April 23 2012: Alberta Provincial Election

[kirant]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Right now the polls are showing a possible minority Wildrose government, it will be interesting to see what happens with the sober thought votes on the night of the election.

I always wonder about these...wasn't there an indication of a possible Conservative minority before they ran over the Liberals and NDP last election?

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Fair enough, thanks for the response.

I've endeavoured to keep the initial post in this thread non-partisan and a resource for all voters.

If anyone has suggestions for additional information that would be helpful to all, I will add them.

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by First Lady

I've endeavoured to keep the initial post in this thread non-partisan and a resource for all voters.

If anyone has suggestions for additional information that would be helpful to all, I will add them.

Just wanted to say thank you for all the work you've done in collecting useful information in this thread. Very well done.

[hah]

Can anyone confirm that my MLA Paul Hinman, (who I think has done a decent job so far), has paid back his committee that did not meet, pay yet?

As of today I have yet to receive any information from any senate candidate. Do these guys even campaign to the grassroots? What a joke.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

C'mon Slava at least read the policy before you poop all over it. It makes it look like you are an ideological bulldog without any grip of reality...

The Alberta Energy Dividend will:

• Send 20% of all provincial surpluses generated by oil and gas revenues directly to Albertans, providing every Albertan with an estimated $300 in 2015.
• Ensure Alberta remains well-positioned to meet economic challenges by only paying out energy dividends when the provincial budget runs a cash surplus.
• Help Alberta families and seniors meet the rising cost of living during times of economic prosperity and rising inflation.

Thanks for you concern, but I read it, I just strongly disagree. I didn't agree when Ralph did it and I won't agree if they do it. Sure, I'll cash the cheque, but that doesn't mean its a good use of money.

I know its surplus dollars, but its just not sensible. These guys are basically admitting that in a few years they will have more money than they know what to do with, so they'll give to people.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by hah

Can anyone confirm that my MLA Paul Hinman, (who I think has done a decent job so far), has paid back his committee that did not meet, pay yet?

I can't. I can say he has committed to returning 100% personally.

Redford is now demanding all her MLA's repay, but if they don't the PC party will pick up the tab. The Wildrose Party will not be bailing out our MLAs.

I would suggest calling his campaign office, I'm sure this has come up before.

http://www.paulhinman.ca/contact/

As of today I have yet to receive any information from any senate candidate. Do these guys even campaign to the grassroots? What a joke.

They will do very little door knocking, if that is what you are expecting. They have had one forum here in Calgary, I suspect there will be more.

They may do mailers to homes, but they would have to raise a TON of cash to reach every Alberta residence.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by kirant

I always wonder about these...wasn't there an indication of a possible Conservative minority before they ran over the Liberals and NDP last election?

My memory is kinda fuzzy, but iirc the Conservaties were playing on the razors edge of a majoirty throughout the election polls, but it was really unclear that it would happen. the polls also predicted that the Liberal's would be hurt but still finish as the official opposition right up until I think the last couple of weeks of the election when Ignatieff really stumbled in the debates and Layton's Orange Crush surged.

I think in terms of the whole sober thought thing, it really split between people who were sick of elections who suddenly jumped on the wagon, and people who were seduced by Layton's charm and saw the NDP as a viable alternative. The Sober thought at the polls I think hurt the Liberal's due to Ignatieff's failures and destroyed the BLOC.

[Bownesian]

FL, could might add http://evergreenparty.ca/index.html to the first post as well as the following links for senate candidates:

http://www.votepc.ca/admin/contentx/...m?h=4&PageId=4 (Links at the bottom)
http://www.wildrosesenators.ca/
http://www.lenbracko.ca/ (independent, former Liberal MLA)
http://ianforsenate.ca/ (independent)
http://johannson.net/ (Evergreen Party)

The senate nominee election is a bit tougher to follow and campaign on as the prospective senators in waiting will potentially represent the entire province and will deal with federal, not provincial issues.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

My memory is kinda fuzzy, but iirc the Conservaties were playing on the razors edge of a majoirty throughout the election polls, but it was really unclear that it would happen. the polls also predicted that the Liberal's would be hurt but still finish as the official opposition right up until I think the last couple of weeks of the election when Ignatieff really stumbled in the debates and Layton's Orange Crush surged.

I think in terms of the whole sober thought thing, it really split between people who were sick of elections who suddenly jumped on the wagon, and people who were seduced by Layton's charm and saw the NDP as a viable alternative. The Sober thought at the polls I think hurt the Liberal's due to Ignatieff's failures and destroyed the BLOC.

My bad...I didn't clarify. I meant provincial. I swore I heard comments on how Stelmach and his lack of a personality was going to hurt the party greatly while the Wildrose could sneak in and take official opposition.

Then again, I was still in High School at this point, so I was getting some of this information fed to me through teachers who could have been twisting the information.

[Jacks]

This resource dividend idea is a stupid one. Surplus money should go into the Heritage Fund, not be used as a slush fund. Ralph bucks were dumb and so is this.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by kirant

My bad...I didn't clarify. I meant provincial. I swore I heard comments on how Stelmach and his lack of a personality was going to hurt the party greatly while the Wildrose could sneak in and take official opposition.

I seem to remember that support for the Liberals was way up and there was talk that the PC's would be in a minority or might even lose the election. Problem was the timing, when people saw the Liberals surging they had second thoughts and switched back to the PC's resulting in the ridiculous majority that they won. If the Liberals had surged earlier or later they might have done well.

[corporatejay]

I think the WRP lost my vote with that stupid dividend thing. Oh well.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

I love this counter argument. So if the government sends me 300 dollars, because I think it it would be better reinvested in schools or health care, I should write a check back to the government. So my 300 dollar donation to the government is definitely going to make a much as a difference over the potential 1 Billion dollar collective reinvestment (300 x 3,645,257).

I don't think it's a mentality that people are too stupid. I think it's the idea that as a collective that money is better utilized as reinvestment as a whole. It's a collective vs. individual argument. For a majority of people the 300 dollars extra a year is a drop in a bucket. I won't argue that 300 bucks for low income families will really help out for a month or two, but I'd rather see a stronger subsidy for single parents or people on the cusp, rather than getting a small check to help me buy the next iProduct.

I just find it pedantic that there is some hidden value in a collective spending versus individual. You can take your $300 and invest it in your childs school directly. You could spend it on a health care supplement or alternative treatment. You could use it to offset school fees, textbooks or tutoring expenses. The idea being that an individual can best decide exactly where spurplus money is best spent to help themselves.

But yet, the argument that people are too dumb to spend this money where it would impact them the most and the government could better spend it is pervasive in left wing thinking. That people are stupid and would buy beer and popcorn instead of helping their children or families directly.

[Regular_John]

I'm starting to think Smith has forgotten the first rule of holes. "The PC government has dug this province into a deeper hole than ever before. The WRP will get us out of this hole, with more digging!"

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Jacks

This resource dividend idea is a stupid one. Surplus money should go into the Heritage Fund, not be used as a slush fund. Ralph bucks were dumb and so is this.

We agree!

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

I just find it pedantic that there is some hidden value in a collective spending versus individual. You can take your $300 and invest it in your childs school directly. You could spend it on a health care supplement or alternative treatment. You could use it to offset school fees, textbooks or tutoring expenses. The idea being that an individual can best decide exactly where spurplus money is best spent to help themselves.

But yet, the argument that people are too dumb to spend this money where it would impact them the most and the government could better spend it is pervasive in left wing thinking. That people are stupid and would buy beer and popcorn instead of helping their children or families directly.

Sure, people could do those things, but they don't. I think that we should increase taxes (as stated and argued about before), but I won't be cutting a cheque for extra. The reality is that this money is provincial surplus money and should be used for the benefit of a lot of the population. Almost no one is going to send that cheque back to the government to build anything or fund anything of consequence.

[FLAMESRULE]

"Danielle's Dividends" are just as dumb as Ralphs Bucks. I'm sure EVERYONE here likes driving on decent roads, having reliable and high quality healthcare, a better education, and saving for the future. This moronic idea cost them ANY chance at my vote. It is nothing more than pandering to sheeple in this province.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Slava

We agree!

Quick, mark down the date and time

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by FLAMESRULE

"Danielle's Dividends" are just as dumb as Ralphs Bucks. I'm sure EVERYONE here likes driving on decent roads, having reliable and high quality healthcare, a better education, and saving for the future. This moronic idea cost them ANY chance at my vote. It is nothing more than pandering to sheeple in this province.

So are you saying you expect parties to not budget for roads, healthcare and education and ONLY spend on them when there is a budget surplus?

Or what exactly are you saying?

[FLAMESRULE]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

So are you saying you expect parties to not budget for roads, healthcare and education and ONLY spend on them when there is a budget surplus?

Or what exactly are you saying?

To keep the $300 and spend the money elsewhere or save it and actually grow the Heritage Fund. This province is chronically short of hospital beds, has failing infrastructure that will only get worse with time, etc. Not to mention that with all the promises from the WRA + PC's we'll never see a budget surplus again.

$300 for Average Joe is going to be spent on a new TV, computer game, etc. It wont be saved to spend on better quality food, school fees, etc. This does nothing to improve the quality of life for everyone in this province. Can anyone here remember what they spent there Ralph Bucks on??

It is short sighted pandering to buy people's votes. It makes zero sense from a provincial fiscal perspective or a quality of life perspective.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by FLAMESRULE

"Danielle's Dividends" are just as dumb as Ralphs Bucks. I'm sure EVERYONE here likes driving on decent roads, having reliable and high quality healthcare, a better education, and saving for the future. This moronic idea cost them ANY chance at my vote. It is nothing more than pandering to sheeple in this province.

Well it is a bit different. Ralph actually cut cheques prior to an election. The WRP plan is at least 3 years down the road and only if there are surpluses.

Originally Posted by FLAMESRULE

$300 for Average Joe is going to be spent on a new TV, computer game, etc. It wont be saved to spend on better quality food, school fees, etc. This does nothing to improve the quality of life for everyone in this province. Can anyone here remember what they spent there Ralph Bucks on??

It doesn't matter what it was spent on, it goes back into the economy. And really this is what "fair share" should have been about; Albertans getting a piece of the surplus revenue as it is always because of resource revenue being higher than expected.