Is the Liberal Brand Damaged ?

[Possum Trot]

Have the antics of Dion, Iggy, Charest, McQuinty and Campbell damaged the Liberal brand? In the case of Charest you can add corruption and in the case of McQuinty the worst job exodus of any Premier in history. For both Campbell and McQuinty the adoption of HST combined with an remarkable lack of accomplishments have created a lot of voter backlash.

How else do you explain Rob Ford? How else do you explain a not particularly accomplished federal Conservative Party doing just well enough in the polls to keep anyone from forcing an election?

If the Liberals have lost Toronto dispite enlisting the aid of both Federal and Provincial members and the Toronto Star it could be a long way back as this was virtually their one remaining power base.

 

[themexi]

Have the antics of Dion, Iggy, Charest, McQuinty and Campbell damaged the Liberal brand? In the case of Charest you can add corruption and in the case of McQuinty the worst job exodus of any Premier in history. For both Campbell and McQuinty the adoption of HST combined with an remarkable lack of accomplishments have created a lot of voter backlash.

How else do you explain Rob Ford? How else do you explain a not particularly accomplished federal Conservative Party doing just well enough in the polls to keep anyone from forcing an election?

If the Liberals have lost Toronto dispite enlisting the aid of both Federal and Provincial members and the Toronto Star it could be a long way back as this was virtually their one remaining power base.

Once the Real majority gets outnumbered to the point where they can no longer fool themselves with denial & slogans that they are in REAL danger.... they lose their "progressive" fantasies mighty quick

 

[schne327]

The liberal brand is literally bankrupt. It might be too late to save the current systems of government in Europe and North America. The riots in France show that reform will not come easily, however, reform will happen.

 

[hinz]

The Liberal Brand is damaged since lifelong Liberal supporter like myself stopped voting for those goons and their once in a while NDP sidekicks.

Still personally not feeling comfortable with Harpo and did not vote for him in 2005 but I am really impressed his and Flagherty performance on average given the circumstances.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to seeing McSqunity defeat in Queen's Park soon.

 

[red]

if you think of the political parties as brands and not as political movements then yes.

 

[pro123]

I was a strong Liberal supporter but NO MORE. I voted for Ford and I will vote against Mcguinty next election. I am sick and tired of wasting Tax Payer money by Liberals and HST deeply affected my business. Yes, I admit I voted for Ontario Liberals and I regret it.

 

[landscaper]

if you think of the political parties as brands and not as political movements then yes.

TRhe media and spinmeisters have been promoting the BRAND as what political movements and parties actually are for a couple of decades now. The days of a political party standing for anything beyond election and reelection area long gone.

As to teh question, the Federal Liberals are damaged goods at the moment . They have a leader that has to wear kevlar becasue he was not elected and the other "contenders" did not get what they consider a fair chance to run the party. I believe the appointment of Ignatieff was specifically to prevent Bob Rea from getting the reigns of power, his Ontario history would have probably destroyed the last liberal stronghold in the country.

The provincial Liberals are , well I don't know just what they are, and that is a good part of the problem , the mixed signals , flip flops, and contradictions,and scandals together with the resignations of Bryant and Smitherman that looked like rats bailing out of a sinking ship is making them look like children trying operate a 747. They now it flys but how do they get it off the ground. They have serious problems

 

[fuji]

How else do you explain Rob Ford?

There was no general shift right in the mayoral elections across the province. There WAS a shift for change--incumbents lost everywhere.

In some places that was right wing incumbents being replaced by left wing mayors. In Toronto it was a left wing incumbent. If your theory were correct we should have seen a shift right in all elections across the province, rather than only in Toronto. Even in Toronto at the council level there was no shift to the right--both left and right wing incumbents lost their seats to their opposite.

What's more likely is that at the tail end of a recession people figured it was time to change the guard, whatever guard they had. That's likely bad news for incumbents like the Provincial Liberals and also bad news for incumbents like the Federal Tories.

 

[slowpoke]

People form most of their opinions about politicians from the press. But Miller and Toronto concil took things a step further. They reached out and profoundly affected Torontonians with extra fees like the land transfer tax, property tax hikes and the $60 auto licensing fee. The unions for the TTC and sanitation workers also had a real impact with their bullyboy strike tactics and sloppy job performance. Public service workers and politicians also get better wages / pensions / benefits / job security than the average taxpayer. These annoyances and inequities all add up and this election was a golden opportunity for Torontonians to get some payback

McGuinty is also taking that dangerous extra step with the HST, jacking up our hydro bills etc. The eHealth scandal and eco fees don't have quite the same direct impact but news of consultants getting huge fees reeks of mismanagement and incompetence. McGuinty also has a nasty habit of admitting his mistakes and backtracking when the going gets tough. If Ford can get elected as payback for these types or excesses and errors, I guess Hudak might also pull it off. The big difference is that Hudak is still a nobody compared to Ford.

As far as federal politics, we've already got the so-called penny pincher in office but he hasn't pinched as hard as the previous gov't so he's not going to benefit from this sea change.

 

[hinz]

People form most of their opinions about politicians from the press. But Miller and Toronto concil took things a step further. They reached out and profoundly affected Torontonians with extra fees like the land transfer tax, property tax hikes and the $60 auto licensing fee. The unions for the TTC and sanitation workers also had a real impact with their bullyboy strike tactics and sloppy job performance. Public service workers and politicians also get better wages / pensions / benefits / job security than the average taxpayer. These annoyances and inequities all add up and this election was a golden opportunity for Torontonians to get some payback

+1

McGuinty is also taking that dangerous extra step with the HST, jacking up our hydro bills etc. The eHealth scandal and eco fees don't have quite the same direct impact but news of consultants getting huge fees reeks of mismanagement and incompetence. McGuinty also has a nasty habit of admitting his mistakes and backtracking when the going gets tough. If Ford can get elected as payback for these types or excesses and errors, I guess Hudak might also pull it off. The big difference is that Hudak is still a nobody compared to Ford.

Any Hudak wins will have everything to do with saying FU to McGuinty and the Ontario Liberals, not necessarily Hudak is better alternative or capable say like hmm...Mike Harris.

As far as federal politics, we've already got the so-called penny pincher in office but he hasn't pinched as hard as the previous gov't so he's not going to benefit from this sea change.

Just wait until the 5 year minority government ends and the Tories win the majority. That would be a challenge, assuming the Tories win both in Toronto and Queen's Park. People still want to have "balance of power" in at least one level of government but I am not so sure Prof. Iggy is capable to do it.

 

[zz000ter]

The Liberal brand is very tarnished.

 

[slowpoke]

+1



Any Hudak wins will have everything to do with saying FU to McGuinty and the Ontario Liberals, not necessarily Hudak is better alternative or capable say like hmm...Mike Harris.



Just wait until the 5 year minority government ends and the Tories win the majority. That would be a challenge, assuming the Tories win both in Toronto and Queen's Park. People still want to have "balance of power" in at least one level of government but I am not so sure Prof. Iggy is capable to do it.

My gut tells me that this current revolt against the status quo at city hall was fuelled mainly by memories of the garbage strike and the disgraceful behaviour of the picketers. The TTC strike and sleeping fare collectors also hit home. Miller was perceived as an NDP tax junkie and Ford was almost famous for refusing to spend his allowance. Those are unique circumstances that don't necessarily extend to provincial politics.
The Tea Party North bandwagon will stall in Toronto.

 

[hinz]

My gut tells me that this current revolt against the status quo at city hall was fuelled mainly by memories of the garbage strike and the disgraceful behaviour of the picketers. The TTC strike and sleeping fare collectors also hit home. Miller was perceived as an NDP tax junkie and Ford was almost famous for refusing to spend his allowance. Those are unique circumstances that don't necessarily extend to provincial politics.

Maybe and that's only if McSquinty by now feels the heat and he's going to do something to stop the slide of the Liberals popularity here.

Even if that's true, it will be too little too late as the damage has already been done. Dalton may survive when Hudak is making too much gaffe and mistakes like Stockwell Day for example.

BTW, the only downside I could tell when voting for Tory? They would cut everything indiscriminately, including infrastructures and transportation projects/roll outs that are expensive upfront but critical to be the force multiplier for developing the economy down the road, regardless of who's in charge. There is a risk of them being myopic/"small town" mindset to cut to the bones instead of trimming the fat.

The Tea Party North bandwagon will stall in Toronto.

Not so sure the bandwagon is on the way to Toronto. More likely though they are on the way to Alberta.

 

[red]

TRhe media and spinmeisters have been promoting the BRAND as what political movements and parties actually are for a couple of decades now. The days of a political party standing for anything beyond election and reelection area long gone.

thats true. but there are people who believe in the party and are committed to it and not the brand.

 

[GlennQuagmire]

Is the liberal brain damaged? There, I fixed the title. Carry on.

 

[schne327]

Is the liberal brain damaged? There, I fixed the title. Carry on.

LOL...The liberal brain is indeed damaged and in 7 days it is going to get smashed.