NOW Toronto: 10 lessons for the Left

[marmar]

10 lessons for the Left
Post-election blueprint

By Enzo Di Matteo


What possible good could come from Rob Ford’s mayoral win? Hard to believe there is any in the second coming of the Common Sense Devolution, but there is an upside: the lessons we can learn from his win.

1

It may be time for lefty Fiberals and New Democrats on council to consider the “c” word – coalition. Hate to disturb my friends among the Dippers, but it’s time to wakey-wakey. A loose merger or a detente for the time being is unavoidable. Or to borrow a phrase offered by a former skeptic also known as the federal Liberal leader, a coalition if necessary, but not necessarily a coalition. Call it a caucus if you prefer. Some kind of union is necessary if we don’t want a Tory-led Queen’s Park calling the shots in the clamshell at City Hall 10 months from now. After all, they’re the ones who control the purse strings.

2

Let’s not kid ourselves. Ford’s win is not the usual “correction” of the political landscape we get every half-dozen years or so. The political pendulum has swung way the fuck over to the right. Consider Mike Harris’s attendance at Fordo’s victory party. The former preem who brought us amalgamation is a fellow these days at the Fraser Institute, the right-wing think tank eager to shape an American-style future for Canada, complete with privatized health care and education. All of this means there’s big money behind them thar hillbillies who’ll be occupying the mayor’s office starting November 30.

3

Fear is no antidote to runaway populism. George Smitherman’s final numbers prove that, and that’s why progressives should be pushing for a ranked ballot system. Fair Vote Canada estimates that 47 per cent of the ballots cast in this municipal runoff were wasted, which is to say they elected no one. While we’re at it, let’s push for Internet voting, too. Some young guy named Adam Giambrone had the idea before his mayoral bid crashed. Both ideas are worth pushing if the left is to have a chance in 2014. And McGuinty’s Libs might be amenable, seeing the way the winds of change are now blowing.

4

If lefties come away with anything from this campaign, it’s this: never underestimate your opponent – or the public’s capacity for political amnesia. The two together make a potentially volatile mix, as the election results show. Ask Warren Kinsella. The Liberal spin doctor, modern-day Machiavelli and general of many a political war room has declared that if a repeat offender (and liar) like Ford can win, then the politics of scandal is over. As a side note for future elections: please, no more bad YouTube remixes of political faux pas like those we saw ad nauseam featuring Ford. They’re tired and depress the level of political discourse. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nowtoronto.com/guides/voteto/2010/story.cfm?content=177658

[lightningandsnow]

1. Thanks for posting this!

I live in Toronto, myself, and was really into the municipal election.

One thing that stuck out for me was that a lot of the council candidates that I assumed to be Conservatives, who constantly used right-wing talking points, were members of the Liberal party. I'm not sure if you were following the individual council races, but Simon Wookey, who placed fourth in my ward (ward 27) came across as a really awful freeper, would constantly use right-wing talking points (and even tried to subtly attack the candidate I was supporting for her sexuality, like pointing out she's a lesbian every time he insulted her), but was inexplicably involved with and supported by the Liberal party.

There's a huge conservative undercurrent in this city. Actually, it's not really an undercurrent, because some people are just really open with their conservatism - and outright bigotry.

[SidDithers]

2. K&R...nt

Sid