Alberta PC's way out front

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Hesla

^ Hopefully the fact that things "could be different" gets more people out to vote.

That would be the best thing to happen in Alberta.

Shamefully, this will be the first time I vote in a provincial election...

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Jacks

I doubt that the projections today are going to be where the election ends up. What I find interesting is the feeling that there could be changes this election. There hasn't really been a campaign (that I can remember) since Ralph first won where the PC's might lose majority government.

The campaign will matter and if Redford keeps getting bad news and negative press every day who knows?

Yes, for an extreme capitalist right winger like myself, I never felt there was an alternative other than the PC. This time whatever the outcome is going to be, I know there's another option for me to vote in WA. This is huge.

Redford's problem is that since the beginning, she was too keen on pushing her social agenda which a lot of people don't care.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Shamefully, this will be the first time I vote in a provincial election...

That's okay. Perhaps to make up for missing previous ones you could get 5 other people out to vote.... just a thought.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by First Lady

That's okay. Perhaps to make up for missing previous ones you could get 5 other people out to vote.... just a thought.

Well, Mrs Impaler. I don't know that she will vote for you though... I should be able to convince her. I did get her to vote Tory for the first time in the federal election. It's funny - she used to work for a huge charity in Toronto and was pretty lefty, not to mention vegetarian. Since coming to Alberta, she has developed disdain for the poor, votes right, and likes the filet medium-rare...

[Jacks]

I always remind people to vote in the week leading up to election day. I make sure my staff know what the voting times are, remind them how to find their polling station and have even posted notices in the lunch room. People think I'm nuts

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Well, Mrs Impaler. I don't know that she will vote for you though...

Oh that's fine.... I just want to see our turnout go way up.

[Slava]

No comments here from the Wildrose faithful about their MLAs supporting the .05 legislation in the past? I guess we can see yet another example of how similar the two parties are in their views.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Slava

No comments here from the Wildrose faithful about their MLAs supporting the .05 legislation in the past? I guess we can see yet another example of how similar the two parties are in their views.

I've been seeing that floating around and read a few excerpts from Hansard. What I'm still not clear on is whether she (it was one MLA, not plural & she was PC at time) also supported the "roadside judge and jury"; which is what the PC have introduced with this new legislation.

[Slava]

Well the legislation that Lukaszuk (my brutal attempt at spelling without looking) from 2000 shows exactly that. He also notes that Anderson and Boutillier were in favor as well. A leopard can't change their spots it would seem.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Slava

No comments here from the Wildrose faithful about their MLAs supporting the .05 legislation in the past? I guess we can see yet another example of how similar the two parties are in their views.

I don't think every candidate has to 100% agree with every single part of the party platform but they are elected to support that platform/policies. If someone leaves a party and joins another party then I wouldn't tar and feather them for no longer supporting every part of their old party platform/policies.

I don't suppose you are critical of Raj supporting PC policy when he was in the party?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Jacks

I don't think every candidate has to 100% agree with every single part of the party platform but they are elected to support that platform/policies. If someone leaves a party and joins another party then I wouldn't tar and feather them for no longer supporting every part of their old party platform/policies.

I don't suppose you are critical of Raj supporting PC policy when he was in the party?

Any examples? I guess my issue here is that the Wildrose has gone after the PCs hard about the. 05 law and it comes to light that 3/4 sitting MLAs were all supportive of this. I don't think it's a stretch to see the hypocrisy here?

[Jacks]

They were supportive of PC policy when they were sitting PC MLA's, I don't get the controversy there?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Jacks

They were supportive of PC policy when they were sitting PC MLA's, I don't get the controversy there?

Well of course you don't. You plan to vote for them. For the rest of us though, it's pretty simple. They supported a policy and thought it was a good idea. Now they're on a different team and suddenly aren't as supportive, or maybe they are supportive but can't say it. I would also note that the Wildrose has come out swinging on this issue, so it's not like this was unknown at all.

[Jacks]

Do you really believe that every politician is 100% supportive of every party policy?

If they don't plan to support a major part of the party election platform then they shouldn't be running for the party.

Originally Posted by First Lady

What I'm still not clear on is whether she (it was one MLA, not plural & she was PC at time) also supported the "roadside judge and jury"; which is what the PC have introduced with this new legislation.

There is also this, just because they support lower BAC levels doesn't mean they support the proposed legislation that ignores the right to a fair trial and a defense.

[Slava]

There are definitely areas where single MLAs aren't going to agree with their party. I think that this is more interesting though. Forsyth in particular was very supportive of the. 05 from what I saw. The Wildrose has been fighting this hard. Smith says it targets couples out on dates who share a bottle of wine and they produced coasters to give out at bars. It's a hot button issue in the media, so when 3/4 of your MLAs support the PC position its quite a divergence.

As for the legislation specifics I mentioned before that what I read looked pretty close to what we see today.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Slava

so when 3/4 of your MLAs support the PC position its quite a divergence.

Okay, in all fairness 3/4 of their MLA's were elected as PC's though.

As far as the specifics of the law, it was argued every which way in the other thread.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Slava

Any examples? I guess my issue here is that the Wildrose has gone after the PCs hard about the. 05 law and it comes to light that 3/4 sitting MLAs were all supportive of this. I don't think it's a stretch to see the hypocrisy here?

What is surprising is that you act like anyone should care much.
1. Every politician is a hypocrite
2. Going against the party line is a fantastic way to get censured by the party leader. For me to give a damn about this, you would have to show me that they were speaking their own mind rather than parroting what they were told to support.
3. Even then, I wouldn't care, as they currently oppose this idiotic law.
4. Despite your loud and empty protestations, the fact that Wildrose and the PCs have diverging opinions on this is evidence that they are not as similar as you are trying to make them out to be.

But then, you can't try and push the people wanting a change to the Liberals if you don't spend all your time trying to paint that picture, can you?

[Rathji]

From my perspective, and I am always expecting him to, I certainly don't see Slava as trying to get people to support the Liberals, so much as pointing out problems with the WRA platform.

It is obvious because the WRA supporters are getting really defensive about it, while I don't see mny complaints from obvious PC supporters.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Rathji

From my perspective, and I am always expecting him to, I certainly don't see Slava as trying to get people to support the Liberals, so much as pointing out problems with the WRA platform.

Which is kind of funny since one of his biggest issues with the Wildrose is that he feels all they do is point out problems with the PC's.

It is obvious because the WRA supporters are getting really defensive about it,

Personally, as a WRP supporter, I don't feel defensive. I want to know more about some of these positions as well. I don't for one minute believe the party (or any party) is infallible.
Specific to the (old) .05 law; I asked Jonathan Denis about it on Facebook last night. While he gave me some information, it still wasn't everything I was looking for.

while I don't see mny complaints from obvious PC supporters.

There are obvious PC supporters here?

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by First Lady

There are obvious PC supporters here?

Not talking in this thread, or you would have noticed them!