Hey our team may have made a mistake but it's not too late to change it.
By the way our team could run a goat as leader and he'd beat your team right now.
Who is my team?
For the record I've voted for every party over the years.
My point was getting at the ridiculousness of team sports politics. Rah rah my team no matter what. The what-aboutism of the other guys. The my team cheated and played dirty, but you know we have to.
Well maybe in actuality. But most people I know vote on their MP. In reality it’s a team sport which is too bad.
I wish the local MLA's and MP's could have the freedom to vote as they think will best represent their constituents but unfortunately that is not how our system works. They are at the behest of the Leader and how he or she wishes them to vote.
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For the record I've voted for every party over the years.
My point was getting at the ridiculousness of team sports politics. Rah rah my team no matter what. The what-aboutism of the other guys. The my team cheated and played dirty, but you know we have to.
It's ok to say your team messed up.
Which is what I already said. I said the last page that we messed up. Hoping we can fix the mistake.
The reason for getting involved with any political party is to improve policy and to try to make a positive difference. You should give a damn about policies that affect your life and you should care if you elect an incompetent politician who can directly harm your life. Anyone can sit on the fence and not get in the game.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
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The plot thickens
I recognize that my emails might look unflattering today
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In an email sent to the UCP caucus Sunday morning obtained by Postmedia, Wolf admitted he had political communications with the Callaway campaign during the leadership.
“I’ve made no secret about that for those who have asked,” he wrote.
Wolf wrote that Kenney’s leadership team would have preferred Callaway not enter the race, but once he did, “it was also clear that his team was receptive to keeping some communication channels open between our respective campaigns.
“This is of course completely normal in politics, especially in a leadership race that could see multiple ballots in the end. It would be imprudent to push away someone whose second ballot support might be required at a later time,” Wolf wrote.
Still, Wolf insisted it was “not a ‘puppet’” type operation.
“Mr. Callaway made his own decisions for his own reasons. And while communicating with the Callaway campaign was hardly my preoccupation during the leadership, I did, at times, push things like research materials to Mr. Callaway’s team,” Wolf wrote.
“I recognize that my emails might look unflattering today, and I’m willing to accept that. You are all familiar with politics also know that this is sometimes the nature of the business we’re in.”
Wolf also doubled down that the Kenney leadership campaign “did not in any way funnel donations to the Callaway camp,” which would have been against the law.
“I understand some on the other side will try to characterize my actions with the menacing term ‘collusion,’” Wolf wrote.
“It was politics. It wasn’t personal. It wasn’t against the Party rules, and I’m confident it wasn’t against any laws.”
This election might be the toughest one yet for me to decide. And I've been voting since Don Getty was premier so I've been through a few. All the parties have major enough flaws in either their policies or leaders that they would normally be non-starters as far as considering them. The Federal election is shaping up the same way too.
“I understand some on the other side will try to characterize my actions with the menacing term ‘collusion,’” Wolf wrote.
“It was politics. It wasn’t personal. It wasn’t against the Party rules, and I’m confident it wasn’t against any laws.”
Some people call it collusion, I call collusion politics
They drew the line in the sand to give people a way to vote for them. Politics is dirty but we played by the rules of the playground. The only question right now is will they find money.
Well, I just heard an interview on the radio with a political scientist (Jared something?). He says that election law is likely already broken based on publicly available information - you are supposed to disclose assistance from another campaign (?) , and said that with the Kenney campaign helping with ads, comms, speeches, etc for the Callaway campaign would require disclosure. And he said that he cannot find this reported publically, hence the breaking of the election law.
Anyway that's what was on the radio, I'll see if I can find a news article that articulates that.
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Originally Posted by GGG
Some people call it collusion, I call collusion politics
They drew the line in the sand to give people a way to vote for them. Politics is dirty but we played by the rules of the playground. The only question right now is will they find money.
It still stinks even if not "against the rules", if money was transferred/donated fraudulently then Kenney has to step down.
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I dislike Kenney but may dislike Jean more. Do they have someone competent that could step up to lead the party? What about that guy Chong from the Federal PCs?
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Originally Posted by puckedoff
I dislike Kenney but may dislike Jean more. Do they have someone competent that could step up to lead the party? What about that guy Chong from the Federal PCs?
I wish the local MLA's and MP's could have the freedom to vote as they think will best represent their constituents but unfortunately that is not how our system works. They are at the behest of the Leader and how he or she wishes them to vote.
This is why the party system is crap and we should scrap it.
Well, I just heard an interview on the radio with a political scientist (Jared something?). He says that election law is likely already broken based on publicly available information - you are supposed to disclose assistance from another campaign (?) , and said that with the Kenney campaign helping with ads, comms, speeches, etc for the Callaway campaign would require disclosure. And he said that he cannot find this reported publically, hence the breaking of the election law.
Anyway that's what was on the radio, I'll see if I can find a news article that articulates that.
Duane Bratt was on the radio this morning saying the opposite, that clearly no laws were broken thus far (pending the RCMP investigation of course) but that it's the optics of the old PC party entitlement that is the issue going forward.
I think for the majority of Albertan's this will be a non-issue as jobs and the economy are clearly of paramount importance especially vs sleazy internal leadership races. However Kenney et al are pretty lucky they have such an incompetent government to run against.
This really highlights how poor the options are for this election. UCP will still win a huge majority because there really are no other options.
Duane Bratt was on the radio this morning saying the opposite, that clearly no laws were broken thus far (pending the RCMP investigation of course) but that it's the optics of the old PC party entitlement that is the issue going forward.
I think for the majority of Albertan's this will be a non-issue as jobs and the economy are clearly of paramount importance especially vs sleazy internal leadership races. However Kenney et al are pretty lucky they have such an incompetent government to run against.
This really highlights how poor the options are for this election. UCP will still win a huge majority because there really are no other options.
Saw a clip of him on the news, his point was that regardless of whether this turns out to be legal or not, or even ethical or not the bigger question for him is that if Kenney had no issues doing this to win a party leadership then what might he be willing to do once he is in power to get his way? Good point.
It still stinks even if not "against the rules", if money was transferred/donated fraudulently then Kenney has to step down.
From the Gerson article
Harrington also maintained Kenney’s previous denials with regard to financing. Kenney said that his campaign did not send funds to Callaway’s campaign, nor did it transfer funds to individuals for that purpose. On March 15, Kenney told reporters: “I have absolutely no knowledge whatsoever about how they financed their campaign.”
If it comes out that Kenney sent money to Callaway, then Kenney should step down and the UCP deserves to lose the election.
Some thoughts/questions:
1. Did Kenney really need Callaway's help? He was the overwhelming favorite to win.
2. Is Kenney that dumb that he would risk this entire project to get caught over something that he didn't have to do? He is a political veteran, and the allegations are that of a sloppy political operative.
In terms of diversification has anyone read/listened to Rifkin? Europe and China are. Regarding those environmental NGOs is the rebuttal surrounding climate - man made activity the science is bad?
I follow with great deal of interest how the “Kamikaze Campaign” unravels over the last 48 hours in the media, and how Jason Kenney and Matt Wolf respond to it, denying any knowledge or participation in organizing it.
It’s time to set the record straight.
Even though Jason Kenney and Matt Wolf deny any knowledge or participation in organizing the “Kamikaze Campaign”, the facts are different.
On July 19, 2017 a strategy meeting was held at Jeff Callaway’s house, which consisted of an evening of discussion and a dinner. I catered the food for that dinner.
Jason Kenny, John Wiesnberg, Jeff Callaway, Brad Tenant, Shuvaloy Majumdar, Cam Davies and I were in attendance.
At that strategy meeting, we agreed that Jeff Callaway will join the UCP leadership race as a candidate and will run a campaign aimed at discrediting Brian Jean. We felt that it was important for Jason Kenney to win decisively and that this could only be guaranteed if another candidate took away from Jean’s popularity. To show unity, we needed a big win.
At that meeting, we agreed that Jeff’s campaign will be staffed with competent people who will run a credible campaign, but in collaboration with Jason’s campaign. We also agreed that at an appropriate time Jeff Will pull out of the race and endorse Kenney.
I recall that I asked how we’re going to finance the second campaign. I was told not to worry, that won’t be my responsibility and that the money will be taken care of.
At that meeting, Kenny asked that I be included in future strategy meetings. I attended several strategy meetings since that time.
It troubles me to see volunteers blamed for the Kamikaze Campaign, as it was our strategy group that planned it. It’s time that each one of us admits to our role in staging Callaway’s campaign and not blame it on volunteers.
I hope that this brings some clarity to this matter. UCP MLAs, candidates and all Albertans deserve to know what really happened.
With respect
HAPPY MANN
Again, it comes down to financing, but the reputation damage is already being done. Not sure that is going to matter though unless there is proof that money was spent on the Kamikaze campaign.
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Unless Kenney has complete control of the UCP party apparatus, I cannot understand keeping him on as leader at this point. It's the only way they can lose this election, and for whatever reason they seem intent on trying to make it happen.
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