Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I'm sorry, I find that to be such a cop out.

I have traditionally been a Conservative supporter, but I am voting NDP.

I am hopeful that it might awaken the Conservatives Movement to move the #### away from the fringe Conservatives like Smith and back towards a party like the PCs.

Same here. I'm traditionally conservative but my hope is the UCP gets smashed and they split into two parties again. Let the fringe fuuckwits and crazies go on their own way so real conservatives can take control of their own party again

[Major Major]

Yup, this is the end game. Splinter the UPC to a more reasonable PC option and a Wildrose. Let Smitty lead that all she wants, but she is not fit to lead a province. We would benefit from having a little back and forth between a reasonable NDP and a reasonable PC and I would have no problem voting for either.

[LanceUppercut]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Same here. I'm traditionally conservative but my hope is the UCP gets smashed and they split into two parties again. Let the fringe fuuckwits and crazies go on their own way so real conservatives can take control of their own party again

This is my hope as well as a long term conservative voter. The extreme right wing fringes need to get shuffled off into obscurity.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by LanceUppercut

This is my hope as well as a long term conservative voter. The extreme right wing fringes need to get shuffled off into obscurity.

we'll return to petty squabbling later, but for the next few weeks I love you guys. let's Voltron this fuucker up and get back some normalcy

[stone hands]

I’m not sure why you guys are hopeful that the conservatives won’t triple down on this. Even in the best case scenario if the ndp were to win, they are just going to get punted in 4 years when traditional conservative voters think they taught the ucp a lesson. Vote splitting was a big reason why the ndp won in the first place, but part of it was a reaction to the awful pc governments, and we ended up with the Kenny ucp as a response. It’s just going to be same story in 2027

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by stone hands

I’m not sure why you guys are hopeful that the conservatives won’t triple down on this. Even in the best case scenario if the ndp were to win, they are just going to get punted in 4 years when traditional conservative voters think they taught the ucp a lesson. Vote splitting was a big reason why the ndp won in the first place, but part of it was a reaction to the awful pc governments, and we ended up with the Kenny ucp as a response. It’s just going to be same story in 2027

The UCP is going to tear themselves to pieces if they lose. Hell, they might even do it if they win.

[sleepingmoose]

Another traditionally Conservative former MLA backs an NDP candidate. Former PC Cabinet Minister Doug Griffiths:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1659580568022159362

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Slava

I gotta say, I didn't know that the plan for the NDP was to phase out natural gas in 12 years. That does seem incredibly fast to me.

It's also incredibly foolish and probably not realistic. And it's things like this along with some general philosophies of the NDP in general that make my decision so difficult this time around. I know I won't be voting UCP this time around - they've gone completely off the deep end but I'm not sure I can bring myself to vote NDP. Not sure where that leaves me this time around.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by sleepingmoose

Another traditionally Conservative former MLA backs an NDP candidate. Former PC Cabinet Minister Doug Griffiths:

How I long for the days of normal progressive conservatives in Alberta. What a refreshing face to see, even if at the time it wasn't always sunshine and roses.

[sleepingmoose]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

It's also incredibly foolish and probably not realistic. And it's things like this along with some general philosophies of the NDP in general that make my decision so difficult this time around. I know I won't be voting UCP this time around - they've gone completely off the deep end but I'm not sure I can bring myself to vote NDP. Not sure where that leaves me this time around.

Even that short timeline is 3 elections away - in my mind, I'm prioritizing removal of the current UCP by the most effective means necessary, which is voting NDP. Not voting at all is not effective for my top priority. Hopefully a more rational, sane, and less radical "Progressive" Conservative party re-emerges which can be a suitable alternative in the next election.

I've voted Conservative in the past, but I have to vote NDP this time - I don't want my province to become Florida v2.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

It's also incredibly foolish and probably not realistic. And it's things like this along with some general philosophies of the NDP in general that make my decision so difficult this time around. I know I won't be voting UCP this time around - they've gone completely off the deep end but I'm not sure I can bring myself to vote NDP. Not sure where that leaves me this time around.

Originally Posted by sleepingmoose

Even that short timeline is 3 elections away - in my mind, I'm prioritizing removal of the current UCP by the most effective means necessary, which is voting NDP. Not voting at all is not effective for my top priority. Hopefully a more rational, sane, and less radical "Progressive" Conservative party re-emerges which can be a suitable alternative in the next election.

I've voted Conservative in the past, but I have to vote NDP this time - I don't want my province to become Florida v2.

The problem for me is that both of these are accurate descriptions of my thoughts. When Danielle Smith said we were going to be off Natural Gas by 2035 under the NDP I fully expected Notley to say "no, that's just not true" or whatever. But she said it 2/3 times and there was nothing.

And really, a lot of the economics discussion left me wanting some kind of salient points from Notley, or some kind of pushback. I mean I've already been over my misgivings in that area, but I do think that last night didn't help me on that front.

I might just go in and vote NDP sooner rather than later based on the seemingly endless stream of racists, bigots and other deplorables before I change my mind. What a political wasteland.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Slava

The problem for me is that both of these are accurate descriptions of my thoughts. When Danielle Smith said we were going to be off Natural Gas by 2035 under the NDP I fully expected Notley to say "no, that's just not true" or whatever. But she said it 2/3 times and there was nothing.

And really, a lot of the economics discussion left me wanting some kind of salient points from Notley, or some kind of pushback. I mean I've already been over my misgivings in that area, but I do think that last night didn't help me on that front.

I might just go in and vote NDP sooner rather than later based on the seemingly endless stream of racists, bigots and other deplorables before I change my mind. What a political wasteland.

I think some of the lack of pushback on both sides was due to the hurried nature of the format. They talked about their own points instead of straight rebuttals, if they thought nothing would be gained. Making more of a big deal of something like that also allows Smith to derail the conversation.

Notley probably wondered why talking about something three governments away was even a discussion. When it comes to energy, things move really slowly, which is what the federal government is in the process of finding out, with their dumb timelines.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by Slava

I gotta say, I didn't know that the plan for the NDP was to phase out natural gas in 12 years. That does seem incredibly fast to me.

Sort of. Aren't they just proposing a net-zero electricity grid by 2035? That means offsets or carbon capture for gas plants along with increasing renewables and interprovincial transmission. It probably won't happen for a variety of reasons, but that doesn't mean it's not a worthwhile goal, and it's not like they're talking about phasing out gas heat in Alberta.

And as recent as last summer, Smith was touting that Alberta could hit net zero before anyone else:

“I remember getting hit by Graham Thompson years ago in 2012 when I talked about how the science wasn’t settled on climate change. And I can tell you, I’ve come around full circle on that, and I am now probably the first and early adopter of thinking that we can hit a net-zero target, and we can get there faster than anyone, anywhere else."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeBuoSPZ3FM&t=1680s

[Fuzz]

"It really is empty shelves. Normally if you go up to a hot station and there [would be] three entrees and vegetables. Now there's one plate of food. You can't even get soup half the time," she said.

"There used to be shelves with yogurt and cottage cheese and fresh vegetables and fruit ... And they're all gone."

Much of what is available, according to Cooper, is unhealthy.

And prices have gone up, she said, which leaves her worried about patients and visitors.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...847905?cmp=rss

Anyone who has had to spend any amount of time caring fo someone in the hospital knows this is pretty much your only option, and it was really nice to have a good variety of healthy options.

Just another epic disaster of privatization of our healthcare system, like when they privatized parking, and prices went up and flexibility disappeared. But hey, a private company got to make some money off of taxpayers, so big win for us.

I still don't understand why Conservatives push for this stupidity. It makes no sense. Do they like paying more for less?

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...847905?cmp=rss

Just another epic disaster of privatization of our healthcare system, like when they privatized parking, and prices went up and flexibility disappeared. But hey, a private company got to make some money off of taxpayers, so big win for us.

I still don't understand why Conservatives push for this stupidity. It makes no sense. Do they like paying more for less?

Excuse me, haven't you noticed the huge decreases in your tax bills due to this change? Bring your own goddamn lunch to the hospital. You just don't know freedom when you see it.

[sleepingmoose]

Ric McIver came to my door about 10 minutes ago - basically he said we should vote for him so he can be the voice of reason when the Premier or the rest of caucus gets crazy ideas.

That says it all right there - he knows DS and the UCP are crap, but he has no choice. I like him and I feel he's represented us well, but I just can't vote for the party he's aligned with. And his reply was very quick - I don't think it's the first time he's had to advocate for himself over the party or Premier.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by sleepingmoose

Ric McIver came to my door about 10 minutes ago - basically he said we should vote for him so he can be the voice of reason when the Premier or the rest of caucus gets crazy ideas.

That says it all right there - he knows DS and the UCP are crap, but he has no choice. I like him and I feel he's represented us well, but I just can't vote for the party he's aligned with. And his reply was very quick - I don't think it's the first time he's had to advocate for himself over the party or Premier.

Desperate times for that dude. Gotta be pretty sad to get into politics, perhaps even for the right reasons, and finding yourself unaligned with your party and leader, but you don't have the balls to just drop out. Weak leaders breed weak candidates.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by sleepingmoose

Ric McIver came to my door about 10 minutes ago - basically he said we should vote for him so he can be the voice of reason when the Premier or the rest of caucus gets crazy ideas.

That says it all right there - he knows DS and the UCP are crap, but he has no choice. I like him and I feel he's represented us well, but I just can't vote for the party he's aligned with. And his reply was very quick - I don't think it's the first time he's had to advocate for himself over the party or Premier.

Vote for me so that I can reign in the Premier.
Or, vote NDP so that we don't need to reign in the Premier.

Hmmm tough choice.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Desperate times for that dude. Gotta be pretty sad to get into politics, perhaps even for the right reasons, and finding yourself unaligned with your party and leader, but you don't have the balls to just drop out. Weak leaders breed weak candidates.

He's gotta be shaking his head considering he had a campaign torpedo'd by association with Pawlowski and it doesn't seem to matter to the same degree with Smith.

https://nationalpost.com/news/politi...sparks-scandal

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...847905?cmp=rss

Anyone who has had to spend any amount of time caring fo someone in the hospital knows this is pretty much your only option, and it was really nice to have a good variety of healthy options.

Just another epic disaster of privatization of our healthcare system, like when they privatized parking, and prices went up and flexibility disappeared. But hey, a private company got to make some money off of taxpayers, so big win for us.

I still don't understand why Conservatives push for this stupidity. It makes no sense. Do they like paying more for less?

AHS sent out an e-mail out to their staff to apologize for this fiasco.

I don't buy lunch from them as I bring mine, but many of my coworkers do.
So I do know their article is no lie. Choice is limited, portions are smaller and of lower quality, and prices are much higher.