John Tory not running for Mayor

[Plan B]

http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100805/100805_tory/20100805/?hub=CP24Home

Very sad news as Tory decides not to run....Rob Ford is now the only candidate with a fiscally conservative mindset. Thanks for nothing John!

 

[oldjones]

So perhaps you might consider voting for the best candidate rather than for a pre-determined ideology you can only hope your guy shares. And can't trust him to live up to. Like the guy at 24 Sussex.

Tory showed the same acumen making up his mind as he did leading the Ontario Cons to defeat. Only those suckered into letting American political fads replace their personal thought processes would still be trying to prop him up as The Right's Candidate.

 

[train]

OJ

No ones cares what you think. Now it sounds like you are critisizing him for not running when we all know what you would have said if he did

 

[landscaper]

Tory had no upside in running or even winning, the city of toronto is going to be a snake pit for politicians for the forseeable future. The mayor will be a position best avoided most of council will try to work around anybody that does not share their view of the way things should be spending is currently out of control the unions will be trying to ensure their nests stay feathered the transit plan is questionable, specifically the construction managment that the TTC uses(?) . Why would anybody want the argravation if they did not need to do it. John Tory owes the city of Toronto nothing .

 

[danmand]

OJ

No ones cares what you think. Now it sounds like you are critisizing him for not running when we all know what you would have said if he did

Wrong. I care what OJ thinks.

 

[fuji]

I also would prefer John Tory over Rob Ford. Rob Ford takes "fiscal conservative" and mixes in a good dose of "psychotic wing nut".

I'm all for busting the city's unions but not really at the expense of busting, say, the pride parade, or having a mayor that opposes gay marriage. That's just this week's latest gem. Ford churns out those looney toon statements on a weekly basis.

 

[fmahovalich]

I doubt FORD will have any influence over the gay marriage issue in this country.

He is simply stating his beliefs!!! He does not believe in Gay Marriage! So be it!

I respect someone stepping up and giving his opinion!

Its not racist or discriminatory if he does not act on it.

But her certainly has a right to a belief and an opinion.

Its not really different than the guy who says he DOES NOT like or agree with long skater hair on teenagers. He is neither right or wrong. He just believes in short hair!

 

[oldjones]

OJ

No ones cares what you think. Now it sounds like you are critisizing him for not running when we all know what you would have said if he did

We all can see you care train. So deeply that you'll supply my thoughts before I've even voiced them.

But you missed the point: He's been a Martin-level ditherer about running for Mayor just as he was about leading the PCs. Like Harpo, his political record's all losses. But unlike Harpo, he's by all accounts a good businessman and executive, as well as being honourable and well-liked.

 

[fuji]

I doubt FORD will have any influence over the gay marriage issue in this country.

He will, however, have influence over many other related issues and it speaks to his lack of character, just like his comment that "orientals are taking over" and the other racist and bigoted bullshit he periodically spews.

Its not racist or discriminatory if he does not act on it.

Bullshit.

 

[lochlan]

He will, however, have influence over many other related issues and it speaks to his lack of character, just like his comment that "orientals are taking over"

Actually I think the quote was "taking over because they work like dogs".

So they are taking over because they work so hard......where is the insult and how is it racist? Because he used the word oriental? Or because not all of them work hard? I dont see the problem. In fact as a Canadian of direct oriental descent, I take it as a compliment.

I would not vote for Rob Ford for many other reasons, but its pretty weak to vilify him for that comment.

 

[landscaper]

Most of the comments about ford are posted only in part on this board.

He is what he is and you get what is standing there, he won't lie to you , you might not like his answers but he will answer any question that you ask. His fiscally conservative ideas scare the hell out of most of the councilors and that is not neccisarily a bad thing. Does he go over the top? hell yes and for the most part I enjoy watching the demolition , one point I have not heard of him wearing a diaper like some of the candidates, and he must be doing something right his constituants keep reelecting him, althoughh the same can be said of Howard Moscoe which sort of levels the playing field./

 

[FOOTSNIFFER]

If nothing else, the local comics' lobby and people in need of cheap entertainment will get alot out of seeing Ford become Mayor. He just strikes me as someone out of Family Compact, staid 1950s Toronto. I don't like Smitherman though, so maybe watching Ford drive the union goons mental wouldn't be so bad after all.

 

[landscaper]

If nothing else, the local comics' lobby and people in need of cheap entertainment will get alot out of seeing Ford become Mayor. He just strikes me as someone out of Family Compact, staid 1950s Toronto. I don't like Smitherman though, so maybe watching Ford drive the union goons mental wouldn't be so bad after all.

.

Add to the list of people going over the edge with Ford as the mayor,... the entire toronto star staff, the globe and mail I expect they will go just like lemmings over a cliff they will not be able to handle the idea of something ahppening that they did not approve of.

 

[fuji]

His fiscally conservative ideas scare the hell out of most of the councilors and that is not neccisarily a bad thing.

First of all, why can't we have a fiscal conservative who is not a racist or a bigot? If Ford would drop out of the race then other candidates would step up and fill the slot on the right who would be more palatable than he is. He's a loon. I really don't want a mayor who thinks homosexuality is a disease and whatever other lunatic positions he holds.

Secondly, I question his credentials as an actual fiscal conservative. Plainly he is a cost cutter, but he appears willing to cut any and every cost, even those things that net money for the local economy. There is a huge difference between being a mindless cost cutter and being a fiscal conservative.

A fiscal conservative likes to make prudent investments. A cost cutter does not. Ford is the latter. He's the kind of guy who thinks you can save money by not investing in retirement savings.

Hopefully he gaffes his way out of the race and makes room for a proper fiscal conservative.

 

[landscaper]

First of all, why can't we have a fiscal conservative who is not a racist or a bigot? If Ford would drop out of the race then other candidates would step up and fill the slot on the right who would be more palatable than he is. He's a loon. I really don't want a mayor who thinks homosexuality is a disease and whatever other lunatic positions he holds.

Secondly, I question his credentials as an actual fiscal conservative. Plainly he is a cost cutter, but he appears willing to cut any and every cost, even those things that net money for the local economy. There is a huge difference between being a mindless cost cutter and being a fiscal conservative.

A fiscal conservative likes to make prudent investments. A cost cutter does not. Ford is the latter. He's the kind of guy who thinks you can save money by not investing in retirement savings.

Hopefully he gaffes his way out of the race and makes room for a proper fiscal conservative.

His reputation as a racist and a bigot are not held by the people who vote for him. His riding has a very large immigrant population and they don't seem to think he is a racist, the voters get the final word on this subject.

Your definition of a fiscal conservative or a cost cutter is not neccisarily the one the voters will hold to , it is ytour opinion of what a fiscal conservative should be . If the voters of toronto decide they need a chainsaw wielding maniac in the mayors chair to contain the spendthrifts and incompetants who currently hold the puse strings that is their right and their responsibility. You get your vote and your opinion is noted for that vote. That you define a fiscal conservative in a specific way is your right but it does not make it the "right" definition.

As far as gaffs go they don't seem to have hurt him so far and a large number of people ( at least according to published pols) seem to if not like at least appreciate his forthright "style" . If the kills him in teh final run up to the election thats elections and politics.

 

[fuji]

His reputation as a racist and a bigot are not held by the people who vote for him. His riding has a very large immigrant population and they don't seem to think he is a racist, the voters get the final word on this subject.

Your definition of a fiscal conservative or a cost cutter is not neccisarily the one the voters will hold to , it is ytour opinion of what a fiscal conservative should be . If the voters of toronto decide they need a chainsaw wielding maniac in the mayors chair to contain the spendthrifts and incompetants who currently hold the puse strings that is their right and their responsibility. You get your vote and your opinion is noted for that vote. That you define a fiscal conservative in a specific way is your right but it does not make it the "right" definition.

What a non-answer. I think you're afraid to respond to the points I raised which is why you are resorting to this dodge.

Of course you can respond to ANY criticism of ANY politician that way. I'll respond that way to you next time you have any comment on any politician..

 

[landscaper]

what non answer? You can label any politician anyway that you want, and from your post you seem to want to define what a fiscal conservative is. And you are correct or at least your opinion counts as much as anybody else who is voting.

You get to define what a fiscal conservative is all the way to your front door, after you leave the house your opinion is just that your opinion and counts as exactly that. Your opinion of Rob Ford's actions and racisim are again just that your opinion, and again they count for 1 vote, if your opinion is prevalent then he will not get elected. Your posting of incomplete and out of context quotations is irrelavent to the issue at hand.

The issue at hand is who is the best candidate for mayor of toronto. The field is thin at best, of the available candidates Rocco Rossi is probably the most balanced as far as a platfrom goes but even his platform has some problems notably the sale of Toronto hydro, it has some major tax implications that will severly limit the price somebody will pay for it. The lose of 25 million a year from the revenues will also play a big role.

George Smitherman has no real plan beyond Hi I am George I ahve ideas that I will tell you about sometime. Please don't think about how badly I ran the portfolios I had in the Provincial govt.

Sarah ( can not remeber her last name ) has some interesting ideas but she also has plans that will never get past the provincial government ie., road tolls, that are integral to financing her plans.

Rob Ford has ideas and he has told eveybody about them, his stunts as far as things like not spending his office budget are just that stunts, but at the same time spending the budget on French lessons, sponsoring kids sports teams buying easter bunny outfits are stunts as well, the difference is those stunts cost money, money the city of toronto does not have.

Is there a place for a fiscal conservative with a chain saw in the Toronto mayors chair by all means, that is what has all the socialist spendthrifts trying to get the knots out of their underwear. The mayor does not have a lot of actual influence on the budgets by himnself, what he does have is the ability to select the committee members to all the money spending branches of the city government. Getting chairs on those committes who actually ask questions rather than just rubber stamping budgets will work wonders. The perenial money pits like the TTC and community housingwill have to explain why projects go over budget by several hundred percent, the answer well we did not know the building needed all that work will not fly. Adding 5 million dollars to a project without tendering it might even stop.

All in all Rob Ford might not be the worst choice to make for mayor, he might also explode in spectacular fashion that remains to be seen.

You can go on trying to define what you think is a proper fiscal conservative all you want but as I said earlier it is your opinion and your opinion is just that your opinion and it is good for 1 vote in the election assuming that you vote.

 

[fuji]

I do not trust Rob Ford to balance a budget, no. He has proposed cutting costs which would simply boomerang back and result in additional expense in the future, or which would actually result in less money in the local economy. That's not being fiscally conservative that's just being stupid.

And yes I do expect to judge cnadidates on their character and going about insulting various ethnic groups and asserting that homosexuality is a disease is a sign both of limited intellect and also poor character.

As for this comment: "The perenial money pits like the TTC"

How do you square your notion that Rob Ford is a fiscal conservative with his desire to advocate the most expensive option for the TTC? I square it by saying the guy does not think before he speaks.

 

[landscaper]

well pehaps if you had taken the whole quote, "perenial money pits like the TTC that have projects that go over budget by hundreds of percent" as opposed to just taking the part that you need for you post. The TTC does not really have a revenue problem it has a spending problem, St Clair st car line 150% over budget, ticket collectors who make 100K per year, the refusal to use a fare per distance system or a smart card system the rest of the GTA finds acceptable. The whole city has the same problems the burocrats build their little empires, the unions regularaly extort rediculous settlements from the city the council ahs never met somebody elses money they don't want to spend.

The fact of the matter is a subway is the single best way to move people through a built up area, it is faster, moves more people on a given hour and is more efficient. The down side is that it cost a lot more money.

Mayor Millers Transit City scheme is interesting the problem is it will not do what is intended. Surface transit is much slower, moves fewer people per vehicle and causes traffic congestion both during operation and construction.

The construction costs are a serious problem for any transit solution, it is compounded b y the TTC exhibited inability to manage a lemonaide stand and the Toronto union wage equality statute. Both inflate the prices and extend the completion dates of what ever system is used.

The city just purchased a TBM from Lovat tunnel to dig the underground section of the Eglinton LRT if you have the machine why not bury the whole line? The capital costs of the machine are already spent . Hell why not just keep the machine tunneling away intil you have all the tunnels that you need. The costs would be competative with a surface route when you take the disruption in transportation and business losses into account for surface construction.

 

[Brill]

The police are 25% of the budget.
Only Rob Ford favours increasing this percentage, sounds like he's pandering to their union and isn't fiscally conservative at all.