Tory leadership debates on tv

[Footscray]

anybody swayed? couldn't care less?

[Winsor_Pilates]

I only wathched a few minutes but didn't like the way it was done.
I don't think they should have a live audience there.
Some of them seem to have a large section of groupies that cheer really loud for them and boo other candidates.
IMO, this could alter the opinions of people watching on TV into thinking a certain candidate is doing really well since they're getting lots of cheers and another candidate isn't doing well becaues they're getting boo'ed.

[FireFly]

I watched and what stuck out to me was how 'greasy' Oberg and Dinning look to me. It appears as if they are in it for themselves and not the good of Alberta. They have no new ideas. They are trying too hard to win the popularity contest... they have lame hair and lame speaches and lame "ideas". It seems that both want the prestige of running the wealthiest province in Canada, not to better that province.

And I'm sad that likely one of them will win.

I like Norris. He's got the ideas, and no charisma, but I like his ideas.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by FireFly

I watched and what stuck out to me was how 'greasy' Oberg and Dinning look to me. It appears as if they are in it for themselves and not the good of Alberta. They have no new ideas. They are trying too hard to win the popularity contest... they have lame hair and lame speaches and lame "ideas". It seems that both want the prestige of running the wealthiest province in Canada, not to better that province.

And I'm sad that likely one of them will win.

I like Norris. He's got the ideas, and no charisma, but I like his ideas.

I'm with you on Oberg and Dinning (Dinning especially, Oberg less so) looking sleezy and selfish.

But you were impressed with Norris?? Wow. Him and his, shh, environment's fine, they're jealous talk? Or his weird stance on federal affairs?

To me, the best were Morton, Stelmach and Oberg (ideas were better than Dinning, despite both having poor presentation)

[JohnnyFlame]

This reminds me of when Lougheed was done and that bozo Getty took over. A collection of dufii.

[Flames89]

Dinning all the way.

Corporate, yes. But the man has given his all for Alberta, won't be selling us out, is smart, and not a push-over for the feds.

He is also a good guy. Seriously.

[peter12]

It's over for the PCs. One more election and it's over.

[mykalberta]

They have a pathetic crop, quite embarassing actually.

If I had a membership I would most likely vote for Oberg just because he has a smaller town feel to him.

Had Day not had dilusions of grandure he would be rubber stamped as the next Premier and Ralph would have been out last year or earlier - shame really.

MYK

MYK

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Flames89

Dinning all the way.

Corporate, yes. But the man has given his all for Alberta, won't be selling us out, is smart, and not a push-over for the feds.

He is also a good guy. Seriously.

Boy do I disagree with you. He may be a nice guy...but not the guy we want running the province.

[RougeUnderoos]

This may belong in the drunken antics thread but recently I woke up after a night on the town and found a receipt for a $5 contribution to Dinning's campaign in my wallet.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Boy do I disagree with you. He may be a nice guy...but not the guy we want running the province.

Quoted for truth. He offers nothing new, just really seems to push the notion that the ideas are fine, its Ralph that was lousy, and we really need reform.

To me, the best three candidates for that are Morton, Oberg and Hancock. I mentioned Stelmach in my first post, and thats just because he seems like a safe choice. Hancock is a better choice for change.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

I'm with you on Oberg and Dinning (Dinning especially, Oberg less so) looking sleezy and selfish.

But you were impressed with Norris?? Wow. Him and his, shh, environment's fine, they're jealous talk? Or his weird stance on federal affairs?

To me, the best were Morton, Stelmach and Oberg (ideas were better than Dinning, despite both having poor presentation)

Well perhaps I should qualify that with the fact that I was working and since I work on the phone, I didn't hear everything... What was it, health care and education I liked? I don't even remember now.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by peter12

It's over for the PCs. One more election and it's over.

Originally Posted by mykalberta

They have a pathetic crop, quite embarassing actually.

###. I'm extremely dissappointed in the options the PC Party has and can't see them lasting too much longer. It's time for the 35 year changing of the guard anyways.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by peter12

It's over for the PCs. One more election and it's over.

Hahahahaha. That's hilarious.

Originally Posted by FireFly

I watched and what stuck out to me was how 'greasy' Oberg and Dinning look to me. It appears as if they are in it for themselves and not the good of Alberta. They have no new ideas. They are trying too hard to win the popularity contest... they have lame hair and lame speaches and lame "ideas". It seems that both want the prestige of running the wealthiest province in Canada, not to better that province.

You accuse them of just trying to win a popularity contest, and then go on to criticize their hair. Sheesh...go vote for your class president. Leave the PC leadership voting to those who actually ponder the issues and future of this province.


All you who brag about your province's wealth, lack of debt and "Ralph Bucks" completely forget that it was Dinning who put us on this course while serving as Provincial Treasurer under Ralph. It was Dinning who slashed the deficit. He's the only guy I trust with the billions flowing into our provinces piggy bank. The dude actually has a plan, while everyone else just made spending and tax cut promises without actually considering the ramifications of them.

Who was it that said "surpluses just mean overtaxation"? What a load of stupid-voter-attention-grabbing. So his solution to fixing a deficit must be to raise taxes?!? Good lord.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Hahahahaha. That's hilarious.



You accuse them of just trying to win a popularity contest, and then go on to criticize their hair. Sheesh...go vote for your class president. Leave the PC leadership voting to those who actually ponder the issues and future of this province.


All you who brag about your province's wealth, lack of debt and "Ralph Bucks" completely forget that it was Dinning who put us on this course while serving as Provincial Treasurer under Ralph. It was Dinning who slashed the deficit. He's the only guy I trust with the billions flowing into our provinces piggy bank. The dude actually has a plan, while everyone else just made spending and tax cut promises without actually considering the ramifications of them.

Who was it that said "surpluses just mean overtaxation"? What a load of stupid-voter-attention-grabbing. So his solution to fixing a deficit must be to raise taxes?!? Good lord.

That was Norris. I shuddered too.

Dinning is also the man who slashed healthcare to the bone, lead the CRHA into the ground, and despite popular opinion, has no real plan aside from status quo. His policy on federalism is alarming. A combination of passiveness and arrogance. We're the best, they should know that and respect it, and for that reason we don't have to keep an eye on them.

[FireFly]

Forgive me if I'm wrong here, but wasn't Day the treasurer for most of the deficit slashing?

And you're right, forgive me for criticizing the man's hair. I don't know about you but if I'm going to give a man the keys to my wallet, I want him to look like he knows what he's doing, not some wannabe California surfer. He has no air of professionalism that I could see. I also put that into the same sentence as his 'speech and ideas'... which sounded like the exact same regurgitated **** the PCs have been saying for years.

As for budget surpluses being overtaxation, that's what a Conservative would say. Put the money in people's pockets by cutting the taxes. Less government, etc. Or doesn't anyone recall what a Conservative is anymore? Has the ideology shifted? I don't remember that happening.

[jolinar of malkshor]

What I want from the next leader is:

1) Alberta's own pension plan.
2) No more healthcare premiums
3) Lower taxes
4) Removal of the RCMP and the establishment of a provincial police force
5) More focus on advanced education

Those are my top five. I could go on for another 10 or 15 but I won't

Why aren't these idiots talking about this stuff, and I mean passionatly, like it needs to be done tomorrow. The way they are acting is like nothing is going to change...like they are putting aout a few ideas that might happen.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Forgive me if I'm wrong here, but wasn't Day the treasurer for most of the deficit slashing?

And you're right, forgive me for criticizing the man's hair. I don't know about you but if I'm going to give a man the keys to my wallet, I want him to look like he knows what he's doing, not some wannabe California surfer. He has no air of professionalism that I could see. I also put that into the same sentence as his 'speech and ideas'... which sounded like the exact same regurgitated **** the PCs have been saying for years.

As for budget surpluses being overtaxation, that's what a Conservative would say. Put the money in people's pockets by cutting the taxes. Less government, etc. Or doesn't anyone recall what a Conservative is anymore? Has the ideology shifted? I don't remember that happening.

Nope, it was Dinning through the real cuts (92-97), then Day (97-2000), then Steve West, Pat Nelson, and now Shirley McLellan.

Budget surpluses = overtaxation in stable economies, not boom-bust commodity based economies. If you could realistically be seeing between 5 and 15 billion (not accurate numbers, just an example) in Oil Revenues, and you have no real way of determining this, you can't just go cutting taxes... you could realistically end up with a multi-billion deficit, rather than a multi-billion surplus, cause you really can't go yanking the taxes up and down every year either... people will go nuts. The best thing to do is to find a happy medium where people are paying low enough taxes, getting good return on what they do pay tax on, and ensuring there's no new taxes. As ridiculous as it sounds, maybe yearly tax refunds on good years... but you really can't just slash taxes when your revenue stream is so unstable.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

What I want from the next leader is:

1) Alberta's own pension plan.
2) No more healthcare premiums
3) Lower taxes
4) Removal of the RCMP and the establishment of a provincial police force
5) More focus on advanced education

Those are my top five. I could go on for another 10 or 15 but I won't

Why aren't these idiots talking about this stuff, and I mean passionatly, like it needs to be done tomorrow. The way they are acting is like nothing is going to change...like they are putting aout a few ideas that might happen.

That sounds exactly like Morton's platform. Remember, he helped write the firewall letter that originally brought up Points 1 and 4. Being a Professor at the U of C, you know he feels for 5. He specifically mentioned 2 at the debate. Lower taxes is straight across the board, though like I suggested in my last post... hard to accomplish at the provincial level. The place we are being screwed is Federal tax. Something like 66% of our total tax burden for 14% of the services.

[Rockin' Flames]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

That sounds exactly like Morton's platform. Remember, he helped write the firewall letter that originally brought up Points 1 and 4. Being a Professor at the U of C, you know he feels for 5. He specifically mentioned 2 at the debate. Lower taxes is straight across the board, though like I suggested in my last post... hard to accomplish at the provincial level. The place we are being screwed is Federal tax. Something like 66% of our total tax burden for 14% of the services.

I agree this sounds a lot like some of the stuff Morton wants to do. Here is the link to his ideas. Personally I like what he seems to bring to the table.