Gordo is gone!

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by whatnext

So now Gordo's 15% income tax cut has been yanked off the table? What a farce, who the hell is running this gong show?

That was a pretty slimy move, smart politically or not. It does make the initial purpose of the tax break fairly transparent.

[LotusLand]

Vancity Buzz looks at good ole Gordo's legacy. They break down his track record quite succinctly.

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2010/11/g...pbells-legacy/

Brains and hotties. They are like the maxim of Vancouver

[Stingray2004]

Well we have George Abbott who has jumped into the race. Likable, affable, diplomatic with a good sense of humour and also a centrist who was once a card carrying New Democrat in his earlier days. A very capable and uncontroversial cabinet minister over the years as well - the health ministry being the toughest.

And Christy Clark just thanked her staff and listeners over the past 5 years at CKNW and says she is taking time off to "seriously think about running". She's in.

[golog]

Christy Clark will win. She's been publicly distanced from any legacy BC Liberal issues in recent years. Age 45 is probably a good time in her life to take on leadership. Was in office from 1996-2005, retired to raise a kid and host a talk show. Before retiring held a cabinet position during the fat years, and was even deputy premier. Has been visible in the community. She's a woman, and her opponent is Carole James. Seems as competent or connected as anyone else in my lay perspective.

[idunno]

It seems as if other people think that too. Check out the poll the Globe and Mail is doing: right now she's at 74%!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/.../?from=1814235

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by idunno

It seems as if other people think that too. Check out the poll the Globe and Mail is doing: right now she's at 74%!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/.../?from=1814235

Great, we done got ourselves our own Sarah Palin! But seriously, she was veering close to shock jock sometimes on NW.

[Stingray2004]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Great, we done got ourselves our own Sarah Palin! But seriously, she was veering close to shock jock sometimes on NW.

Too late. Carole James usurped the "Sarah Palin" moniker a long time ago.

As a result of Christy Clark throwing her hat into the ring, I understand that the NDP is so bummed out that Moe Sihota has now chartered a C-130 Hercules transport for a massive airdrop of "yellow scarves" over BC:



Source: http://www.baseops.net

BTW, a previous ARS poll asked the question of who would make a "Good Premier" and Christy placed second with a positive +1 rating. OTOH, Carole James was wayyyyy down the list with a negative -13 rating (and still dropping):



Source: Angus Reid Strategies

[Stingray2004]

Dynamite revelations about the extensive dissent/rift within the NDP caucus:

NDP Leadership Under Fire From Within
By Bruce Walkinshaw
Penticton Western News
Published: November 25, 2010

<snip>

"Perhaps the most dramatic episode of an evening filled with Simpson and MacDonald outlining their criticism and concerns with party and their prescriptions for change was when last-minute attendee NDP MLA Harry Lali took the floor to expose his support for Simpson.

“I was never kicked out of caucus for anything I did, and I was a repeat offender,” said Lali. “Somebody wanted to shut him up from asking the right questions ... and get him the hell out of there. That is why he (was) kicked out.”

After the meeting, Simpson said his fate was sealed once he started asking questions about the ethical nature of Sihota’s activities, especially when it came to decisions regarding withholding money from riding associations and Sihota’s decision to not let the party know he was going to be accepting money from three unions when he ran and won as NDP president.

“Moe Sihota admitted at provincial council that he made a deal with the unions before he even stood for election that he would get paid for the job,” said Simpson.

<snip>

“So the convention was not told. He was elected, as far as I am concerned, on an unethical premise, because he did not reveal that. We never knew as a caucus. The party executive never knew that he was getting this pay from the unions until 10 months into it.”

Simpson said that once Sihota took over as president Carole James started using bully politics.

“It’s Moe Sihota. One hundred per cent Moe Sihota,” said Simpson after the meeting. “Moe Sihota is the penultimate bully politician.”

Simpson said that a fundamental weakness in James’ personality, buoyed by Sihota, is her inability to embrace others’ strengths.

“She is frightened by them. She sees it wrong and I think the yellow scarf campaign this weekend proved that in spades. Instead of embracing all the people that were saying, ‘We are struggling.’ And saying what is the nature of that struggle and how do we fix it. It is, ‘You are struggling, you better do what I damn well tell you to do.’”

<snip>

“A lot of people described it as cult-like,” said Simpson. “It is clearly insidious and appalling in a party that prides itself on diversity; prides itself on individual rights and freedoms. And if you look at some of the people in the 13 — who does Carole James think she is to call Jenny Kwan a dissident and a complainer?”

“Moe Sihota is one of a cadre of people who broke the NDP in the 1990s end ended up collapsing (the caucus) down to two people, and now he is back in charge of the NDP again and he is going to do the same thing,” he said."

Source: http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_...110711569.html

Bookmark This: Your Guide To Key Players In The Race To Be Premier

By Michael Smyth
The Province November 28, 2010

<snip>

CAROLE JAMES : She may have won the backing of the party's provincial council, but the NDP leader's troubles aren't going away -- not when 40 per cent of her own caucus are opposed to her. The so-called Gang of 13 MLAs are still plotting to take her out.

The Liberals are loving it. After defeating James twice, they want to run against her again. The Liberals want to see James survive a nasty and divisive power struggle, that will embarrass and humiliate her, and create public doubts about the NDP's ability to govern.

So far, the New Democrats are following the script perfectly . . .

Source: http://www.theprovince.com/news/Book...#ixzz16bckD5hf

[Stingray2004]

First public opinion poll rating the Lib leadership contenders. Caveat - it was commissioned by the Christy Clark campaign team. Nevertheless, here are the results:

1. “Among the following candidates to be leader of the BC Liberal Party and Premier, who would you prefer?” (Among all adults surveyed – n=800)

Christy Clark - 40%
Kevin Falcon - 15%
Mike De Jong - 12%
Blair Lekstrom - 12%
George Abbott - 10%
Rich Coleman - 10%

2. “In a provincial election where Christy Clark is the leader of the BC Liberal Party, Carole James is the leader of the NDP, and Jane Sterk is leader of the Green Party which party would you vote for?” (among decided voters)

Liberal - 43%
NDP - 31%
Green - 19%
Other/Ind. - 7%

http://www.draftchristyclark.ca/wp-c...hip-survey.pdf

[whatnext]

A lot of people forget how many soccer moms Christy pissed off during her reign of error in Education.

[RTD]

Are there no provincial PCs in BC?

[Zassk]

I guess those polled only remember Christy's time on CKNW. She showed great ignorance and immaturity during her time in cabinet. The poll may put her at the top but I can't imagine her running a successful election campaign.

[CameronT120]

I hear Carol James a lot on the radio today. She's starting to sound a lot like Sarah Palin.

[whatnext]

With all these Liberal cabinet ministers resigning to run for Premier, who's running the government?

[jlousa]

Figured you'd be happy about that since you believe they were doing such a bad job anyways.

[Stingray2004]

Looks like the NDP is tearing themselves apart again this afternoon.

Senior NDP caucus member Jenny Kwan has just issued a written statement lambasting leader Carole James and party president Moe Sihota and demanding a leadership convention.

http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/005556.html

[jlousa]

Time for me to make my move and start my own party, just need Yume to fund my campaign.

[whatnext]

It certainly seems like the dimwitted Jenny and her band of malcontents are hellbent on ensuring the NDP doesn't win the next election. She was a dud as a COPE councillor 15 years ago, and apparently hasn't improved with age. Like a lot of other voters, I'll probably park my vote with the Greens as a gesture of disgust with both the two major parties. It'll be interesting to see of they manage to get a seat or two.

[BCPhil]

I'm surprised BC First hasn't come out of the woodwork yet. Maybe they are waiting for their first recall campaign to go through or not before they make their move. The idea of the party kind of worries me, as it seems like a BC reactionary hick version of the US redneck based Tea Party, but they seem to be the only group that could muster some momentum if they wanted.

[CameronT120]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

I'm surprised BC First hasn't come out of the woodwork yet. Maybe they are waiting for their first recall campaign to go through or not before they make their move. The idea of the party kind of worries me, as it seems like a BC reactionary hick version of the US redneck based Tea Party, but they seem to be the only group that could muster some momentum if they wanted.

The tea-baggers influences here are certainly noticeable. Try reading the comments on some of the local fishing forums and you'll see just how bad it is.