Alberta Politics Thread v2

[Fuzz]

Jeremy Nixon was at my door recently, and it was a bit awkward when he suggested the NDP may have been behind that last letter Troutman posted. Sure, they could have been, but not likely. And I'm not sure why you'd provide that kind of thing at the door of someone how said they are undecided. I told him the UCP needs to avoid this kind of stuff, and he said they are fully committed to an equality platform, and that these things keep flocking to them, not that they want them, and they do not support any of them.



What got me is that he also said they want to have a referendum on equalization because we are sending money away. I kinda mentioned, "well, that's not really how it works" and he comes back with we are sending billions to provinces working against us. I really got the feeling he either didn't understand how equalization works, or was just pushing a narrative he wanted me to buy. Probably both, actually. Not really a good look.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Surprised this isn't getting more attention. It's pretty much a blatant example of a human-trafficking scheme.

Not to sound like I’m lessening the accusations but I’ve heard from people this is quite common in Canada. Some of the people I work with started in similar situations years ago.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

The NDP almost certainly have nothing to do with that letter or stories like it, but there are three things to be kept in mind.

First, the NDP are only all to happy to have members of the media focusing on small fringe groups who say and do terrible things who support their opponents, creating the misleading impression that the party reflects the actions of those small fringe groups. The media are only happy to do it because sensationalist stories get attention, as demonstrated here.

Second, there are bound to be some people who don't want a UCP government and think that not having one is important enough that they'll do terrible things and say they're doing them in the name of the UCP. It's basically impossible to tell if any particular news item reflects this practice, and suggesting it sounds like conspiracy thinking, so it'll just sort of float in the background throughout the whole campaign.

Third, there are people who don't want a UCP government who will do everything they can to attempt to drag these news stories out and make them as damaging as possible for the UCP by keeping them on defence, demanding more and more contrition and apology for things they didn't actually do. Which is why it's not at all surprising that after a quick and complete condemnation of the letter and whoever wrote it, that the individual behind the complaint immediately said the UCP / Kenney response was "not good enough". For that individual, it was never going to be.

Given the UCP's response, I don't think this sort of news story should make anyone more or less likely to vote for either major party. But of course it will, so prepare for a lot more of them.

[Fuzz]

I'm not doubting that someone could have been behind it with intentions different that what it first looks like, but I'd be very surprised if it was the NDP itself, as he was really trying to hint at. Radical NDP supporters? Sure, could be. But he made it sound like it was the party he was accusing. And if he is going door to door with that specific message, to people less informed than I am, I could see that message resonating. It's the kind of misleading politics and messaging I can't support.

[crazy_eoj]

Hooray NDP! Another 16K jobs lost. Trevor Tombe is seeing a 2nd recession beginning in the province.

[Fuzz]

Looks like Walmart greeters are doing OK though.

[PsYcNeT]

So I do a lot of statistical work, and I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what his MSPaint black line is supposed to represent on this graph.

[Fuzz]

Black line looks like net total. So when there are bars above the 0 line, the black line is a bit higher up.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

So I do a lot of statistical work, and I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what his MSPaint black line is supposed to represent on this graph.

Looks like the Oilers snake to me.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Black line looks like net total. So when there are bars above the 0 line, the black line is a bit higher up.

That’s what I initially thought but if the chart is showing the difference in employment rates compared to 2014 levels, shouldn’t the 2014 months at the beginning of the graph be at the zero line since those were the actual 2014 levels?

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Looks like the Oilers snake to me.

Was going to say a sad snek, but Oiler snek is better.

[Fuzz]

iggy_oi:


Never trust the first data point!

[crazy_eoj]

Employment in young men now at lowest point ever recorded in AB?

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Employment in young men now at lowest point ever recorded in AB?

Why in 30 years could the PCs not get it back up to the levels seen in the early 1980s?

[woob]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Employment in young men now at lowest point ever recorded in AB?

That's some low effort narrative there. At least provide a remotely accurate graph representative to the time period you're claiming.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Employment in young men now at lowest point ever recorded in AB?

During what season? I think that its pretty normal for school age children in the winter to be at school or university while not having a job. From age 14-25 I always had a work in the summer, but rarely held a job in the winter.

[Fuzz]

Lazy millennials!

[White Out 403]

In one way, it will be refreshing when the UCP are in power in a few months and when the data continues the way it does to watch their supporters twist themselves into prenzels to blame it on outside forces while trying not to look like enormous hypocrites

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

In one way, it will be refreshing when the UCP are in power in a few months and when the data continues the way it does to watch their supporters twist themselves into prenzels to blame it on outside forces while trying not to look like enormous hypocrites

That would be hypocritical.

What if things do change for the better though? What will you say?

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

That would be hypocritical.

What if things do change for the better though? What will you say?

Hurrdurr economy was improving anyways!!!