Alberta Politics Thread

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I tend to think that the soccer moms will either look at stories about people losing their jobs or worse yet, looking across the table at her unemployed husband or reviewing her own unemployed status, and the whole concepts of any social platform will go out the windows.

The next election will be fought purely on the economy and the NDP's record with the cheque book.

The next disaster coming for the NDP, is the release of the budget update where they show that the budgeted figure of a$10.4 billion dollar deficit will be surpassed.

So hypothetically, lets say that oil gets to $65-70 before 2019. Things are looking a lot better and maybe some people are getting back to work, things like that. Because the election is all about the economy, the NDP wins?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Slava

So hypothetically, lets say that oil gets to $65-70 before 2019. Things are looking a lot better and maybe some people are getting back to work, things like that. Because the election is all about the economy, the NDP wins?

Not a chance, its about their economic policy at the worst part of this crisis. They've shown their not worth trusting.

Plus in my mind even if the Oil went back up, which I'm not convinced that by 2018 that it will get even close to 65 to 70, its a so what, the NDP has basically chased away the investors that would be interested in that Oil.

Just talking to people that I know their expectation is that Oil at the price your talking to is pretty much a pipe dream, their expectation is at about 55.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Not a chance, its about their economic policy at the worst part of this crisis. They've shown their not worth trusting.

Plus in my mind even if the Oil went back up, which I'm not convinced that by 2018 that it will get even close to 65 to 70, its a so what, the NDP has basically chased away the investors that would be interested in that Oil.

Just talking to people that I know their expectation is that Oil at the price your talking to is pretty much a pipe dream, their expectation is at about 55.

Yeah well that's what makes it a hypothetical though! I'm not saying oil is heading back there. But the point is that 2-3 years is a long time. The economy could easily turn the corner in that time. And the prognostications about the price of oil aren't worth anything either; its off its lows this year by what...50+%? How many of these prognostications called for oil to drop from the triple digits to a low of $26? I didn't see any.

People have a super short memory. I don't think that everyone will take this first 24 months of pain into much account if things turn hard enough heading into 2019. I'm not saying they are guaranteed a win by any stretch, but to suggest that its over as of today is extremely premature.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Slava

So hypothetically, lets say that oil gets to $65-70 before 2019. Things are looking a lot better and maybe some people are getting back to work, things like that. Because the election is all about the economy, the NDP wins?

The NDP won only through protest vote. The people that voted for the Conservatives for 44 years are not going to do that again, and knew it at the time. That's the way I saw it anyway. I'll hold my nose and vote for the Cons next time just to get rid of the NDP. Unless it's Jason Kenney.

As for the election being about the economy, everyone knows that the NDP had nothing to do with the collapse in the price of oil and know they will have no role in bringing it back up if it happens. They won't get credit for that. They'll get credit for what they actually do, and not many people like what they are actually doing.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Slava

Yeah well that's what makes it a hypothetical though! I'm not saying oil is heading back there. But the point is that 2-3 years is a long time. The economy could easily turn the corner in that time. And the prognostications about the price of oil aren't worth anything either; its off its lows this year by what...50+%? How many of these prognostications called for oil to drop from the triple digits to a low of $26? I didn't see any.

People have a super short memory. I don't think that everyone will take this first 24 months of pain into much account if things turn hard enough heading into 2019. I'm not saying they are guaranteed a win by any stretch, but to suggest that its over as of today is extremely premature.

I think you're over thinking the short memory thing. The Liberal's federally and with a great deal of vindictiveness destroyed this province nearly 40 years ago, and there's very little trust or forgiveness for them.

The unemployment rate surpassing Nova Scotia's and the overwhelmed foodbanks are going to create a long term problem of zero trust for the NDP even if the Oil prices go back up.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Slava

Yeah well that's what makes it a hypothetical though! I'm not saying oil is heading back there. But the point is that 2-3 years is a long time. The economy could easily turn the corner in that time. And the prognostications about the price of oil aren't worth anything either; its off its lows this year by what...50+%? How many of these prognostications called for oil to drop from the triple digits to a low of $26? I didn't see any.

People have a super short memory. I don't think that everyone will take this first 24 months of pain into much account if things turn hard enough heading into 2019. I'm not saying they are guaranteed a win by any stretch, but to suggest that its over as of today is extremely premature.

The thing is, if the economy turns the corner it will be in spite of them, not because of them. They've done nothing to assist the economy in this downturn. They've made it worse.

One and done, and thank goodness for that. Hopefully they don't do too much damage in the next three years.

[GGG]

Right now our power distribution is the worst of both worlds. A private company guarenteed a profit. There is no competition for distribution.

[V]

I'd like to know how you could introduce competition to an electrical distribution system. They pretty much have a natural monopoly, even if it isn't legislated.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Slava

Yeah well that's what makes it a hypothetical though! I'm not saying oil is heading back there. But the point is that 2-3 years is a long time. The economy could easily turn the corner in that time. And the prognostications about the price of oil aren't worth anything either; its off its lows this year by what...50+%? How many of these prognostications called for oil to drop from the triple digits to a low of $26? I didn't see any.

People have a super short memory. I don't think that everyone will take this first 24 months of pain into much account if things turn hard enough heading into 2019. I'm not saying they are guaranteed a win by any stretch, but to suggest that its over as of today is extremely premature.

Much like how we fell farther, faster than other jurisdictions, people will see Alberta recover far more slowly than other jurisdictions. And they will know exactly who is responsible for it.

People have a super short memory, but nobody outside of the morons in Edmonton are likely to have a memory as short as you are hoping.

Besides, the NDP's own excuse making works entirely against them. For all their supporters and sycophants claim it isn't their fault the economy took a dive, people will only laugh at their idiocy and hypocrisy when they try to claim credit for when the economy recovers.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by V

I'd like to know how you could introduce competition to an electrical distribution system. They pretty much have a natural monopoly, even if it isn't legislated.

Decentralized energy and blockchain technology leading to 'micro-grids'?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by V

I'd like to know how you could introduce competition to an electrical distribution system. They pretty much have a natural monopoly, even if it isn't legislated.

That's the problem with it. Does it make sense to privatize things that can't have competition? Now you can't go backwards like the NDP seem to be rumouring but did the original decision make sense? I don't think so

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The majority of Albertans do not share the social conservatism and rural concerns of the Wildrose either. I suppose that leaves the door open for the Conservatives. But will Albertans feel they've been sufficiently chastened? And will the Conservatives put forward a candidate who appeals to soccer moms, of will they try to appeal to red-meat conservatives? This isn't a province of farmers, ranchers, and oil executives anymore.

This right there is the big question. I'm being very general on this, but Soccer Moms are the prime demographic in Alberta and which ever way they sway the province will sway. The Racheal Notely and the NDP were able to appeal to them on mass in 2015 and became the logical alternative.

If heaven forbid, Kenney pulls off his plan I would predict The NDP wins a second term solely on Kenney's lack of appeal with women and the soccer mum demographic.

[Kjesse]

Even for the NDP, taking private industry public is too much I think. I expect Don Braid was just making it up.

What are the NDP going to make us... the Union of Soviet Socialist Alberta?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Delgar

Even for the NDP, taking private industry public is too much I think. I expect Don Braid was just making it up.

What are the NDP going to make us... the Union of Soviet Socialist Alberta?

I've been ahead of this game for months. See sig.

[nik-]

Replace the wild rose with the Red Star?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by nik-

Replace the wild rose with the Red Star?

The Hammer and Sickle!

I cant wait until the Commissar grants us our own anthem!

And here I thought the worst thing in Edmonton was Kevin Lowe. How wrong and misguided I was.

[GaiJin]

Originally Posted by Delgar

Even for the NDP, taking private industry public is too much I think. I expect Don Braid was just making it up.

What are the NDP going to make us... the Union of Soviet Socialist Alberta?

Putting that Genie back in the bottle would be outrageously expensive and on top of that, think of what that would do to investor confidence in the other sectors.
I am really surprised highway maintenance is still being provided by private contractors, I was sure that would be the first provincial service to go back, then registries.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by GaiJin

Putting that Genie back in the bottle would be outrageously expensive and on top of that, think of what that would do to investor confidence in the other sectors.
I am really surprised highway maintenance is still being provided by private contractors, I was sure that would be the first provincial service to go back, then registries.

Can you imagine what would happen if highway maintenance and registries went back provincial and became unionized.

What a freaking nightmare that would be.

[GaiJin]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Can you imagine what would happen if highway maintenance and registries went back provincial and became unionized.

What a freaking nightmare that would be.

I'm old enough to remember spending hours in line at the Bowness Registry to get a plate, and the joke " whats yellow and sleeps six?", an Alberta Government Transportation crew cab truck.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Can you imagine what would happen if highway maintenance and registries went back provincial and became unionized.

What a freaking nightmare that would be.

Its not even the nightmare of inefficiency and waste.

I cant imagine what people must think if a Government privatizes a service and then changes their mind and then Nationalizes it.

Theres a small island a few miles off the coast of Florida that did something similar once.