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

[Cowperson]

Mrs. Cowperson hasn't voted for anything in at least a decade but such was her loathing of Danielle Smith that she made of point of stepping into the polling station for this one.

I suspect there were a lot like her - plus the last-second-buyers-remorse of a lot of PC'ers angry with their party - who turned the pre-game polls around at the last second.

Its an odd result otherwise.

Cowperson

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I was open to change, but the 3 things turned me off of the WR:

1) The financially irresponsible $300 handout. Shows lack of true leadership.
2) Not believing in Global Warming. Shows they don't have a grasp on reality and are willingly keeping their head in the sand.
3) Right-wing wacko stance on social issues permeates the party. I think most Albertas are beyond arguing about abortions, gay people, and race.

Same here actually, believe it or not.

If I would still live in Alberta I would have seriously considered a vote for the Liberal candidate. That being said, the WRP candidate in my old riding is actually a pretty damn good guy.

But those 3 things threw me off. Moreso the last two. First one I didn't really care about.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Hunsperger losing by a 3-1 margin. Thank you Edmonton South West.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I was open to change, but the 3 things turned me off of the WR:

1) The financially irresponsible $300 handout. Shows lack of true leadership.
2) Not believing in Global Warming. Shows they don't have a grasp on reality and are willingly keeping their head in the sand.
3) Right-wing wacko stance on social issues permeates the party. I think most Albertas are beyond arguing about abortions, gay people, and race.

The first one was a major shift for me and the last two buried them in the ground.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by pylon

There is towing the party line, and there is sheer stupidity in decision makking.

If some guy, stood in the middle of my workplace, and said "Gays burn in hell, in a lake of fire." In front of my customers, and staff, I would fire him immediately whether it was or wasn't legal to do so. "Sue me", is all I would have to say.

Regardless of what you believe, there are sometimes things that are best left unsaid.

Yeah, we all know you would. But someone with a shred of common sense would probably silently talk to the co-worker in private and tell them to please keep quiet about that kind of stuff because they're disrupting their fellow co-workers.

People have opinions. Some you agree with, some you don't. Some you want to punch in the face because of their insanity, some you want to hug and praise. That is the way the world works.

Smith did the right thing in not silencing those members with rather extreme views. If she wants to be legitimate she has to slowly push them out and have members that don't believe in that crap.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I think the Rob Anders endorsement really was the kiss of death for the Wildrose.

[nik-]

wow .. WRP got "killed". As much as you can gain 19 seats from nothing and still get killed I guess.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Azure

Yeah, we all know you would. But someone with a shred of common sense would probably silently talk to the co-worker in private and tell them to please keep quiet about that kind of stuff because they're disrupting their fellow co-workers.

People have opinions. Some you agree with, some you don't. Some you want to punch in the face because of their insanity, some you want to hug and praise. That is the way the world works.

Smith did the right thing in not silencing those members with rather extreme views. If she wants to be legitimate she has to slowly push them out and have members that don't believe in that crap.

Obviously she didn't, as it likely cost her the election.

[troutman]

Obama is going to win in November too. Tea party politics is becoming fringe.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Azure

Same here actually, believe it or not.

If I would still live in Alberta I would have seriously considered a vote for the Liberal candidate. That being said, the WRP candidate in my old riding is actually a pretty damn good guy.

Up until I went into the booth, I wasn't 100% sure who I would vote for....just that it wasn't going to be for the WR or NDP. I ended up putting an x next to the pube in the wheelchair. Despite his party not having much power, he seems like a decent guy with good ideas. Plus it was still a bit of a protest vote against the PCs.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Azure

Or she was trying to send a message that WRP members don't have to tow the party line all the time. Sure, those morons need to be weeded out, but not by silencing them. That isn't democracy at all.

She let the voters decide and rightfully so. As I see it, voters deciding as opoosed to firing them sends a bigger message in that the public won't tolerate such bigotry.

[Kjesse]

I certainly did not expect this, but I'll sleep well knowing the result. I'm not liking the size of the PC's majority, I'd be more comfortable if they were held to account with a stronger opposition. That being said, I do like that this result is, in part, a denunciation of social conservativism in Alberta politics. Unfortunately I expect the PCs are going to continue to spend too much.

[Muta]

Mentioned this to my mom last night that the PC's would win by a majority, mainly because it's the 'devil you know' argument, combined with people playing it safe and switching their vote back to PC last minute. I'm cool with this. Redford hasn't been in office long enough to really do something substantial yet. I'm sure she will now have all the support she needs.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Up until I went into the booth, I wasn't 100% sure who I would vote for....just that it wasn't going to be for the WR or NDP. I ended up putting an x next to the pube in the wheelchair. Despite his party not having much power, he seems like a decent guy with good ideas.

Damn you auto-correct?

[troutman]

Levant and Hughson should go on a cruise together.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by troutman

Obama is going to win in November too. Tea party politics is becoming fringe.

Totally different. Wildrose is a new party, Republicans is an established party.
Romney isn't a Tea Partier.

[Dion]

Danielle Smith is leading in her riding.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by SebC

Damn you auto-correct?

Nope!

[Fire]

Even so it has to be a disappointment for the Wildrose, I believe this will be a stepping stone to a win in the next election. Danielle has to get rid some of the "scary" candidates so the PCs won't have fuel to pour on their unsubstantiated hidden agenda angle. The PCs played the fear card and got enough Albertans to vote for them. The WRP has to try to prevent that in 4 years time.

The fact is that both the PCs and the Wildrose are virtually identical when you are talking about social conservatism. You could even argue that the PCs are more social conservative. Where they are different is fiscally. The PCs have gone quite a bit left in that respect. I think Albertans will realize that in 4 years.

The next 4 years, assuming Redford keeps her promises, you will see the spending being substantially increased, the debt rising and probably higher taxes in order to pay for these promises.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

It would be perfect if the PC's win a majority, but Redford doesn't win her seat.

That's what I am hoping for.

She won her seat