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::friday, november the seventh, two thousand and three
THIS NATIONAL POST EDITORIAL, written by Lawrence Solomon of the Urban Renaissance think tank, has some shocking news for left-leaning supporters of Miller and Hall, and an even bigger surprise for Tory supporters apparently fooled by his name:
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Three credible candidates are vying for the left-of-centre vote in Toronto's mayoralty contest. No credible right-of-centre candidate is campaigning to lead a municipal government more populous than the combined populations of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, or all four Atlantic provinces.
The candidate of the hard left is David Miller, an NDP member who unabashedly won the support of the city's unions by promising to never contract out municipal services ... Trailing him in the polls is John Tory, a candidate of the mushy left and a political insider close to Mel Lastman, the clownish, outgoing mayor. In contempt of both the development industry's property rights and the city bureaucracy's commendable pro-population-growth plans, Tory vows to arbitrarily outlaw high-rise projects throughout most of Toronto, even along underused subway lines...
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For anyone who thinks they've fallen down the rabbit hole when they read this, keep in mind that conservative urbanists like Solomon regard toll roads as sound fiscal policy, since they reduce the need for higher taxes and transfer payments from higher government, allowing cities a greater measure of independence. For that reason, London's "Red Ken" Livingstone has - with immense irony - become something of a hero to them.
Solomon winks knowingly at Tory's outrage at Miller's offhanded contemplation of freeway tolls, and Miller's backtrack, which supposedly killed the issue. Nobody should be fooled: if the feds and the province don't kick in the funds they've promised, Tory or Miller or whomever is mayor will make the case for road tolls. But their timidity on the whole issue, according to the hard fiscal right, is as pink as it gets. (Thanks to Kathy Shaidle for the link.)
- Rick McGinnis - 02:06am - link
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I'VE BEEN UNJUSTLY IGNORING THIS GUY, mostly because of lack of sleep and some weird shit going down at work, but I'm wide awake now (thanks to a really fucked-up day at work that has put my job in some modicum of peril), and I think this fellow needs some linky love. People, I give you The Armchair Garbageman:
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There's something so very universal about how election night anchors cover the evening's results. They dance from one riding to another and say things like "the incumbent has a huge lead here, no surprise" or "This is one of those bellwether ridings, and it's a race that we'll be watching closely all night. This one's going to come down to the wire".
...My brother asked me the other day "What are you going to talk about when the municipal election is over?" I don't know man. I just don't know. I guess I'll have to follow the Newfoundland election campaign....
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There's more like this. Tons more, just as good. Go take a look. (One thing though - I think Newfoundland has already voted, armchair dude. Oh well - the really big show south of the border starts up soon. Just try to make it through Christmas.)
- Rick McGinnis - 01:29am - link
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DAVID JANES OF RANTING AND ROARING sums up his feelings as the election reels into its last days:
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However, if there was any doubt I was going to vote in Monday’s election, it’s over now after Barbara Hall’s insane accusation last night aimed at David Miller that one of his campaign posters “Looks like a Mayor” is some sort of slur against ethnic minorities and women. I’d just like to do my part to make sure her defeat is just a tiny little bit more crushing, just in case someone else gets the idea in the future that playing the faux-victim card is the key to electoral success. She was spinning the sob story further on Global News tonight with the story of a the girl who told her that because of that sign “she could never be Mayor” because she wasn’t a man. Who’s advising this woman anyway? I’m wondering if she picked up a bargain deal on Ernie Eves campaign team from Monster.ca.
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- Rick McGinnis - 01:20am - link
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BRETT LAMB RESPONDS TO ANDREW SPICER'S RESPONSE to Adam Sobolak's take on Barbara Hall:
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Had it been just Hall vs. Tory, I think Tory still could have beat her. For one thing, he's a smooth talker and I think people really just want a mayor who won't embarass the city every time she or he opens his mouth, like we've had for the past six years. And without Miller present and articulating a clear vision of the city, Tory could have filled more of that space.
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- Rick McGinnis - 01:15am - link
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ON THE FRINGE, PART FIVE:
DR. HASHMAT SAFI: Zzzzzzzzz ...
SIMON SHAW: Zzzzzzzzz ... (Though what
of that picture?)
MEHMET YAGIZ: Zzzzzzzzz ...
When people speak of the new role of online in political campaigns c.
2003 - from Dean For America on down, to say nothing of the blog devised for our lackey-laden next Prime Minister - this Toronto election campaign won't be part of that history. Not by a longshot. Ben Kerr, by virtue warbling away at the beleaguered
corner of Yonge and Bloor, has succeeded further in the realm of "multimedia" than any of these 15 candidates who bothered to establish a coherent web presence. Figures that Kerr's only campaign site is apparently in Persian. (Kerr's vote count, incidentally, went from 1,670 in amalgamated 1997 to 3,115 votes in the comical 2000 non-race.)
As with everything else, Tom Jakobek was sort of on to something with
the sophisticated elements of his site (and not just because he acknowledged the existence of this site). But, of course, the notoriety that's allowed Ja(c)ko to take his place among the
frontrunners was established before the WWW even existed. Pity that nobody worked outward through this medium - way, way back in 1994, there was a Toronto mayoral candidate, Jenny Friedland, who used then then-prehistoric web to spread a pretty rational boho platform. ("I am not a politican. I am a teacher. I have a Master's degree in English. On balmy evenings I can be found down on Queen Street West offering 'psychiatric' advice a la Lucy van Pelt. My strengths are my ability to communicate, to cooperate, and to problem solve.")
But instead of griping further about how none of the 39 other candidates figured out that their $200 deposit to get on the ballot should've been augmented by a free Blogspot page, I'm going to be first to volunteer my services to the 2006 Joey DeVilla for Mayor campaign. Or the 2006 Kathy Shaidle for Mayor Campaign. Better still, how about both, lest the only other amusing diversion be a re-launch of gombergformayor.org? (Gosh, this is starting to sound like one of those dorky Slate correspondent exchanges. Will stop now.)
On The Fringe, Part Four
On The Fringe, Part Three
On The Fringe, Part Two
On The Fringe, Part One
- Marc Weisblott - 01:05am - link
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KATE GUAY OF THROWN ASKEW writes in with a summation of her experience as a neophyte, but committed voter, and her (some would say, inevitable, based on our own experiences) disillusionment, mere days before casting her vote. I get deluged with spam from both the Miller and Tory campaigns, so I know what she's talking about, but it's still a shame that political idealism can be so easily targeted - and exhausted.
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The first time I was really aware of the mayoral election was at this summer's Pride. It seemed like every second person was wearing a Barbara Hall for Mayor sticker. I was reminded again when Nunziata, the "let's
Guiliani this place up and say we're compasssionate' candidate showed up with his radical tactics.
But I wasn't interested in either of these candidates. So, being a good and informed young voter, I read up on various candidates' platforms and thoughts. After a day's worth of reading, I decided to vote for Miller. This was long before any of the ballyhoo of yelling debates that happened on CityTV. I agree with his platform, and I'm glad that he seems to be the frontrunner, I even have Miller signs in my window.
Still, the only lesson I've learned from his campaign is never sign up to help. Believe me, I wanted to help, but I did not want to be pestered so much that I now have my spam blocker filter out millerformayor.com mail.
Maybe I was naïve, but the form to fill out on his campaign site asks you specific questions. I filled in specific answers. Yet I get hounded on the weekend I specifically said I was unavailable. I get asked to do tasks I can not do (canvassing) because I currently have a medical condition that wears me out pretty quickly.
So my idealism about helping has evaporated. Which I think is a shame, considering that I believe people, young people in particular, should be excited about politics and voting. The experience hasn't soured me completely - I'll still vote for him, but I'll be damned if I sign on to help any candidate again.
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- Rick McGinnis - 12:29am - link
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YESTERDAY
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