmo, wonderfully-written per usual, here.

Watched it.  Was clear it wasn’t intentional, but when he drew blood, that was that.

Politics is like that.  One guy can make a bad move, split-second, and the whole team can be sent down the shitter.

Yep.

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