The May 17th Election

[One Dart]

Just because more people are signed up to vote doesn't mean that they actually will. Using the federal voters list along with the provincial list added several hundred thousand names. What was the voter turnout in the last federal election? Not that great. Also, many of the new voters are, you guessed it, young voters. I'll tell you that not too many of my friends actually get their butts to the polling station come election day. Furthermore, youth voting drives in the US have done wonders in creating a larger voters list but little to actually increase turnout.

 

[Dude]

We need a good union man posting in here (I don't count the two city workers as good union men). OD...get your brother in here- that twat and I had some good, animated, and incoherent discussions back in the "Post training beer in the NAP parking lot" days.

Is there a communist party in Quebec? Is he a card carrying member yet?

~Come out, come out SYC...wherever you are.

 

[One Dart]

SYC is currently on strike somewhere in the greater Quebec City area. Apparently they don't get to vote on when they strike or even if they are going to strike, the bosses do that for them. So he might be striking today, or yesterday, or even next tuesday. I hear it's doing wonders for his golf game.

 

[Dude]

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

 

[Rivermouth]

I recall the first day after the Liberals were elected, there was an extra bounce in the step of my clients; they were excited, for once, about the future, that FINALLY we had a pro-business government in place. The difference, from day one was very noticeable, and I think most companies- after hitting rock bottom in the 6 months after 911- will tell you that since then the bottom line has shown nothing but improvement.

Besides running a brilliant campaign, can you tell me what- if any- original ideas Carol James will bring to government? She's a muppet in the true sense of the word. What I hope happens is that whatever happens, we have a strong minority that will keep the libs accountable, especially for some of the boneheaded moves these guys have done in the past 4 years to stick it to social programs. A balanced budget is important, but not at the cost of the needy...and that's the moral dilemma I've had as a voter. I could give a flying fcuk about all the union rhetoric (most of the union sector will vote without a thought to the real impact of a majority NDP government..."I stick with my brothers"...fcuking sheep), but I have a problem with the needy not being looked after.

Excellent points. However, some things to think about: Just because a political party calls itself "pro-business" doesn't mean that it IS. It was not fiscally conservative to continue on an agenda to give a personal income tax cut in the atmosphere created by the 9/11 tragedy, where for a few months the economy was threatening to spiral out of control because of the deflation that came from the terror attacks, (when prices declined rapidly to the point where supplier costs for producing goods could not be recovered and they were paying for the consumer to buy their goods...resulting in the threat of massive bankruptcies of blue chip companies and an economy that was threatening to spiral out of control)). The time for tax cuts should have been after the economy recovered from 9/11 (and there were no guarantees that it was going to at the time), and after the defict had been eliminated and some of the debt reduced. Also, as many independant economists have pointed out that the BC economy had a 1.7 BILLION dollar surplus in its books on the day that Gordon's people took over. The tax cuts came from that surplus. THEN, Gordon's people racked up the user fees that every individual pays for (to get Drivers licences, business licences, etc...) so that any savings that they may have received from a reduction in personal income taxes, were negated (and dwarfed) by the amount of user fees that they now have to pay.

Additionally, it is not economically conservative to create a billion dollar boondoggle of your own on par with the fast ferries fiasco, in the RAV line, which every taxpayer in BC will wind up paying for. I ask you, why not build a 1000 buses and run them up and down the same corridor every 5 minutes (like they do in other parts of the world)? The taxpayers will be subsidising RAV (like they do with Westcoast express and Skytrain) anyway, so why not do it on the "cheap" with buses? Waste.

Finally, it is not fiscally conservative to rack up billions of dollars in new deficits and debt, then in the last year, say that you are a fiscal conservative because you balanced the budget: If you overspent $20,000 more than you made, every year for 3 years, and then spent just as much as you made in the 4th year, you would still be $60,000 in major debt and wouldn't be looked upon as a competent manager of your own money...so why is it any different with Gordon's idiots?

If you are a party that is "pro-business", why not operate yourself like you are a business, instead of the economically incompetent bafoons that the Cambell libs have operated themselves like?

I will use a soccer analogy in reference to Carol James: The soccer team (in this case the NDP) had a string of really sh*tty coaches (Glen Clark, Ujjal Dosanjh, et. al.) before the other team (the LIBS (who also have a sh*tty coach (Campbell)) won the "cup" (the election). The NDP's "coaches" couldn't read the plays, and refused to change their strategies to reflect the team they were playing against (their leaders took them down a path that encouraged forming public policy based on dogmatic political beliefs, (much like the Campbell crew is now doing)), and got pummelled by the BC electorate because of it. Now, the NDP team has rebuilt itself, with new players with new ideas that are fiscally conservative, with what seems to be a social conscience (think "Tony Blair") and may have learned some lessons about how to lead because of their experiences, whereas Gordo is still hanging on to the hope that people will continue to think he is a fiscal conservative, when in fact it is a smokescreen for taking the people's money and giving it to his buddies (NOT fiscally conservative at all). I'm thinking that it might be just as valid to support a new team, as one that has demonstrated themselves to be fiscally incompetent.

Give me a fiscal conservataive, with a social conscience, and I'll vote for that individual...till then, the whole thing is a disappointment. BUT I'm still going to vote.

 

[vratar]

Its only going to get worse, we will see even higher user fees, licensing fees and consumption tax increases in the future. Reason, it costs the govts less to collect these taxes than to collect income taxes. Income taxes will still be a major revenue source for the govts, however the monetary ability to shift tax rates in this manner will continue. Seems to be a political trend these days. There also has been a negation with lower income taxes as well, certain income tax deductions are worth less as income tax percentages decline.

Why build more buses or rav line for that matter, most people probably will take their cars anyways. I would rather have the govts spend our tax dollars on more and more roads, then implement fair user fees for these roads.(like the states) Then maybe I might purchase a smart car. How about a smart car/alternative fuel vehicle lane only instead of hov lanes.

I am not sure if I had ever seen a fiscally conservative politician but privatization trends will continue. It simply costs too much to employ these workers. The govts would easily save 50%(overtime, cpp, ei, insurance, training, pension plan, other employee benefits, etc ,etc).

 

[Keeper]

Before anyone brings it up . . .

Regarding Gord's crucial press conference today to warn the public that the BCTF is engineering a "duplicitous plan" for a strike only weeks before provincial exams, I can only comment on what I've been told.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended what turned out to be a very unionized meeting (the New West Teachers Union President was invited). She said that in light of the fact that only concessions were being presented by the employer, a strike vote would likely be held. However, when was still a question. She went on to comment that Interior districts were up for a vote immediately (they are Pissed, with a capital "P", for losing so many schools, support staff, librarians, special ed assistants, etc.), while it seems the Lower Mainland area is more happy to wait until the fall and allow the "bargaining" process to continue.

For Gord to state outright that the BCTF is planning a strike vote immediately after the election is crap. As a teacher I have not been informed of any such scheduled vote -- moreover, I certainly hope there is none. It annoys the hell out of me that (1) the BCTF continues to take a adversarial and militant stance against every government, and (2) the government continues to consider the BCTF as some evil entity that operates seperate from teachers, when in fact it is a democratic body run by and consisting of teachers.

 

[Reccos]

The whole idea of a union meeting in the midst of an election campaign by the teachers couldn't have been planned better unless the Liberals planned it themselves. Talk about handing the Libs a great issue!!! What a bunch of complete idiots as this is going to frame the debate and media attacks right up to voting day now. Watch for tv and radio ads from the Libs to target the big unions and link them to the NDP -- it's gonna get rough and dirty over the final days of the campaign. I suspect dirty ads will include newspaper attacks this weekend. That media conference by Campbell today was no sudden call. It will link to new ads in the media and this I am pretty sure about.

This may be a very close election with a lot of voters voting to kick Campbell in the butt and vote to give him an Official Opposition which any government needs. It is in this kind of election like the NDP win in 1972 that leads to new governments coming from nowhere to win. The Greens are the Libs best bet to save some of the seats they will lose.

 

[Screw You Captain]

Hey Dude, long time no talk.

I was indeed on strike about a week ago, and went on a stroll around the 'National Capital.' Our union leaders being a bunch of separatists, we are seeking a new National Agreement. There's no need for a communist party here because everyone is socialist. I wasn't really happy to be on a 1 day strike that accomplished nothing, but I will say there are a lot of hot young teachers in Quebec.

That said, I'm disappointed to see that our favorite contract-shredding lush appears headed back to power tomorrow. I suppose I'll remain in exile...

Cheers

ps OD, the golf game is still hurting. Tournament Friday.

 

[Reccos]

What a stupid comment -- everyone is a socialist -- what a joke.

 

[Reccos]

How close is the election going to be tonight? I for one am thinking that the big Liberal majority from last time is going to be reduced by 20 to 25 seats after today. This election is going to be closer than some think but I won't go so far as saying the Liberals will fall.

This next term for Gordon Campbell may be the harshest for citizens than the first term. He no doubt will approach this new term with a nothing-to-lose attitude and do what he really wanted to do the first time. I say this only because he might not want to serve as Premier past this next four years - a guess- and his penchant for wanting things done his way. He is not a guy who has mellowed in office.

 

[Dude]

Like you said, I see a majority with a stronger opposition. Good for BC.

I see the next four as being more carefully planned out. I see that over the past 4 he could do as he wished, knowing full well he'd lose seats, but hang on to majority. People are still too gun-shy of the NDP to elect them into power.

 

[trece verde]

Vote 4 Me

 

[Mr. Rempa]

to selling out and moving the familly out of the province, possibly the country. I just can't go through that again.

I see the next four as being more carefully planned out. I see that over the past 4 he could do as he wished, knowing full well he'd lose seats, but hang on to majority. People are still too gun-shy of the NDP to elect them into power.

So Dude, when are you planning your MOVING SALE?. Tomorrow or on the long weekend?


I guess we'll know tonight. Let me know

 

[Dude]

There won't be a moving sale for another 4 years.





I hope.

 

[TheRob]

45-34

In the words of Adam Sandler, "Not too shabby."

Could change a little, but a good result for the NDP.

 

[Dial 9-1-1]

Argyle, if you're out there, can you hook us up with some Joy Macphail pics?

 

[Reccos]

TTP prediction for election results is not too far off the popular vote as of 10:30 pm tonight. TTP prediction on the left and the actual vote as of now on the right.

Liberals 15 44.12% LIB 46.32%
NDP 13 38.24% NDP 40.73%
Greens 3 8.82% GRN 9.09%
Other 3 8.82% DR 0 1.09% and other 2.78%

 

[One Dart]

4 words. Ma-jor-i-ty. 'Nuf said.

 

[Dude]

Good overall result; I'm pleased. Libs will have to move closer to the center to earn a third term.