Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[Major Major]

"getting things done."

[FurnaceFace]

Slava I’m sure you recognize while we shouldn’t be a two party system, we currently are. This coming election is, in my view, REALLY important as it’s not really just these people, or these mostly similar people like in previous elections. Having additional parties and voices would be a good thing and something Alberta, and many other provinces, and nationally need, but we aren’t there right now. When the current leader of one party is constantly saying things that would make Trump blush (or salivate over) that’s scary.

Last election the UCP did a good job scaring me that they were the only ones who would protect our industries and the negative stuff that came with them would be on the backburner. I was duped. They did nothing really for industry, burned our tax money, had misstep after misstep, and pandered to ideals which are counter to my PC leanings. And, the current leader and those running the party are making the last group look like the more sound balanced ones. I’m scared again this election. Scared what 4 years of Smith will destroy.

[Ozy_Flame]

They say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. What they didn't tell you is you can also wormhole through med school and biology doctorates by following alt-right populist goblins on Twitter..

https://twitter.com/user/status/1601813449964933120

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

They say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. What they didn't tell you is you can also wormhole through med school and biology doctorates by following alt-right populist goblins on Twitter..

https://twitter.com/user/status/1601813449964933120

Look the choice is Covid freedom and royalty revenue going into general revenue (ie Adam Smith Free Market capitalism and fiscal responsibility) or communism where part of the carbon tax goes to general revenue. The choice is yours.

[Fuzz]

No longer will they defer to experts.

I still don't understand how this is something you can say proudly, or how any voter can hear someone say that and cheer "#### ya! That's my person!" I hate this world.

[RedHot25]

Come on, Fuzz. They know medical, legal and ethics through and through!

Now, about that oil and gas well I am drilling for you, just wait one second as I have to finish designing that bridge I promised them.

I don't need any geologist, engineer, skilled trades, architect, etc, they are all laurentian elites, and go against my freedom. Freedom Fuzz, Freedom!

Now, pass me my plastic straw!

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

Now, pass me my plastic straw!

Plastic straws and $600 is enough to get my vote.

[RedHot25]

I say why stop at plastic straws, let's go for bringing plastic bags back for milk.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

I say why stop at plastic straws, let's go for bringing plastic bags back for milk.

That's too Laurentian elite.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

That's too Laurentian elite.

Hmm, it is an Ontario thing.

By the way, can you give me your $600? I don't need your "geology" expertise, speaking of laurentian elite, but it will help me with my well drilling. Thanks.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Slava

No, it’s not that though. It’s just sheer “whataboutism”. I say I’m not sure about the NDP and supporters say “I can’t believe you support the UCP”. It’s utterly pointless.

Hey, if the shoe fits. I’m not rehashing it, but there were lots of people who noticed this and called them out for it. It was a fiscal nightmare that is not just pushed away with “those other guys are bad”.

Anyway, I can see I’m just wasting my time in this thread and I really should know better! I just don’t see why my thought that I don’t like the UCP and I’m not enamoured with the NDP is so difficult to understand. Both can be true.

In a binary choice, the charge of "whataboutism", particularly when not precisely defined (and the use of quotes around the word suggests you are interpreting it loosely), is practically meaningless.

What people are telling you is that in a choice between A and B, it does not matter how bad you think A is if B is blatantly worse. That's not a logical fallacy at all - the fallacy is to assert the opposite.

So when you talk about A, bringing in B as a comparable is not merely diversion. It's exactly what's necessary to make a sound voting decision.

This is not to say there can not be valid reasons to wish to focus on the flaws of A, for example "I think they're going to win anyways so let's pressure them to be better", but even that might be refuted. And if your motivations are unclear, you should not be surprised when people make assumptions, given that a self-aware UCP partisan would also want to discuss the flaws of the NDP while diverting the conversation away from comparison to the UCP.

Okay, the NDP were a fiscal nightmare. Assume that everyone agrees with you on that point, though they may still believe that the UCP are worse. What would you wish to say next? What conclusion would you like us to reach?

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

Slava I’m sure you recognize while we shouldn’t be a two party system, we currently are.

Worth noting that a two-party system is a natural results of first-past-the-post, and if you don't like it, you should be supporting electoral reform.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

Hmm, it is an Ontario thing.

By the way, can you give me your $600? I don't need your "geology" expertise, speaking of laurentian elite, but it will help me with my well drilling. Thanks.

My $600 will be given to a bunch of very nice Mexicans.

[Muta]

I never got $600 from Smith, I'm not rich enough

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by Muta

I never got $600 from Smith, I'm not rich enough

Best place to be in Alberta/Canada going forward is to be really rich or really poor. Everyone else is screwed.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Yikes

Best place to be in Alberta/Canada going forward is to be really rich or really poor. Everyone else is screwed.

This is blatantly an absurd thing to say. The really poor might get more help, but they're still well worse off than the middle class, or even the moderately poor.

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by SebC

This is blatantly an absurd thing to say. The really poor might get more help, but they're still well worse off than the middle class, or even the moderately poor.

Fair enough...In terms of Government programs/handouts/breaks/tax cuts/incentives...etc. The best place to be is really rich or really poor. Everyone else will pay for it.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Yikes

Fair enough...In terms of Government programs/handouts/breaks/tax cuts/incentives...etc. The best place to be is really rich or really poor. Everyone else will pay for it.

The rich pay more for it and the poor don’t have money to pay for it… because they are poor.

Stuff like this is just nonsense.

[RogerWilco]

Everything has been hashed out a million times in this thread. The only thing I could add is that after listening to Danielle Smith on QR77 for years, I'm not sure how any rational person could support her or the party that would prop up a leader that expressed the view she did in her years on talk radio. Those years are an open example of her true nature no matter how much she tries to down play them now for political gain. The NDP are by far the most stable choice that have the ability to win the next election. This is coming from someone that has voted conservative in almost every election. 100% the NDP have my vote this go around, after listening to Danielle for years, there is literally nothing she could say that I wouldn't be skeptical about or convince me that she isn't a complete lunatic.

[Muta]

This has felt like the longest 3.5 years in Alberta's history. And there's still .5 left to go, possibly another 1.5 if Smith cowardly punts the election down the road.

[Izzle]

I absolutely fear that the next election in Alberta will not be in May 2023. I hope I am wrong.

Should the election be delayed, I wonder if that will change the minds of some conservatives on here.