GDT: The Alberta Election 2012 - The Morning After - PC Majority Government

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by Slava

Its funny though. Its that kind of attitude that just cost the Wildrose supporters in my opinion. Like I say, if you were on the fence as a PC supporter and get branded as an idiot for even thinking thats a good idea (my words, not anyone elses), how do you ever make that switch?

Yes, clearly the much milder "all wildrose supporters are gay-hating, racist, super religious bigots" was more acceptable....?

Are you serious?

[stacey]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Nope, none of those strategies would have done anything. A 'yeah, well the other guys just as racist/homophobic as us' line would have fallen flat. Nobody would have cared. Morton's an extreme social conservative, but we know enough about the rank-and-file of the PCs to know that he wouldn't be able to push that agenda within his party.

The WRP needed to be proactive, rather than reactionary. They needed to present not just a leader but a team of star candidates who people could get to know and say 'yes, I wouldn't mind these people running my province.' Such an approach would have largely mitigated offensive comments, because the public would be able to more easily dismiss them as a couple wingnuts.

Instead, the casual voter saw a picture of the Wildrose as Smith as a weak leader with a whole bunch of rednecks lurking in the weeds behind her, just waiting for her to lead them to victory. It wasn't as though this image only reared its head in the last few days of the campaign... this was a long-held suspicion about the party that was seemingly confirmed by these comments. Going forward, that element of party identity is something the WRP needs to confront head-on and aggressively, rather than hoping nobody speaks out of line and then responding weakly when they do.

I think the point in bold is so true...

[EddyBeers]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

Did you see them practically shove that caucasian fellow behind Kang during his interview with Global? I guess they didnt want to look like a one ethnic race vote being done for him?

Kinda like when Danielle got all 7 Sikhs to stand behind her when she had her press conference explaining that her party was not racist.

[CaptainCrunch]

Personally I was hugely insulted by the Liberal and Conservative message that a vote for the Wildrose was basically a vote for Homophobia and racism.

As someone that is willing to say that I was voting for Wildrose to be thrown into that generalization is personally offensive.

I've fired off an email to my MLA letting him know that its going to be extremely difficult for the PC's to ever get my support again over that. They had lost my vote in this election because of thier platform and their leader, but it to me had been difficult because I had supported this guy over the last election.

I'm hoping I get a response from him, I have my doubts.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by zuluking

Your point above is a good one, but has nothing to do with your statement that comments made (here) after the election were examples of why the WR didn't win the election. That was where I was looking for clarification.

My point is the Wildrose was a lot more like the PCs they derided then they'd like to admit. So while they may hate the PCs and the way they do things, they aren't much different or better.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Yes, clearly the much milder "all wildrose supporters are gay-hating, racist, super religious bigots" was more acceptable....?

Are you serious?

You really don't get it. Its not just about these two candidates (and the others who weren't outed). I'm talking about the over-arching idea. Every time a guy like you came into this thread and decried Alison Redford as being akin to a commie, or implying that only a moron would support her you were driving away supporters.

I was undecided. I worked hard to get a friend of mine elected as a Liberal, but live in a different riding. Frankly, I was against the PC's just as much as you. But when you start to fire shots about how the liberal elites and that kind of nonsense you quickly drive people away. Part of the people you drive away with those comments are PC's normally who aren't sure.

You can keep on rambling and hope that this somehow makes the problem these two comments. I don't think that is the whole story though. The Wildrose tried to polarize the entire debate between them and everyone else, and last night they got a result indicative of that. You would think a party of farmers and ivory tower elites would know that you reap what you sow.

[Tinordi]

The economic dreamland policies of Wildrose also didn't help. They appealed to a disgruntled populists like CaptainCrunch but to pragmatic voters who understood that government finances were more complicated than household finances and that governments around Canada and the world are in a transition period due to ageing populations, infrastructure neglect, and environmental and social concerns they recognized that the PC fiscal platform was probably a better alternative.

I think they were spooked by the social conservatives and by that degree gave more scrutiny to the rest of the platform, which frankly doesn't hold water well.

In any case, this is a very strong repudiation of the fraser institute, manning centre, stephen harper brand of conservatism in a province where it has been cultivated. I can't think many strategists in the PMO are too pleased by the outlook moving forward.

[MarchHare]

Apologies if I missed it, but has First Lady posted since the results came in? Even if we are on different sides of the political spectrum, I enjoyed her posts and commentary throughout the campaign. I'd like to see her perspective on what was surely a disappointing night for her party.

[kn]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Personally I was hugely insulted by the Liberal and Conservative message that a vote for the Wildrose was basically a vote for Homophobia and racism.

I feel the same way. It's the way I felt after Chretien's federal campaigns.

I had a lot of respect for Raj for standing up to the PCs, thought he performed well in the debate, but he lost any good will from me once he fired off that Twitter remark.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Apologies if I missed it, but has First Lady posted since the results came in? Even if we are on different sides of the political spectrum, I enjoyed her posts and commentary throughout the campaign. I'd like to see her perspective on what was surely a disappointing night for her party.

No comments from First lady. I also look forward to hearing what she has to say.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by kn

I feel the same way. It's the way I felt after Chretien's federal campaigns.

I had a lot of respect for Raj for standing up to the PCs, thought he performed well in the debate, but he lost any good will from me once he fired off that Twitter remark.

See in my opinion, Raj was irrrelevant to this campaign, from start to finish. The Wild Rose didn't lose to him, nor did anyone suffer ill effects from his embarrassing remarks on twitter--though he may have sunk the final nail in the Liberal coffin in this province.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

though he may have sunk the final nail in the Liberal coffin in this province.

And I'm okay with that. If the Alberta Party can become the voice of a moderate/progressive Alberta, I'd be okay with that. However it seems that if Redford has her way, the PCs will become that with the Wildrose being the right leaning opposition.

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Actually sales taxes along with rebates such as with the GST are progressive not regressive.

I see you cleverly added the "along with rebates" part.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

On the other note, it sounds like there were still 50% or less voter turnout again, I really don't know what's needed to get these people off of their couches to vote, I thought this was such a crucial and interesting election and yet half of the people in this province didn't practice their right to vote, I find that depressing.

It's been said, but it bears repeating: voter turnout was at 57% in this election.

This is actually a stunningly high number, in relative terms; it is the highest since 1993, which was higher because the election was contested by a strong Liberal challenge.

It is also, other than 1993, the highest voter turnout since 1982!

Liberals used to tell themselves the comforting bedtime story that they were the party of choice among non-voters. My advice to the Wild Rose is: don't fall into that trap. Turnout was high not low; voters rejected your party's message, and they did so in large numbers.

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by EddyBeers

Kinda like when Danielle got all 7 Sikhs to stand behind her when she had her press conference explaining that her party was not racist.

She didnt shove them back there while the tapes were rolling.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Slava

Let me sum it up for you. Remember when Redford made Wilkie resign for asking why Danielle Smith had no kids? That's leadership. That's how a strong leader deals with things. Danielle Smith didn't have that luxury because the social conservatives would've left her if she did this though. It was a bad decision, plain and simple.

You mean like how Wildrose ejected Steven Carter a couple years ago for his own Twitter indescretions?

C'mon Slava, surely you understand the difference between dumping an office flunky off your staff and dumping a candidate a week ahead of the election. I'm not saying Smith was right in her response - clearly she was not - but lets not make Redford out as some kind of heroine for having the "courage" to force an easily replacable person out of their job.

[North East Goon]

Let's face it two years from now we the people of Alberta will be complaining about the Premier no matter what party is in power. It's a tough job, you can never keep everyone happy.

[Yeah_Baby]

Stephen Carter is a knob.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Dion

No comments from First lady. I also look forward to hearing what she has to say.

She did make a brief appearance in the other thread. She probably needs a little time to process what happened, and I think that's very understandable. I feel like I can say "I've been there."

She's also probably exhausted; I'm sure she'll give us her take in due course.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Yes, it would have been very interesting if the Wildrose had brought up the many PC members with a history of bigoted viewpoints; ie: fight fire with fire.

It's easy to fire a backroom staffer. It would have been much harder to fire Ted Morton. Allison couldn't have done that, no matter how great a leader you think she is. Danielle refused to get into the deep mudslinging. And they lost because of it.

So are you mad that it wasn't brought up that Ted Morton had socially conservative views , or are you mad that it didn't gain traction in the media and destroy the PC party, because it was old news?