Decision 2010: Calgary Municipal Election

[Robert in Calgary]

Originally Posted by ksnaden

Helene Larocque or Jim Stevenson?

It seems to be NCLRT vs Airport Tunnel pool.

Helene Larocque - likely the dumbest person I have ever seen elected to Calgary city council.

So Helene thinks it's smart to run LRT in the Nose Creek Valley?

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I woke up this morning to bizzaro world becoming official. Rick Bell even calls out guys like myself in his column with this line:

Wait, so Rick Bell is endorsing Nenshi out of spite towards Nenshi supporters?

Also, in case you were not aware, a team of international political experts who study elections worldwide and are concerned with promoting honest democracy, sent in their people to Audit all Calgary Mayoral candidates. Backgrounds, talent, vision, accomplishment, experience, credentials, policies. I am honored that their detailed, 94-page Audit concluded that I would make the best Mayor of Calgary - because of my singular resume that you may not know about, my policies that you probably haven't heard of, and my vision for the future that also have not been covered.

[jeffwhit]

A lot of you guys I feel sorry for, some of the Aldermanic races must be really hard to get a grip on. I mean, in my ward it's Druh Farrell vs ARGPEACEBRIDGELATTES!!! Candidates like Zak Pashak and G-C Carra have been really engaging.

Even Up in Ward 4, Jane Morgan, who is pretty unapologetic about being a right wing candidate, has been been exposed as far more moderate, thoughtful and informed than her Calgary Puck persona had led me to believe she was over the last couple of years.

[Boris2k7]

@jeffwhit - Ward 13: DCUAenigma vs AnyonebutDCU

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

A lot of you guys I feel sorry for, some of the Aldermanic races must be really hard to get a grip on. I mean, in my ward it's Druh Farrell vs ARGPEACEBRIDGELATTES!!! Candidates like Zak Pashak and G-C Carra have been really engaging.

Even Up in Ward 4, Jane Morgan, who is pretty unapologetic about being a right wing candidate, has been been exposed as far more moderate, thoughtful and informed than her Calgary Puck persona had led me to believe she was over the last couple of years.

Yeah I'm in ward 7 too. Druh vs Taylor who seems like a good guy but whose website mainly features softball questions posed by the Calgary Homebuilders Assoc vs a guy who keeps saying "Methinks" on his site and invites you to call him to find out his platform details vs a guy who on video complains that densification in older communities is no good cause the roads can't handle it then says those same hoods have 2/3 the population as back in the day vs a lady with no website.

[mooky]

Man, the venom on the Sun's comments section today since their endorsement has been extra toxic.

I hope the Sun uses this as a moment to stop and think about the way their writers play to the readers they hope to attract. They create a non-thinking homogeneous group of anglo-white-cranky-reactionary type readers, whether on purpose or through a subconscious effort, however it happened, and then the second they endorse someone because they see that best represents the values they espouse to be the values all Calgarian's should be looking for, but the man isn't white, that rank and file readership turns on them.

Sorta reminds me a bit of the tea party turning on "mainstream" republicans that tried to channel the frustration initially.

You hear me Calgary Sun?!?!?!

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by mooky

Man, the venom on the Sun's comments section today since their endorsement has been extra toxic.

I hope the Sun uses this as a moment to stop and think about the way their writers play to the readers they hope to attract. They create a non-thinking homogeneous group of anglo-white-cranky-reactionary type readers, whether on purpose or through a subconscious effort, however it happened, and then the second they endorse someone because they see that best represents the values they espouse to be the values all Calgarian's should be looking for, but the man isn't white, that rank and file readership turns on them.

Sorta reminds me a bit of the tea party turning on "mainstream" republicans that tried to channel the frustration initially.

You hear me Calgary Sun?!?!?!

I loved the quote from "Becky" on Platt's article berating him for saying that if you don't vote for Nenshi you're racist... which of course that article doesn't say at all. Reading comprehension, so precious.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

She never consulted with community associations, and all the presidents ran a public campaign against her. She has blamed as of late her loss on the presence of visible minorities in the ward. As an incumbent when you come third, you've really done something wrong.

She not only finished third, she finished dead last. She also has at least one obvious blatant lie on her websites, about her accomplishments the first time around. I'm not sure how involved she was in the other accomplishments that she lists either. I think all of them are mere coincidence.

[freeweed]

Stupid question: what does Nenshi's purple colour stand for? Or was it chosen just to be flashy?

I had a weird bit of insight today that is either stunningly brilliant, or so damned obvious that I'm slapping my head for not noticing it before. Or, it's just a nice colour. Anyone know?

[jeffwhit]

^^He said in one interview (cant remember which) that he chose it because every combination of Red White or Blue had been taken. Remember, Nenshi got a late start.

[jeffwhit]

Gordon McDowell has edited the answers from the various mayor forums down to just the answers of the big 3. Thank god for guys like this. It's the closest we're going to get to a proper debate.

• Video Link

[Innersoul1]

Originally Posted by mooky

Man, the venom on the Sun's comments section today since their endorsement has been extra toxic.

I hope the Sun uses this as a moment to stop and think about the way their writers play to the readers they hope to attract. They create a non-thinking homogeneous group of anglo-white-cranky-reactionary type readers, whether on purpose or through a subconscious effort, however it happened, and then the second they endorse someone because they see that best represents the values they espouse to be the values all Calgarian's should be looking for, but the man isn't white, that rank and file readership turns on them.

Sorta reminds me a bit of the tea party turning on "mainstream" republicans that tried to channel the frustration initially.

You hear me Calgary Sun?!?!?!

Yeah the comments were pretty disgusting. I actually had to stop reading....cause I am soft and all!

[jeffwhit]

^^Those poor dumb souls who are so shocked that the Sun endorsed Nenshi and really have no clue that almost every newspaper makes election endorsements because they don't read the newspaper. They just woke up and saw a brown guy on the front page and flipped out.

Seriously, I know it's fun to look at the stupid 🞵🞵🞵🞵 people write on the internet, but newspaper comment sections are what I read I'm curious what people who don't think are thinking.

The Sun is responsible for stoking a lot of this racist/bigoted sentiment in the first place.

[MalcolmTucker]

Some of the people (at least on twitter) knocking endorsements are newly minted 'progressive' types as well, that have never been engaged, and now believe themselves to be hollier than thoe defenders of democracy. That they don't think newspapers should endorse because they need to be unbiased is ignorant of history. Only really in the last 100 years have papers taken the bias out of the news, before then it was all written from a perspective. Take for example: The Richmond Hill Liberal .

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

^^He said in one interview (cant remember which) that he chose it because every combination of Red White or Blue had been taken. Remember, Nenshi got a late start.

Huh. I wonder if it's sheer co-incidence then. Here's the thing:

US and Canadian politics have traditionally used red and blue to delineate "conservative" and "liberal" politics (opposite colours per country, but the scheme is the same). What do you get when you mix red and blue? Purple, of course.

And what do you get when you have a candidate that attracts both traditionally liberal voters, as well as surprisingly right-wing conservative voters?

Nenshi.

[TallDrinkofWater]

Quick question: was the main demographic that voted/dominated in the last election was downtown workers?

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Huh. I wonder if it's sheer co-incidence then. Here's the thing:

US and Canadian politics have traditionally used red and blue to delineate "conservative" and "liberal" politics (opposite colours per country, but the scheme is the same). What do you get when you mix red and blue? Purple, of course.

And what do you get when you have a candidate that attracts both traditionally liberal voters, as well as surprisingly right-wing conservative voters?

Nenshi.

I had actually made that assumption as well, and I think there's probably some truth to it. It was certainly wise to stay away from the colours of any political establishment. I mean, people made a Liberal association with the Peace Bridge...

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by TallDrinkofWater

Quick question: was the main demographic that voted/dominated in the last election was downtown workers?

No clue. In another related note, I wonder if the DT worker vote is a representative of Calgary's overall vote.

[devonb]

I received some voter information tonight in my mailbox that I originally thought was for Nenshi. Turns out it's a group against Nenshi stating two main points: he wants to sell of Enmax and he wants to close libraries. Both of which are stretch. I was actually quite enraged at reading it, as they said he was slippery and out of touch with Calgarians.

They call themselves "Calgarians for Services". All they listed for more information was a contact at [email protected]. I'm going to send them a quick email about pushing propaganda.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by devonb

I received some voter information tonight in my mailbox that I originally thought was for Nenshi. Turns out it's a group against Nenshi stating two main points: he wants to sell of Enmax and he wants to close libraries. Both of which are stretch. I was actually quite enraged at reading it, as they said he was slippery and out of touch with Calgarians.

They call themselves "Calgarians for Services". All they listed for more information was a contact at [email protected]. I'm going to send them a quick email about pushing propaganda.

What community?