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Fixing the Scarborough LRT and bringing it up to modern standards is part of Transit City.
There is still a ton of time left in this campaign. It's not just possible that the polls will change dramatically over the next weeks, but likely. Municipal elections are very fluid affairs. It's not just the 2003 Miller example. In 2006 in Ottawa, all through October Alex Munter had about 40% of the decided vote and was well in the lead of his two challengers, but he ended up losing to the guy who was at 6% in August.
I'm working on Joe's campaign, and have seen the underlying numbers. Rob Ford is still very beatable, and the only person who can do so is Joe Pantalone. It won't be easy, but if Joe gets enough volunteers and enough money it is possible.
To repeat Writer's call, if you have any time, please sign up at mayorjoe.ca . If you have any money, please donate. For anyone who doesn't know, the city has a very generous rebate program. For any donation up to $300, you are refunded 75%. So a $300 donation actually only costs you $75.
Joe Pantalone is the only credible candidate running for mayor.
Here are some links for more information about what he stands for and his experience:
Now Magazine: Here's Looking At Joe
Joe Pantalone for Mayor - Links
@radiorahim post #20:
There's nothing bigoted about my remark. The guys fat. Meaning that in all likely hood his eating habits are out of control. That may not matter to you but to me it shows a person that manages his stress in a negative way.
You think one thing in the guys life doesn't relate to other things? How about the guy take a serious look at himself.
He's fat, prone to addictive substances, says bigoted remarks, has reactionary right winged tendencies, will not compromise with others, and the list goes on. Yet people think this guy can lead the City of Toronto. What's that say about the whole situation?
Heres the prediction . Unless the guy takes a serious look at himself and start to fix his own life, the following will happen, if he becomes mayor of Toronto.
The stress of the job will become a burden. He will turn to his vices to over come his problems. He will make bad decisions and become very confrontational with others. He will blame everyone else. Toronto will suffer.
Personally the guy should take care of himself. This is just going to make his situation worse and make us worse at the same time. The people voting for him are blinded by there own ignorance.
This is not a good time for Toronto. Capitalism is in the shitters and people are looking for direction. The left parties have abandoned their Socialism and confidence in it a long time ago. Conservatives are confident in themselves and their ideology. As people look for answers the conservatives will sound appealing.
trippie, c'mon dude. You've nailed a lot about Ford but you've got to reconsider your choice of words and execution. It's unbecoming.
"Direction and leadership" does not mean calling people "fatso".
For one thing, it is a mistaken belief that all people who are overweight are so because they overeat. Some, indeed, have different metabolism, and others have genuine disorders. Indeed, why am I reminded of a discussion with John Tory on 680 News, where some people were discussing charging people extra for health care costs associated with being over weight... judged by the pound.
There are a whole lot other things to talk about Ford, as opposed to bringing up his weight. If that is the best you can do for confident "leadership" from the left, the left is truly dead. Sounds like CPC (ML) bunko to me.
Joe Pantalone releases his environmental plan for Toronto blogTO
More here: http://www.mayorjoe.ca/2010/09/22/roll-out-the-green-carpet-joe-pantalon...
or, maybe he has a "glandular problem" or his metabolism is out of kilter and he actually doesn't eat all that much. But then again the comedian Lenny Bruce once said "Whenever you see an enormously fat person, they always say that it wasn't because of overeating - they just have a "glandular problem". If that's true why is that when the allies liberated Buchenwald - you never saw any morbidly obese prisoners walking out saying 'all I ate was bread and water for four years'".
I agree though that we are going wayyy off message by talking about Ford's weight. There are plenty of politicians on the left who could lose a pound or two as well (are you there Howard Moscoe?)
It's really unfortunate that a discussion about a progressive, inclusive candidate is being marred by such knee-jerk lookist hate. Could we stop with the fat phobia?
Moderator hat on.
What writer said.
trippie your choice of words, and your feeble "defence" of them in post #35 are deplorable. Stop now or you will be given a few days off.
Ford's not suitable for mayor of Toronto for many reasons. There's a thread about Ford here. His weight and size are irrelevant.
This thread is called How do we mobilize support for Joe Pantalone? Let's talk about that.
I'm starting to wonder if Ford isn't also campaigning for Tim Hudak at the same time he's running for Mayor.
While it's not part of the story at the NP, I heard Ford on the radio yesterday reminding everyone that there's a provincial election next year and that if McGuinty doesn't pay up, he'll have to face the voters. Sounds like a set up to me. Demand the impossible and then use it as a reason to campaign for the Hudak Cons in 2011.
If 40% of the voters turn out to vote, and Ford wins with 30% in a 5-way split, he'll have a mandate from 15% of the electors - less than 10% of Toronto's population. Doesn't sound like a lot of clout to me.
Go, Joe, Go! Put some Pants on the Mayor's office!
Horrible piece in the Star by Bob Hepburn today:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/865079--hepburn-...
Some of the coverage from yesterday's policy announcement:
Hey, an obvious way to mobilize support for Joe is to comment on news items about the campaign, and speak up for what Joe has to offer.
START TO CHANT
GIVE PANTS A CHANCE!!!
I don't think it's so much a matter of not wanting as a matter of it simply not being on the radar of people living in the suburbs. Theoretically Transit City will address many of the transit issues at some point in the future. For all practical purposes, there is nothing happening right now, so it just doesn't figure highly on people's minds. I think that once the lines start servicing the suburban areas, then people will start catching on and supporting the program.
We're in a similar situation in Winnipeg trying to win over support for our up-and-coming rapid transit system.
my frustration with Joe is once again he is always claiming that the city is wonderful and working fine, he doesnt seem to acknowledge and affirm the frustration and problems people face in all parts of the city..its about a lack of empathy and the preception that he is emotionally out of touch and downtown centric, regardless of the actual policies.
Wondering what effect this would have...
http://torontoist.com/2010/09/duly_quoted_joe_pantalone_1.php
None.
What is downtown centric about helping develop and champion a transit plan that only expands transit in suburbs, Scarborough, Finch, and so on? Perceptions should be guided by reality. In reality the perception is spawned by the fact that successive adminstrations at higher level of government have reneged and changed plans and downloaded services on the city, while denying the city the right to create progressive taxes so that it can do its own planning.
For example, the Malvern extension of the Transit City plan was revoked by the Provincial government because it wanted to chop 4 billion from the Transit City budget. Interstingly, this 4 billion is precisely the amount that McGuinty is handing over to the corporate sector in terms of his new tax reduction for corporate profits. An interesting parrallel in that 4 billion figure.
No doubt people are frustrated, but the energy of that anger is entirely misdirected at city hall.
We all (I think) agree with Pantalone's policies and with what he's saying - the problem is in the delivery. There is no connection, no empathy...I've heard him at a debate and I nod in agreement, but the other candidates are speaking to John Q Public and Joe sounds like he is on an expert panel at a meeting of the Ontario Municipal Board. His answers to questions tend to be in some impenetrable bureaucratese.
Some people appreciate that he doesn't come across like a loud mouthed blow hard like the rest. Indeed, isn't the point really that we need a competent manager and team player at city hall as opposed to an ranting idealogue or a snake oil salesman.
In other words, the fact that he is not like that is something of a strength. That is why we have to provide the energy to communicate that message.
John Cartwright has launched the One Toronto campaign, which is having a meeting on Monday night. I think this may lead to the creation of a municipal party of the Left.
"Some people appreciate that he doesn't come across like a loud mouthed blow hard like the rest."
Yes, SOME people appreciate that - unfortunately I think that there aren't enough of them. Most people are attracted to some vision, some cut and thrust, some charisma etc...They don't get inspired to vote for someone who is about as exciting as a mashed potato sandwich - especially in a five way race where you really need to distinguish yourself. Pantalone would make a great mahyor but as a candidate he is BORING.
I try to put myself in the position of the being an undecided voter and I struggle to figure out what would motivate me to vote for someone who basically just says "you never had it so good and whatever isn't so good in the city is the fault of the provincial and federal governments"
Actually, Joe Pantalone said the only thing that inspired me at all in this campaign. He said: "there are more of us than there are of them."
Walkom: Rob Ford isn't the Anti-Christ.
He fails to join the dots at the end and endorse Pantalone... not quite there yet but they are coming: This however will be the main editorial tomorrow in the Star:
Seems like maybe Torstar is getting the message...
Good for the Star for pointing this out...but I'm betting we'll see hysterical shilling of "Smitherman or the end of civilization as we know it" over the next few weeks nonetheless.
Which...in an unfortunate tables-are-turned circumstance--sounds like what helped doom Barbara Hall in 2003. Meanwhile, it's Hall's erstwhile honcho Smitherman who knows how to turn on the Millerish passion taps when he really wants to...
I got a call from Ipsos-Reid today polling about the mayoralty campaign.
The questions were:
In what part of the city do you live?
Are you going to vote?
Who would you vote for now?
Are you going to change your mind?
If you had to vote for Ford or Smitherman, who would it be?
The last question suggests that the Star is doing the poll and they are trying to set up a push for Smitherman because Ford is the anti Christ.