Here’s a real knee-slapper: Toronto activist Dave Meslin says Rob Ford ran for mayor on a left-wing political platform. Meslin argues Ford’s campaign vow of no service cuts—a promise he made repeatedly—was a tacit endorsement of services introduced under former Mayor David Miller. Seriously! The Grid’s Edward Keenan has even taken up the argument, pointing out that while there were likely plenty of people who knew that service cuts and tax cuts would go hand in hand, the amount of opposition to Ford’s cuts quest (like the all-night executive committee deputations) suggests some people are still surprised by the proposed reductions. Keenan notes that many voters simply aren’t that informed, particularly on the nuances of municipal budgeting. So whether or not Ford intentionally ran a left-wing campaign—which he definitely didn’t—to some he still seems to be breaking a left-wing promise. Read the entire story [The Grid] »
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Many people actually believe the things he is cutting are gravy, that we are in deep debt and need to reduce the extras. The rhetortic from the U.S. has infiltrated Toronto and become entrenched in mainstream thinking. Services to Rob Ford mean police, fire and roads. He pledged not to cut these services.
November 23, 2011 at 12:15 pm | by MelanieHaha. Funny how much mileage you can get out of a tweet. ; p
The irony here, is that was Toronto Life themselves who created the idea that we could reduce revenue without reducing services: http://mcavoy.ca/uploaded_images/jan_cover-763513.jpg
The whole idea of the Gravy Train, which allowed a conservative to run on a moderate platform (“more money back in your pocket – but no reduction in services”) was created right here. And now they think it’s a real knee slapper. Some of us aren’t laughing.
November 23, 2011 at 12:22 pm | by Dave MeslinWhat Dave said.
November 23, 2011 at 12:25 pm | by tsAh, Dave Meslin is so refreshing on a website that specializes in catty, conservative, unresearched “news” (/opinion.)
I think you won that argument, Dave.
November 23, 2011 at 1:53 pm | by KeenanIn case anyone’s interested, the article that Dave Meslin references above can be found here:
http://www.torontolife.com/features/hall-shame
November 23, 2011 at 2:18 pm | by Toronto Life StaffI just read the article.
Very high on rhetoric; light on substance.
November 23, 2011 at 5:01 pm | by lukev