The topic is Bob Rae's remarks at the Liberal Leadership debate, and the question has come up regarding how Bob Rae might fare in Ontario if he were elected leader. There is a fair amount of speculation, but not a lot of answers. If you need a refresher on his Ontario legacy, it is available at Wikipedia, under the section titled 'Premier'.
I was hoping that this blog might provide some insight. I am asking Liberal voters in Ontario to let me know if having Bob Rae as leader would be a positive development, or would it be something that would dredge up enough bad memories to send them running in another political direction?
Conservatives are free to speculate, but I am looking for Liberals here.
This is just for fun.
In reality though, I would love to see him win.
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Speaking of Bob Rae, this is interesting... (H/T to BBS)
More on Bob at Angry.
Another great discussion at Zac's with the first comment directly answering my question!
Bob under fire.
More on Bob at Angry.
Another great discussion at Zac's with the first comment directly answering my question!
Bob under fire.
14 comments:
"Has Bob Rae had his day?" yes, lots of them, his union friends called them 'Rae days'.
A true Liberal won't criticize Rae because it doesn't matter how incompetent, corrupt, criminal or craven Liberals are - they're Liberals, they don't even feel the need to excuse stuff like that because they solidly believe they're better than everyone else.
Joanne -- Thanks for the tip.
How funny that someone who styles themselves as "Anonymous" is so good at calling others names. Perhaps he/she should get one for his/her own self instead of being such a gutless coward!
What's this? Could it be the "Pot" calling the "Kettle" .......?
For the sake of speculation:
I'm almost convinced that the voters of Ontario have such faulty memories that they would not only elect Bob Rae they would also return every Liberal currently sitting yet again!
Of course my opinion may be influenced my my rabidly left leaning brother in law!
That's "By MY ...."
I agree with anon except for the psychological assessment.
I think Rae would listen to criticism, so it is worthwhile criticising him. I voted for him because of the Peterson government scandals. After five years, I was so disappointed in the runaway spending and infestation of grant getters that I voted for Mike Harris. I thought Rae was a "liberal" (more centre) NDP, and he did manage to get some peace with the civil service with the then-hated Rae days. But I think he failed to control those factions in his party well enough.
True Liberals don't believe they are better than everyone else, any more than conservatives do.
You may think liberals do, because they do things for people, and they can be seen as know-it-alls applying their views.
Conservatives show their belief in being better than everyone else by imposing laws based on religious convictions of various groups. They act as though they believe people do not deserve a decent life if they cannot earn it in our system of commerce. They understand that the system of freedom we have is the key to our material success, but overlook that the same system is not very fair. They wince at helping society as a whole, thinking that somehow they are being put upon to help finance it, and that sharing is somehow unfair to themselves.
It is this uncaring society, where people lose faith in themselves and society, where it is race to the bottom, where people eventually divide into hating groups, that we wish to avoid.
It actually makes incompetence and corruption look like a small price to pay. I'm all for financial accountability and am extremely frustrated that the Liberal party attracts such an array of hacks and opportunists. But I think all parties do, and more as they gain more power. I'm for efficient government that provides the safety net but otherwise mainly keeps the peace. Not a state that polices our behaviour based on the conservative view.
Does anyone else find it somehow ironic that one of the "serious" hopefuls for the leadership of the Fed-Libs used to be the leader of the Prov-Dippers?
Seriously, Rae has no history as a Liberal. He hasn't sat in Liberal caucus meetings. He wasn't part of a Liberal riding association until he needed the support of one to run as a leadership candidate. He's never been elected as an MP period, let alone a Liberal MP so as a leader, someone will have to step aside for him to run in a byelection unless he chooses to sit in the hallway, waiting until the next election arrives.
I wonder how that makes the candidates who've done their time in the trenches?
Mac -- Does anyone else find it somehow ironic that one of the "serious" hopefuls for the leadership of the Fed-Libs used to be the leader of the Prov-Dippers?
Gee, I don't think that occurred to ANYONE before. Wow! Quick, you’d better phone this into the Globe & Mail.
Rae might not have any history as a Liberal, but he certainly does as a "progressive" (however you want to define that).
In any case, his NDP past doesn't seem to be presenting much of an impediment to his acceptance by most Liberals.
Bob Rae "appears" progressive, but the NDP votes that the Liberals so desperately need won't vote for someone so staunchly pro-Israel.
check this out:
www.robertboyd.org
Anon -- Who the heck is Robert Boyd and why should anyone care? I read his one and only article and he sounds like a complete asswad to me.
"It actually makes incompetence and corruption look like a small price to pay. "
LS, what happened to the PCs when incompetence & corruption appeared to be in play? Oh, yeah, their supporters deserted them.
Truly, you are supporting the party that best supports your beliefs.
Joanne -- Thanks for the tip
No problem, Red. What's a good foe for, right?
L.S. Conservatives show their belief in being better than everyone else by imposing laws based on religious convictions of various groups
Could you please back that up with examples of how Conservatives have imposed laws? The only folks I know who impose laws in this country are those in the SCC.
Nothing has been imposed on you and no one is forcing the Church to do anything it does not what... I beg to differ, but in the previous case I was referring to swingers' clubs.
red tory said... "Gee, I don't think that occurred to ANYONE before. Wow! Quick, you’d better phone this into the Globe & Mail."
Why would I call a slandersheet like the Grope & Flail? Get over yourself, rt. I know you're not happy with the March of the Dwarves but you're sounding a little bitter.
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