Rob Ford - Why the Supervillian?

[Fresh Start]

Um, is there anybody on this forum who thinks Rob Ford's IQ is higher than their own? What about you, Fresh? (Just curious)

His IQ is probably higher than yours if he knows how to do a basic web search. He studied Political Science at the prestigious Carleton University. As for my own IQ, I'm smart enough to figure out what's going to happen should anyone but Rob Ford get into office. He's the "everyday citizen's" only hope of getting our issues voiced and seeing actual results (not fake promises) carried out in a timely manner.

So how do you know what the "media" wants? The fact that you speak of a collection of news and public affairs organizations as some form of monolith that possesses a thought strikes me as being more than a touch paranoid.
And speaking of paranoid, the CSIS "revelation" is pretty long on accusation and terribly short on details. That you mention it in the same breath as Smitherman suggests that you alluding to something in that regard. If you know something, state it.

Okay, I'll rephrase that. Some "journalists" hired by the mainstream media establishment write unflattering things about Ford on a weekly basis and they're permitted by their superiors to have such slander wind up in the news on a weekly basis. Their motives may be just to sell copy but of course there are ways they could go about doing that without resorting to name-calling and dredging trivial factoids that don't matter to 85% of Torontonians like it's a big honking scandal. Or better yet if they're going that route, why not engage in some equal opportunity muckraking? Why, for instance, is Smitherfraud being allowed to pin everything on David Caplan and skate scott free on deeds that warrant a criminal investigation at the very least? So let's face it, there is a bias and negative slant in how local media covers Ford that eludes the other candidates. I suppose we should be thanking the TorStar Corporation and CTVglobemedia however for all the free publicity though - good or bad, you guys keep Ford's name relevant and a lot of people will vote for him just based on the name recognition alone. Yup, the plan's backfired.

As for the CSIS revelation, all I'm saying is that Smitherman has yet to reveal to the Toronto public what precisely he was doing over there or whom he was engaging with. Why all the hush/hush secrecy if he presumably went to China on our behalf? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[nfitz]

... yet you come to aid of this individual, a notorious ineffectual do-nothing for her constituents

What on earth are you talking about. Why do you keep resorting to lies? Bussin has always worked very hard, and does lots for her constituents.

How can you have the audacity to say stuff like that? How can we take anything you say seriously when you make such blatant lies? Your ignorance is shocking!

 

[DSC]

When I was wandering home down Church Street at about 4pm who accosted me? Yes, Rob Ford was standing on Carleton Street just outside the Pride barriers at Church. I certainly did not see him in the parade and I guess that by standing there he could say he wasn't at Pride! At least I assume that's why he was there, any later, or earlier, sightings of him in the middle of the mob or even marching?

 

[adma]

Can't remember, but I did see a few disconcertingly jovial Team Ford reps...

 

[Fresh Start]

What on earth are you talking about. Why do you keep resorting to lies? Bussin has always worked very hard, and does lots for her constituents.

How can you have the audacity to say stuff like that? How can we take anything you say seriously when you make such blatant lies? Your ignorance is shocking!

I said nothing, the videos painted a very clear picture of what kind of person Sandra Bussin is. Ineffectual in stopping the construction of eyesore townhouses in the Beach, ineffectual in helping her constituents navigate the system in their efforts to make their home wheelchair accessible, ineffectual in giving them a straight answer when her own backed policies poised challenges for them, ineffectual in giving the media straight answers when asked how policies she supported adversely affect Torontonians, ineffectual in carrying out a civil conversation without resorting to name-calling and retorts. Need I say a thing? Bussin's said it all. Incumbent councillors are a waste and disgrace, only the half-decent ones know when to pack it in.

 

[nfitz]

I said nothing

What do you mean you said nothing? Why the lie? You clearly said "a notorious ineffectual do-nothing for her constituents".

Incumbent councillors are a waste and disgrace, only the half-decent ones know when to pack it in.

And what's with the Bussin/Tory interview? She said she doesn't work for the city. Correct - legally, councillors are not city employees. Had she said she did work for the city, then she would have been lying, and you'd be jumping all over her. She's certainly not perfect ... and I've criticized her before, but is that the best you can do? Compare to Ford ... no arrests, better attendance at community council, no offering her constituents drugs, no warnings from council about ethics, no drunken behaviour, no racist rants, no bigoted comments ....

And the other two videos ... one is claiming she is pro-development (how bizarre, one of my complaints is that she tries to stifle too much development where it IS appropriate (such as major avenues) ... and if you think this is real, then why do you suggest we vote in a scummy developer like Baker? Why should we trust anything you say, when you lie so blatantly?

And the final video is that grandstanding by someone who wanted to demolish a house ... and went on a warpath before he'd ever even applied for a demolition permit ... which he received in almost no time at all when he finally got off his ass and applied for it. Bussin did her job by helping her constituents; one who wanted to deal with the historical protection process ... and the other who wanted to demolish the house. She suggested they get the permit, they did, it got demolished. What's the big deal? Perhaps she could have communicated it better ... but your so clearly ignorant of the real issues in this ward!

 

[GraphicMatt]

I was just thinking the other day that the only thing that could make Fresh Start's posts more intelligent would be a big red signature in Comic Sans.

 

[GenerationW]

I was just thinking the other day that the only thing that could make Fresh Start's posts more intelligent would be a big red signature in Comic Sans.

That must have been a really full day for you.

 

[gristle]

Okay, I'll rephrase that. Some "journalists" hired by the mainstream media establishment write unflattering things about Ford on a weekly basis and they're permitted by their superiors to have such slander wind up in the news on a weekly basis. Their motives may be just to sell copy but of course there are ways they could go about doing that without resorting to name-calling and dredging trivial factoids that don't matter to 85% of Torontonians like it's a big honking scandal. Or better yet if they're going that route, why not engage in some equal opportunity muckraking? Why, for instance, is Smitherfraud being allowed to pin everything on David Caplan and skate scott free on deeds that warrant a criminal investigation at the very least? So let's face it, there is a bias and negative slant in how local media covers Ford that eludes the other candidates. I suppose we should be thanking the TorStar Corporation and CTVglobemedia however for all the free publicity though - good or bad, you guys keep Ford's name relevant and a lot of people will vote for him just based on the name recognition alone. Yup, the plan's backfired.

Your rephrasing is still off. The media is merely a collection of businesses that are defined by a commonality with respect to what they sell. They are typically in competition with each other, not some form of monolith as you wish to project.

Regarding you accusation of slander, you might want to ask why Ford hasn't filed a lawsuit in that regard. It's up to him to do so. Could it be that there is no slander? Have you entertained that idea for a moment?

And if you are so concerned about slander, you might want to back up your "Smitherfraud" (talkin' about slander) allegation with some clear facts - unless you are going to charge that there is some ominous provincial-public service-municipal government conspiracy to cover secrets up. Once again, evidence would be nice.

As for the CSIS revelation, all I'm saying is that Smitherman has yet to reveal to the Toronto public what precisely he was doing over there or whom he was engaging with. Why all the hush/hush secrecy if he presumably went to China on our behalf? Inquiring minds want to know

The funny thing with the CSIS "report" is that there is nothing particularly revealing, it's an allegation that is really short on details. And to clarify, that's typically a bad thing when trying to back up an allegation. Also, you might have to accept the fact there is no secret regarding Smitherman's visit to China. Maybe the problem lies with your expectations, and not with reality.

 

[that_girl_there]

He studied Political Science at the prestigious Carleton University.

I don't want to knock on any Carleton grads in this place, but I think the word 'prestigious' may be a bit of an exageration.

Oooh a poli sci grad from an Ottawa University! What a special man he must be!

 

[PinkLucy]

Not a grad. He studied.

I know a lot of people who have "studied" poli sci. Hardly a measuring stick for intelligence. No offense to poli sci grads -- there are some smart cookies out there, but it's not like it's an exclusive club ... like rocket scientists.

 

[SlickFranky]

Not a grad. He studied.

I know a lot of people who have "studied" poli sci. Hardly a measuring stick for intelligence. No offense to poli sci grads -- there are some smart cookies out there, but it's not like it's an exclusive club ... like rocket scientists.

Yeah...the poli-sci people I knew in school ran the full gamut, from nearly brain-dead to intimidatingly intelligent.

We've yet to hear from any Ford supporter that believes their candidate is more intelligent than themselves. I'm a pretty smart dude, but I'm comfortable saying Miller, Smitherman, (and Tory) are smarter than I am. Pants and Rossi probably are too. Thomson...not so sure. Ford...well, he's smarter than my dog, but she's kind of dumb, even for a dog.

 

[Parkdalian]

^Rossi is smart. Probably too smart for the race. Obama didn't get elected because he was smart; he got elected because he goes to church and loves baseball.

Pants is not really smart, but he is capable. He knows how to keep things going: he's not terribly good at thinking of new solutions. Smitherman seems a little blank to me. The way he's handled himself in this race seems moderately dumb, IMO.

I wouldn't even say Ford is dumb. I would say he is constitutionally allergic to complex things. His response to complexity, like all populists, is to say, "Get rid of it!" The reason why he's so poorly suited for the mayorship is that when confronted with real, complicated problems he'd spend all of his time getting a pothole fixed on some random street. He could probably learn stuff, but dude is so afraid of appearing dumb that he appears dumb.

 

[kettal]

I said nothing, the videos painted a very clear picture of what kind of person Sandra Bussin is. Ineffectual in stopping the construction of eyesore townhouses in the Beach.

Too bad the builder of these townhouses didn't have a wife in a wheelchair, cause that would change everything.

 

[adma]

And if you are so concerned about slander, you might want to back up your "Smitherfraud" (talkin' about slander) allegation with some clear facts - unless you are going to charge that there is some ominous provincial-public service-municipal government conspiracy to cover secrets up. Once again, evidence would be nice.

The trouble with Fresh Start's "Smitherfraud" rhetoric is that it's expressed in such, uh, "tabloid" terms. It's heavy-handed bellowing you expect from angry guys who owe plenty in alimony. Even lefty blog-comment creative-namecalling a la Hamish Wilson doesn't come across as that piggish...