Fordtopia: Year Two

Black Dog · December 7, 2011

There's nothing selfish about it.

People work hard for their money.

Their labour means that they will be demanding less services from the public purse.

Their labour (in the private sector) means that someone else is profiting off of them and paying taxes on that profit, and creating more jobs on the after-tax profit.

Their labour provides them with an income with which they can buy goods and services creating more jobs.

Their labour provides them with an income to invest in stocks and bonds which provide companies with capital to hire more people.

Their labour, in our service-oriented economy, is likely providing a service to a consumer who demanded that service.

I'm sure that's exactly what goes through the heads of the "gimme my tax cut!" crowd, right before they ask why the city can't fix these goddamned potholes.

No, what is selfish is stealing the fruits of people's labour for your own ideologies (green energy, universal health car, welfare, ei, etc.)

Or roads, transit, police, EMS, health care etc etc...

Edited December 7, 2011 by Black Dog

Archanfel · December 7, 2011

How is it not selfish?

Selfish:

1. concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others

2. arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others

By god, that sounds a lot like your hypothetical Bridal Path dweller upthread.

It's tough, but I endure. I mean, have you ever even left the house?

Oh, my life is not tough at all, thanks for asking. I find most people in Toronto to be warm, generous and intelligent, instead of ideological, selfish, ignorant or gullible. Toronto is a great city. I am sorry you don't feel the same way.

Black Dog · December 7, 2011

Oh, my life is not tough at all, thanks for asking.

I didn't ask.

I find most people in Toronto to be warm, generous and intelligent, instead of ideological, selfish, ignorant or gullible.

And yet they voted such a petty, petulant dullard into the mayor's chair that one has to wonder.

Toronto is a great city. I am sorry you don't feel the same way.

It's a greater shame your boy in the mayor's office doesn't think much of the city. Dude can't even name a single thing he likes about the place.

Shwa · December 8, 2011

It's a greater shame your boy in the mayor's office doesn't think much of the city. Dude can't even name a single thing he likes about the place.

ZING!

:lol:

Archanfel · December 11, 2011

ZING!

There's no question that Rob Ford is not the most polished talkers. That's why you can easily tell when he was lying during the election. Black Dog seems to think the entire population fell for his lies, I think Torontonians are smarter than that. What do you think? Do you think most people in the city are ideological, selfish, ignorant or gullible?

cybercoma · December 11, 2011

The ones that voted for Rob Ford are certainly gullible, since the polls show they obviously had voter's remorse shortly thereafter. His approval levels are in the dumpster.

edit to add: it's telling that even Conservative brass had to sit down and tell him to keep his mouth shut and stay out of the limelight for awhile.

Edited December 11, 2011 by cybercoma

Shwa · December 11, 2011

There's no question that Rob Ford is not the most polished talkers. That's why you can easily tell when he was lying during the election. Black Dog seems to think the entire population fell for his lies, I think Torontonians are smarter than that. What do you think? Do you think most people in the city are ideological, selfish, ignorant or gullible?

Perhaps it is more a matter of not having the same sort of character perceptive abilities that you do, according to, "you can easily tell when he was lying during the election." I presume you are speaking only for yourself and are not ascribing your abilities upon the entire population.

That being said, then it is possible that quite a few of them "fell for his lies" in the sense that they believed what he was saying at the time and voted for it. Now I don't believe that "most" people in Toronto are ideological, selfish, ignorant of gullible, but I do believe that with his track record over the past year, Mayor Ford would have a very tough time being re-elected if an election were held today.

Black Dog · December 12, 2011

There's no question that Rob Ford is not the most polished talkers. That's why you can easily tell when he was lying during the election. Black Dog seems to think the entire population fell for his lies, I think Torontonians are smarter than that. What do you think? Do you think most people in the city are ideological, selfish, ignorant or gullible?

So you think everyone knew he was lying but voted for him anyway because that...makes...sense?

mentalfloss · December 13, 2011

There's no question that Rob Ford is not the most polished talkers. That's why you can easily tell when he was lying during the election. Black Dog seems to think the entire population fell for his lies, I think Torontonians are smarter than that. What do you think? Do you think most people in the city are ideological, selfish, ignorant or gullible?

Umm.. I'm pretty sure that the core of T.O. voted for Smitherman while the 905'ers voted for Ford.

It's the people who believe that cutting taxes is the solution to everything that got hoodwinked.

Edited December 13, 2011 by mentalfloss

Black Dog · December 16, 2011

Labour strife on the horizon?

Hammering out a new deal got off to a rocky start. In November, Mr. Ferguson denounced the Ford administration for seeking to eviscerate key protections in its collective agreement. Days later, the City of Toronto accused its sister local of “unfair labour practice” and asked the Ontario Labour Relations Board to order it to bargain. Outgoing Local 79 president Ann Dembinski blamed the city’s own “stonewalling” for delays in bargaining. The city has since notified Local 416 that it intends to hire part-time employees in the future, possibly paramedics, sparking another dispute with the union. It contends the municipality wants to replace full-time staff with unskilled part-time workers across all city divisions, which officials flatly deny.

Ford facing uphill fight to keep land transfer tax pledge

Mayor Rob Ford now says the land transfer tax will be reduced next year, perhaps by 25 per cent. But he may not have the votes to fulfill the new pledge.

Several centrist swing voters, such as Councillor Josh Matlow, and council’s left-leaning bloc are vehemently opposed. Even some of Ford’s staunch allies are reluctant to endorse a proposal that would require the city to relinquish tens of millions in revenue.

Boges · December 16, 2011

Josh Matilow is centrist :lol:

After the garbage strike I don't see anyone in Toronto having any sympathy for Mark Ferguson and his Union.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Boges

Black Dog · December 16, 2011

Josh Matilow is centrist

If you go by his voting record, yes.

Shady · December 16, 2011

Josh Matilow is centrist

After the garbage strike I don't see anyone in Toronto having any sympathy for Mark Ferguson and his Union.

Exactly. Those were the good old days of Millertopia! :lol:

Black Dog · December 16, 2011

Miler's gone, boys. Move on.

Shady · December 16, 2011

Miler's gone, boys. Move on.

I know. But we're just fondly looking back on the Millertopia.

jacee · December 16, 2011

RE Land transfer tax: Such blatant pandering to developers and property speculators. <_<

Shady · December 16, 2011

RE Land transfer tax: Such blatant pandering to developers and property speculators.

Yeah, and job creators.

punked · December 18, 2011

I know. But we're just fondly looking back on the Millertopia.

You mean balanced budgets and kept promises. Yah the good old days eh? When a real fiscal conservative ran the government did what he said he would do and paid for it.

Edited December 18, 2011 by punked

cybercoma · December 19, 2011

Yeah, and job creators.

Is that why even Ford's fiscally conservative budget chief refuses to endorse the land-tax cut and indicated that he will probably resign sometime in 2012?

Edited December 19, 2011 by cybercoma

Boges · December 20, 2011

I guess if you have the money to buy property in Toronto you probably can "endure" an additional tax. Doesn't mean it's terribly fair.

But then again they do see far less when it comes to property taxes.

guyser · December 20, 2011

But then again they do see far less when it comes to property taxes.

If you mean pay less taxes , yes, and that is one reason why this mess is here.

Black Dog · December 21, 2011

This is breathtaking.

You can’t create the $755-million mess that we inherited from the previous administration. That’s a fact. I found $355-million to fix that gap, or we could have just had the band aid theory. We could have done nothing and turned around and increased taxes 34%, and keep tax and spending like the previous regime did.

Rob Ford: making shit up pretty much all the time in year-end interview

cybercoma · December 21, 2011

Whatever happened to the old addage, "you're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts." When did politicians like Ford begin thinking they could just make up their own facts? Apologies used to be issued for those kinds of mistakes, but nowadays they misinform the public, knowing that people won't fact check.