Two Tory MLAs crossing to Wildrose Alliance

[albertGQ]

What is this "recall" that everyone is talking about?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

What is this "recall" that everyone is talking about?

The Wildrose wants to give constituents the ability to fire their MLA mid-term.

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/colum.../12357081.html

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

But according to you, teachers aren't a reliable source anyway!

In any case, it sound like your evidence is "no evidence at all." I'm sorry, but a news program plus biased anecdotal evidence doesn't prove a thing.

I'm not going to go look for sources, but I know when I was in high school there was a huge concern with kids not being ready for post secondary when they graduated.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Whats the point in even responding to you??

READ WHAT I FRACKING WROTE

The people who would know would be employers, post secondary educators, police, judges, ect.

The people that were on the program provded several studies and statistics showing the continued decline in the ability for recent highschool graduates to read and write at a high school graduate level. If you want that info go find it yourself, I am not taking hours to seach for this stuff.

You are the expert in everything aren't you IFF. I could tell you that the sun is powered by nuclear fussion but you wouldn't believe me until I provided pages and pages of scientific data, and even then you would claim that the scientists who were involved in those studies are biased, right wing and conservative party members. You argue just for the sake of arguing.

I have never put someone on the ignore list but you are getting mighty close. I know you don't give a crap but every time you post something it makes me cring.

Well, I'm sure this will make you "cring" too... but actually, there's no point in debating with anybody if you're unwilling to be accountable for your own words.

Your exact words to bcb were: "quite frankly, a teacher wouldn't know." You later qualified your statement to include post-secondary educators--and since I have been a post-secondary educator for the better part of a decade, I was glad to assume the mantle of expertise and debunk the unfounded nonsense that you were spewing. You then cited a news program that relied on the expertise of "educators"--i.e. not post-secondary educators but real educators--teachers. The very people whose expertise you dismissed just a few posts before (ironically, they're about the only people whose expertise I might be inclined to accept--certainly I would never believe a police officer, whose experience is likely skewed toward the lower rungs of the scholastic success ladder).

The fact is, on this issue (as with a few others) you once again show that you have too many opinions and not enough knowledge.

Next time try a little research before leaping headlong into some hackneyed ideological stance. Put me on ignore if you like: I'm not going to cry about it. But maybe there will be more point in other people having debates with you if you're willing to take the time to construct a rational, reasoned argument on the basis of evidence, rather than making a claim because you saw a TV program one time that kind of seemed to support something you already believed.

The fact is, that if you think I'm an "expert in everything," then you profoundly misunderstand my style, and my approach to these issues. My academic training tends rather to make me think that I don't know anything at all yet, and that any opinion I form ought to be backed up by evidence and reason, rather than the tissue of emotional appeals and alarmism that seems to be your preferred approach. I'm prepared to back up my claims. Why aren't you? That's not "doing my work for me"; the onus is on you to prove that you're not full of crap.

Until then.... you're right. There isn't any point in arguing with you. Without evidence, those sorts of claims are just naked and inflexible ideology--and that generally makes dialogue pointless.

However, I will gladly agree with you on the topic of the sun, and will add that it rises and sets equally on liberals and conservatives alike.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Azure

I'm not going to go look for sources, but I know when I was in high school there was a huge concern with kids not being ready for post secondary when they graduated.

Well, that sounds slightly different. And actually, I think it's a very good thing for high schools to be concerned about the degree to which they prepare kids for University (which is something a bit different from preparing them for "real life," I'd add). It shows that they care and that they are prepared to work at doing a better job.

It certainly doesn't mean that vouchers are a good idea. All vouchers do is funnel public money into private schools and worse, charter schools. I don't really get how that's a conservative idea; sounds like a colossal waste of money and misallocation of resources to me.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Also laughable that Morton pulls the old "A vote for the WRA is a vote for the Liberals" arguement out the woodwork.

Sounds to me like Morton is still bitter over the direction the WRA is taking.

Isn't he a hardcore social conservative?

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Well, that sounds slightly different. And actually, I think it's a very good thing for high schools to be concerned about the degree to which they prepare kids for University (which is something a bit different from preparing them for "real life," I'd add). It shows that they care and that they are prepared to work at doing a better job.

It certainly doesn't mean that vouchers are a good idea. All vouchers do is funnel public money into private schools and worse, charter schools. I don't really get how that's a conservative idea; sounds like a colossal waste of money and misallocation of resources to me.

I don't necessarily agree with what the WRA wants to do, but I'm not going to stick my head in the sand and say our public system doesn't have any problems.

It does, and they need to be addressed.

People also need to realize that the WRA is a new party. Their policies are going to be formed as time goes by based on what the people want(hopefully). If they get enough feedback on the voucher system than they are going to change it.

Problem is the majority of the people don't care.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Azure

Sounds to me like Morton is still bitter over the direction the WRA is taking.

Isn't he a hardcore social conservative?

He stated yesterday that he agrees with about 90% of the WRA policies. So, the answer is "yes".

[zuluking]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Well, that sounds slightly different. And actually, I think it's a very good thing for high schools to be concerned about the degree to which they prepare kids for University (which is something a bit different from preparing them for "real life," I'd add). It shows that they care and that they are prepared to work at doing a better job.

It certainly doesn't mean that vouchers are a good idea. All vouchers do is funnel public money into private schools and worse, charter schools. I don't really get how that's a conservative idea; sounds like a colossal waste of money and misallocation of resources to me.

Worse how, IFF?

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Slava

He stated yesterday that he agrees with about 90% of the WRA policies. So, the answer is "yes".

Nice rimshot there.

Needless to say but you're trying to pin policies onto the WRA that simply don't exist.

Smith has openly said that she has no interest in fighting against gay marriage, abortion or any of the other 'social' issues that social conservatives are concerned about.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Azure

Nice rimshot there.

Needless to say but you're trying to pin policies onto the WRA that simply don't exist.

Smith has openly said that she has no interest in fighting against gay marriage, abortion or any of the other 'social' issues that social conservatives are concerned about.

Oh come on, you know that I couldn't pass that one up. Morton basically loves the policies and you think he is a social conservative. I just put 2+2 together for you!

[Azure]

I'm pretty sure he is a social conservative.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Azure

I'm pretty sure he is a social conservative.

He definitely is....I don't even know that he would dispute that. He is just a social conservative that could one day lead the party you support, thats all!

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by zuluking

Worse how, IFF?

Don't bother, he rides people about not providing any evidence for any claim they make but he can make any claim he wants without providing any evidence.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Slava

He definitely is....I don't even know that he would dispute that. He is just a social conservative that could one day lead the party you support, thats all!

Well I hope not.

He was almost the leader of the PCs too.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Slava

He definitely is....I don't even know that he would dispute that. He is just a social conservative that could one day lead the party you support, thats all!

Well, except for the part where he has said he has no interest in joining the WRA.

Though, imagine if Stelmach gets punted and Morton takes over the PCs. That would make the WRA the centrist party in Alberta. I wonder how you would reconcile that? lol

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Well, except for the part where he has said he has no interest in joining the WRA.

Though, imagine if Stelmach gets punted and Morton takes over the PCs. That would make the WRA the centrist party in Alberta. I wonder how you would reconcile that? lol

Or two parties fighting for the same far right support...which makes the Liberals just right of center. Would you vote for them then?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Slava

Or two parties fighting for the same far right support...which makes the Liberals just right of center. Would you vote for them then?

Given how inspiring as David Swann is as a leader, that sure is tempting...

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Given how inspiring as David Swann is as a leader, that sure is tempting...

We both know that has nothing to do with it though. Its all about values and who represents you best, right? Otherwise a failed school board trustee might not be the first choice either.

[Resolute 14]

Of course not, though it seemed only fair to ensure the pot shots were taken from both sides, heh.