Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[curves2000]

Originally Posted by Bonded

The biggest thing about changing the name would be breaking from the Federal NDP party and what they are doing. They really should have done it after losing to Smith. I don’t think it will be a cure all for them but it will allow them to step away from that comparison.

Curves for example has never bothered to look into NDP policies because of their name.

Not really true but ok? I follow politics very closely in AB and as you know, I like to mix it up and I am also a blunt person. At a recent Stampede BBQ I asked Danielle Smith flat out, do they have an actual plan for AB other than just bashing Trudeau, Notley/Nenshi and Gondek? Lot's of playing to emotions with the UCP but not as much action on certain things. All this is happening with a proven winner in waiting (Nenshi) who could potentially make some headway in the next election.

Appeal in politics is paramount and so is policy and having an ability to sell it. No matter how hard she tried with vast resources at her disposal, Notley could not beat a more united party on the right. Why? Up for debate I guess.

When I ask friends/family who are strong AB NDP supporters, there is a lot of acknowledgment that the NDP have a huge uphill battle and that a lot of Albertans are just morons for voting for the UCP. In some ways I agree, but is there an actual plan for converting said moron? If so, how?

Politics is like sports in so many ways and when you look at it from that lens, things become a little more clear. Blaming the opponent/ref doesn't help a lot. You need to look internally at what is happening and make adjustments and come back with a different look and keep going.

At the end of the day politics, like sports people wonder if you won or not. There may not be suitable excuses for losses but there are reasons.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by curves2000

Not really true but ok? I follow politics very closely in AB and as you know, I like to mix it up and I am also a blunt person. At a recent Stampede BBQ I asked Danielle Smith flat out, do they have an actual plan for AB other than just bashing Trudeau, Notley/Nenshi and Gondek? Lot's of playing to emotions with the UCP but not as much action on certain things. All this is happening with a proven winner in waiting (Nenshi) who could potentially make some headway in the next election.



Appeal in politics is paramount and so is policy and having an ability to sell it. No matter how hard she tried with vast resources at her disposal, Notley could not beat a more united party on the right. Why? Up for debate I guess.



When I ask friends/family who are strong AB NDP supporters, there is a lot of acknowledgment that the NDP have a huge uphill battle and that a lot of Albertans are just morons for voting for the UCP. In some ways I agree, but is there an actual plan for converting said moron? If so, how?



Politics is like sports in so many ways and when you look at it from that lens, things become a little more clear. Blaming the opponent/ref doesn't help a lot. You need to look internally at what is happening and make adjustments and come back with a different look and keep going.



At the end of the day politics, like sports people wonder if you won or not. There may not be suitable excuses for losses but there are reasons.

I can see the "politics is like sports" analogy, but in politics you win on differentiation and vilification. People don't vote because one person's ideas are better than the other. That's fantasy. They vote now because one candidate is evil and the other is less of a stinky turd sandwich.

Politics has been so distilled by negative strategies that literally no one actually likes the candidates they choose. We constantly talk about having terrible options. We got here because we're not smart enough to be motivated by what's good for us as much as fear of what's bad for us

[puffnstuff]

So you asked ds flat out...I dont see her answer in your post. Did she answer?

[FlameOn]

More UCP advantage for electricity prices. Calgary and Edmonton pay the highest rates in the country. Been talked about before but this is in a nicer graph form now and compares things by city. Thanks Smith for deregulating electricity and insurance rates.


https://www.hydroquebec.com/data/doc...rices-2023.pdf

[FlameOn]

Nenshi's response to Danielle Smith's hospital transfer plans
https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/...887df5254.html

[Fuzz]

So if Smith believes so strongly this is the way to go, why would she announce it at a no media private event? This is a massive change to the way we receive healthcare, and she doesn't have the fortitude to announce it to the public who elected her? Present it as an actual plan in front of media and take questions. This is pure cowardice on her part, and a sign she knows full well the citizens of this province have no interest in this bull####. Are y'all happy you elected a coward? Oh right, you don't post in this thread. Cowards vote for cowards.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

It can't be that hard to be more pro business than a government that shuts down an entire segment of our economy for....reasons.

I for one wish Curves would answer the challenge put forth here. This generally seems to be how the economic question goes with the UPCers these days.

UPCV "I just can't support a party that is bad for the economy"
NDPV "you mean the UPC? shows a bunch of statistics about how Alberta does better relative to global oil prices under more moderate governments, or even center right governments like the ANDP"

UPCV "Well I just want them to leave the market alone and not pick winners and losers"
NDPV "well you didn't answer my question, but you mean like setting up a propaganda arm of the government to advertise of a specific industry, or shutting down whole industries because they don't align with the way you would like the world to be"

UPCV "Do you know how much it costs to screw in a light bulb"
NDPV "Well I've answered both of your challenges, and you've ignored mine, but while not defending that specific program, it did cost less than these 45 bone headed things the UPC has done."

UPCV "yeah but theirs litter boxes in elementary schools everywhere"
NDPV "you don't even know that your 12 year old is making fun of you when they tell you that, do you?"

[SebC]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

The PCs and the Wildrose combined, and nobody was confused.

Lots of voters got confused. They thought they were voting PC when actually they were voting WRP.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by SebC

Lots of voters got confused. They thought they were voting PC when actually they were voting WRP.

I kind of would have bought that if they hadn’t voted for them again four years later.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I kind of would have bought that if they hadn’t voted for them again four years later.

I think that just proves a huge percentage of voters are morons who only look at the name, and suggests that a name change is potentially very meaningful.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I think that just proves a huge percentage of voters are morons who only look at the name, and suggests that a name change is potentially very meaningful.

How?

The name changed. They all voted for the new name.

The name didn’t change. They all voted for the same name.

It’s pretty clear the issue is that a lot of conservative voters will just vote for the loudest conservative option in their area, regardless of the name.

How does the NDP changing their name help that? You’re not going to trick them. And if they are that stupid, let’s be honest, there are going to be people that stupid on the other side that no longer see “NDP” and have no idea who to vote for.

[Street Pharmacist]

The BC Liberals were in power from 2001-2014. They were essentially tied with the NDP last election, where the NDP had to caucus with the green party to form government. In their post mortem they decided to shed the "Liberal" name and become BC United. They'll likely get 0 seats this election

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by SebC

Lots of voters got confused. They thought they were voting PC when actually they were voting WRP.

And its the same federally, people vote CPC thinking they are voting PCs but actually they are voting Reform.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I kind of would have bought that if they hadn’t voted for them again four years later.

They are still confused.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

More UCP advantage for electricity prices. Calgary and Edmonton pay the highest rates in the country. Been talked about before but this is in a nicer graph form now and compares things by city. Thanks Smith for deregulating electricity and insurance rates.


https://www.hydroquebec.com/data/doc...rices-2023.pdf

Now do insurance rates pls.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Now do insurance rates pls.

https://www.reddit.com/r/saskatoon/c...m_by_province/


Ahhh, that's the stuff of Conservative dreams right there.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by belsarius

And its the same federally, people vote CPC thinking they are voting PCs but actually they are voting Reform.

Originally Posted by SebC

Lots of voters got confused. They thought they were voting PC when actually they were voting WRP.

Which is exactly why the farther-right wings of each movement wanted these "mergers", which were in fact takeovers.

"Big tent party" is such nonsense. The louder, more extreme viewpoints now dominate. Smart move by the Wildrosers and Reformers though - the moderates got played.

[TheIronMaiden]

yeah The UCP are expensive. I'll be voting with my wallet.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Now do insurance rates pls.

No fancy graph but we're also number #1 by province for auto.

Alberta - $3,151
Nova Scotia - $2,491
Ontario - $2,299
New Brunswick - $2,187
Newfoundland - $2,162
BC - $1,775
PEI - $1,703
Manitoba - $1,373
Saskatchewan - $1,249

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com...ed-432632.aspx

Home is a different because of varying house prices. Most surveys only do average insurance costs, not insurance cost per dollar of insured house which skews high for BC and ON for their house prices.

[Ozy_Flame]

Insurance and utilities/electricity are the two most distinct cost savings I have found since moving out east. Same with property tax, but there's also higher land transfer taxes on home purchases here so that point is fairly moot (unless you live in your house for decades).