Why Rob Ford Could Win

The Toronto mayoral election is a pretty depressing and sordid affair. In fact, affair is the appropriate word to begin a post on the Toronto election since the candidate of the "left" - Adam Giambrone - was forced to resign after it was discovered that he was texting naughty messages to a media inclined, young actress. Apparently she thought it was a little hypocritical for Giambrone to paint himself all senatorial by suddenly appearing with his girlfriend when he was secretly schtupping her on the office couch. Fair enough.

And, sad to say, that's a fair enough symptom of why Rob Ford may well win the mayoral election.

The left on city council - the people I have voted for since I voted in elections - alternate between being as respectable as an urban lawyer who shops at Pottery Barn and drinks fair trade coffee, and dull as dishwater. The only time they do anything political of note is when they trailed behind the frothing-at-the-mouth duo of Ford and Mammolitti after the G20. Every single one of them voted to congratulate the police.

Well, here's some news to the politicians: we've been suffering through a recession, we've been losing jobs and seeing house prices go through the roof simultaneously. People are angry and feel, with good reason, that the politicians are mealy-mouthed, pocket-stuffing, opportunists with no vision, no spine and no principles. And, like it or not, Rob Ford speaks to the anger that people feel.

I mean, look at his political opponents.

George Smitherman - come on, people. The only thing "progressive" that this guy has going for him is that he's gay. He's thoroughly establishment in outlook. Pink Bourgeoisie, you could say. His politics really aren't that much different from Ford's in substance - except that he smells like a snobby, urban lawyer who shops at Pottery Barn, etc.

Joe Pantalone - who? A nice guy with a decent record (though he voted for the police after they put a choke hold on democratic rights). His only achievement in this election will be to change the famous aphorism about nice guys to "nice guys finish third".

The other candidates are "also rans" and not worth much discussion.

That leaves us with the thoroughly odious motherf****er, Rob Ford. I grew up in Downsview, which is part of North York, so have a long memory of a certain Mr Mel Lastman. Then I moved downtown to escape my childhood stomping ground only to have that bloody carpet salesman follow me like a venereal disease. However, looking at Ford as mayor makes me long for Mel. Ford lacks the charm of Mel Lastman, who was like an affable but slightly demented and criminally inclined uncle that was fun at family reunions. Sure, you wouldn't want him as the family spokesperson but he could be counted upon to make you spray food out your nose with his off-colour, slightly offensive jokes.

Ford isn't even a clown - except maybe in the Stephen King sense of the word. Ford is like one of those sociopathic teenagers who shoot cats with pellet guns for the pleasure of causing pain to another living creature. Sadly, sometimes such sociopathy appeals to people for one simple reason: if you can't fight the people above you, kick the people beneath you who are weaker.

Let's face it, the union movement did sweet-f**k-all to resist the recession. Even the once mighty Canadian Auto Workers, who split from their American kin because they were militantly opposed to concessions contracts, offered up their members' veins for a good bleeding. The NDP are a part of Joe Pantalones. 'Nuff said. In other words those organizations and movements that ought to have shown an alternative to the smash-and-grab neo-liberalism of the Harper Tories and McGuinty Liberals and corporate Canada - have done nothing. There have been some noble attempts by trade unionists closer to the ground but the official union movement - the CLC, the OFL, the national unions - have all turtled.

Rob Ford is the ghastly result of that failure.

I can already hear all my lefty friends, particularly of the NDP variety, bemoaning the victory of Rob Ford on election night. I've already heard people saying that they will move out of the city (to go where? Calgary?). It will be a drag but Ford is a buffoon and he's not the candidate of the Toronto bourgeoisie, who want Smitherman. Ford is also despised on city council, whereas Mel knew how to build alliances. I mean, this is a guy who was thrown out of a sports game for picking a fight. He's hardly got the temperament to navigate Toronto city council. I don't think that anyone should be complacent and the movements ought to start fighting him now. But I predict that he will be the best enemy money could buy. Within six months a sizable chunk of every class in this city will want to destroy him.

Amplify’d from www.thestar.com

James: Despite attacks, Rob Ford’s simple message takes hold

By Royson James City Columnist

The leading mayoral candidates have so far shown a stunning lack of understanding of the force that fuels Rob Ford’s unlikely grip on the Toronto mayor’s race.

They call him names. They mock him. They tell anyone with a microphone and a pen that the rambunctious councillor is a buffoon with foot-in-mouth disease, a one-trick pony incapable of competing in the sophisticated world Toronto must navigate.

As if the voters don’t know this already. Ford’s been a councillor for 10 years. His file of verbal indiscretions is thick and well worn.

In fact, with every effort like George Smitherrman’s launch of the FordonFord.com website, intended to showcase the celebrated gaffes of the councillor from Etobicoke North, Ford gains in popularity.

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/8qse

My Own G20 'Most Wanted' List

The Toronto Star is reporting that the Toronto Police have released photos of the ten "most wanted" vandals from the G20 demonstrations and riot of two weeks ago. I will at least give the police credit that all of the "suspects" at least appear to have been at the demo. There's no photos of the guy who got shaken down on his way to play medieval role playing games, swinging a foam broadsword. I suppose that's sort of a step forward.
Of course, it doesn't answer a single one of the questions that have been raised by concerned citizens about the suspension of civil liberties. About the horrid conditions and brutal treatment of arrestees, 95% of whom were never charged.
But more than that, if these guys smashed some windows and a couple of, cough cough, abandoned police cruisers, it is nothing compared to the damage of the real vandals at the G20. So, in the interest of balance, RedBedHead is releasing its own "Most Wanted" List. If you know the location of any of these thugs, just pass them along to my desk officer. We'll fill out a report and then get our agents on the case to track them down and arrest them.

WANTED FOR THUGGERY AND VANDALISM

1. STEPHEN HARPER

Don't let the cute kitty-cat fool you, this man is armed and dangerous. He is wanted for holding an entire city hostage, suspending civil liberties, and directing the cops to treat protesters like the enemy within. He's also wanted for funnelling money to the most destructive energy project on earth - the Alberta Tar Sands; for ignoring all democratic checks and balances; attacking women's right to abortion; and championing an economic austerity model that was adopted by the G20 and will lead to immiseration for tens of millions of people around the world. Since he organized the whole stupid thing, he gets to be number one.

2. BARACK OBAMA

He started off so well but just couldn't resist picking up bad habits. We all loved him and wanted him to succeed. The President of the United States has shown himself a willing participant in the murder of tens of thousands by commission and omission. He convinces us he was anti-war and then sent an extra 35,000 troops to Afghanistan. He told us he was for stimulus spending and bank accountability - and now he's moving towards austerity. He said he represented a new, cooperative model of foreign policy and then sent thousands of Marines to Costa Rica as a threat against Nicaragua, backed the Honduran coup, supporter bombings and massacres in Pakistan, gave the thumbs up to every crime that Israel could come up with. He reneged on his promise to rescind the odious Defence of Marriage Act, to support immigrants who face sustained assault by Tea Party, Minutemen and the whackjobs who ran half of the states in America. He reneged on providing real public healthcare and defending a woman's right to choose. The list of crimes continues for quite a while but this is enough for an arrest warrant. He's probably guarded by some heavily armed, sunglasses wearing thugs, so approach with caution.

3. WEN JIABAO

Wen Jiabao, China's Premier, may wear silly hats but this thug is all business back home. He has been involved with repression in Tibet and the Xinjiang region of western China. Then there's all that stuff about stealing organs from prisoners and dissidents. That's worth a few years in the big house right there, serving tea and crumpets to some Falun Gong supporters. Wen rules over a country that prevents freedom of speech and crushes dissent - except where doing so will lead to bigger explosions, as with the recent industrial strike wave.

4. SILVIO BERLUSCONI

His true nature was laid bare a long time ago but he's managed to avoid capture by constantly changing the laws of Italy to maintain parliamentary immunity. It helps that his control and manipulation of the media has made Italy the most unfree media climate in the western world. Besides being an all around SOB, he's also happily supported the war in Afghanistan and repression against trade unions and the left at home. He is in the process of implementing a serious austerity package against Italian workers, which, if he gets away with it, will immiserate millions. He cavorts with open fascists and has created an atmosphere in Italy conducive to the recent pogroms against immigrants and Gypsies. Luckily, it seems that he will soon be thrown out of office and will thus be easier to arrest.

5. NIKOLAS SARKOZY

He looks a bit like Clive Owen here but this guy has no charm at all. Besides his current package of austerity that has generated a massive general strike, he has also attacked immigrants, particularly Muslims at every opportunity. He is for repression, harsh nationalism, and attacks on workers rights and living standards.

6. DAVID CAMERON

The goofball "conservative with a heart of gold" Prime Minister of Britain is what the brits call a toff, which sounds like toffee, but really translates more accurately into rich, inbred bastard. This criminal mastermind is bent on recreating the terror of Thatcher and imposing it on the poor people of Britain. He's a racist, elitist scumbag and his assault on the National Health Service of Britain, as well as the broader public sector is set to be the most significant attack on the welfare state ever seen. Hopefully the people of Britain will give him a swift kick in the pants and his weak coalition government will fall apart. He's best sedated upon arrest or he'll try to charm you and ply you with some of those dreadful British breath mints.

7. TORONTO POLICE CHIEF BILL BLAIR

There's something Pinochet-esque about Billy boy in this photo. Give him the moustache and away he would go. He obviously revels in unbridled power and has a penchant for lying publicly and frequently. As the leader of the biggest street gang in the city of Toronto, he's not to be taken lightly. Don't try to approach him as he's sure to attack.

8. DALTON MCGUINTY

He's a liar. He's boring as shit. Somebody stop him before he passes more police special powers laws that he didn't pass and never really existed in the first place even though he pretended they did until it became politically inconvenient.

9. ROB FORD & GEORGIO MAMMOLITI

He's a bigot, a bully and an asshole who represents every vile, narrow attitude that porcine white assholes can possibly hold without being fascists. And he was number one scum when it came to fellating the TO police over what a wonderful job they did implementing their mini-police state.

Ah, Georgio, how long we have known and despised ye. All the way back to when you scabbed on the NDP same spousal legislation. So it was particularly rich when you put forward a motion to withhold funding from future Pride festivals because they permitted Queers Against Israeli Apartheid to march (under enormous pressure). Having assisted in denying same sex couples any of the rights of heterosexual couples for another decade or so is enough to warrant frog-marching this weasel straight out of city hall and into the hoosegow. But the fact that he fought to get to the front of the line, ahead of his long time arch-foe, Rob Ford, in sucking up to the coppers post-clampdown makes him a double-weasel.

10. MAYOR MILLER

There he is: Curly, Larry and Shemp. I'll leave it to you, trusty reader, to decide whom is whom. If we have to endure one more "progressive" mayor like Miller I'm gonna cack. I thought Barb Hall was bad enough - Christ, she was beaten by Mel Lastman! But this guy is worse. Sure, we were all excited when he deposed Mel "Noooobody" Lastman with his three dollar suits and world knowledge gleaned from reading the Sunday funnies. But by the time we got to Miller's second term it would be an understatement to say that the thrill was gone. He went after public sector unions last summer, forcing a strike and then demonizing them as he sought significant concessions - as though public sector workers are to blame for the sorry state of city finances (here's a hint: cut the police budget). Then he went out of his way after the G20 fiasco to congratulate the police on what a good job they did - before knowing the facts of the matter. He did later apologize for the martial law situation - sorta, kinda - at a community event in North York, out of the eye of the media but the damage was already done. Of course, he has done no worse than the other progressives on council who all voted to withhold funding for Pride unless they censored the political views of participants viz Israel and who all voted to applaud the cops for smashing heads and suspending our rights. Nice goin' Milly Vanilly. Get outta here, you punk. Do no pass GO, do not collect $200!

Well, that's it. It's a bit of an arbitrary list, of course. There were so many scumbags assembled in one city that, frankly, it's a surprise that the World Health Organization didn't send in a team to disinfect ole Hogtown. I never even mentioned Germany, for instance. Or Russia - whoa, he's a dirtbag though, ain't he? But I think that if we can nail these guys, make an example of them with some show trials, convict them in the media - hey, we could get Christie Blatchford to cover it - then it will discourage copycat scumbags from following in their path. Two-thirds of the law is about deterrence. Remember that, kiddies. Now get out there and hunt these bad boys down like the dogs they are.

Mayor Miller Apologizes For G20 Cop Riot

Well, sort of... Check out the video around 8:05 till 8:43. He gives an extended preamble talking about the violence of the "anarchists" as though the cops total clampdown, lies about their "special powers" prior to the event, and indiscriminate sweep was the result of a few broken windows on the Saturday. But since we have plenty of evidence that the police knowingly allowed this to happen this narrative is a total lie. Don't forget that the police infiltrated the key anarchist organization, SOAR, over a year prior to the event and thus knew of their plans and perhaps even helped to formulate and instigate them. And then there's the viral videos (see the one I've posted earlier) making the rounds that show the cops standing back and allowing their cars to be burned, windows to be smashed etc. So, frankly, Miller's mealy-mouthed apology - after voting along with City Council to commend the cops - isn't worth a tinker's damn.
But what's interesting is that it was clearly a response to some people at the Jane and Finch event having been arrested themselves and taking Miller to task. He - and the other weasly councillors with their comfy relationship to authoritarianism - need to be challenged at every step for failing to defend basic civil liberties and for their unquestioning support for martial law under the leadership of Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, who was caught lying more than once - about the police powers, about the weapons that they rounded up. This is disgraceful and they ought to face the anger of us, their constituents, for it.

Toronto Council Bans Everyone Everywhere Who Has Ever Had An Independent Thought

Newsflash: failed-mayoral candidate Georgio Mammoliti and creepy-mayoral candidate Rob Ford took a break from swatting each other Three Stooges style to put forward a jointly sponsored motion to protect the citizens of Toronto from Free Thought.

"It is obvious that there are a lot of scumbags, probably unemployed bums and thrill-seekers, who are running around threatening our way of life with radical ideas," said Ford, while he plucked the wings off of pigeons to demonstrate his commitment to a clean city.

"AAaaaaaaaaah!," Georgio Mammoliti added. "Want make Toronto people think! Must be crushed."

The idea for the motion came to the two city councillors after reading a news story that revealed both Dustin Hoffman and Meg Ryan had backed out of attending an Israeli film festival after Israeli commandos were forced to kill several unarmed passengers on a Gaza aid flotilla in international waters. Israel was ruthlessly and unfairly singled out for responsibility in the deaths of the 9 Turkish nationals as though it were their fault.

"People die all the time," said an Israeli spokesperson. "Why are the media only talking about people we killed? Why is nobody talking about heart attacks and strokes? They kill a lot more people - almost all of them unarmed civilians."

The councillors agreed. "These people are scumbags," Ford noted. "AAaaaaah!" concurred Mammoliti.

While the soon-to-be-banned actors were the spur for the motion, it also includes mention of several other potential terrorists. 

Ireland recently expelled an Israeli diplomat after the alleged illegal use of forged Irish passports in the killing of a Hamas official in a Dubai hotel in January.

"Ireland is banned," said Ford. "All of 'em. Have you seen that country? It's filled with goddamn redheads. And you know what red is - it's the colour of communism. We're better off without 'em."

New Pentagon Supremo David Petraeus is also being proposed to be on the banned list for criticizing Israel. So too did vice-president Joe Biden who told Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that Israel's actions were costing America lives in the Middle East.

"What you're doing here undermines the security of our troops who are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. That endangers us and it endangers regional peace," he said.
British journalist Jonathan Freedland, who writes for the Guardian, is also on the list for penning an article that pointed out that Israel's friends increasingly also think that they are nutso, including several high profile people in the American foreign policy establishment like Anthony Cordesman - not to mention the relatively new Jewish organization J Street, which is critical of the crazier aspects of Israeli policy.
"These people are scumbags," Ford re-iterated. "Ban 'em. Ban 'em all."
"AAaaaaaah," Mammoliti reiterated.
According to the two councillors they have lined up what will likely be a unanimous vote. One "progressive" councillor who declined to be named told redbedhead that "we'd like to oppose this but we're afraid that we'll be banned too. Or worse, voters might notice we exist and you know what that means - people might have a reason to vote against us. Then what the hell would I do?"

Toronto Council Votes To Silence Dissent

Who the hell are these guys and why do we pay their salaries? I mean, twice in one day these jerks demonstrate their utter disdain for the right to free speech and the right to protest without getting your head cracked in. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there supposedly some "progressives" on city council? What the hell - first they congratulate the cops for a $1 billion cock-up that left people injured, windows smashed and growing numbers of people and organizations clambering for an independent inquiry. They must be, like, the last people in the city who don't think that G20 policing was a total farrago.

And now this almost-unanimous vote - including "progressives" - to delay future Pride grants because they permitted, under enormous pressure, the right of a group critical of Israel to march in the parade.

Now, I know there's still some people out there that thinks the sun shines out of Israel's arse and that genocide is really just a civilizing mission with a case of bad marketing but to threaten the funding of one of Toronto's most successful festivals in order to squelch any criticism of a foreign government? Would they do the same if the group had been Queers Against Iranian Repression or Queers Against Radical Islam? I suspect not.

I'm not surprised that some of the council scumbags would support this - Mammoliti is a long-time anti-gay bigot who left the NDP provincial caucus because of his opposition to same sex spousal benefits. Rob Ford's ignorance on gay rights is on the record for all to see. But to see that people on the left of city council would engage in this sort of disgusting witch-hunting tactic is truly enraging. I suggest that people send a letter to their councillor asking them why they are spending our money to squash free speech.

Star Calls For G20 Inquiry While City Council Congrats Cops

The call for an independent inquiry into the G20 debacle continues to gather momentum with the Toronto Star editorial board coming out today with a statement reiterating the call and stating that while the about-face by the Toronto Police Services Board is welcome it simply isn't enough.

"However, the proposed review of Toronto police actions is still insufficient in scope to get to the bottom of what happened in our city on the G20 weekend. The decision-makers included not just the Toronto police but also their counterparts from the OPP and RCMP and politicians in all three levels of government.
"Collectively, they turned our city into an armed camp with empty streets, secretly invoked special police powers, allowed a few hooligans to run amok burning police cruisers and smashing store windows, and then arrested and incarcerated more than a thousand people, the vast majority of them guilty of no crime. Businesses in the downtown area suffered a big drop in sales. Instead of showcasing the city, the event produced damaging images, broadcast around the world. What is needed is a full public inquiry, called by either the province or Ottawa."

The Federal NDP has also called for the Orwellian-sounding Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security to be convened to implement an immediate inquiry. As a result of the request the Committee must be convened within five days.

“The Conservatives spent close to a billion dollars on security but are refusing to be held publicly accountable for all that went wrong,” said [NDP Public Safety Critic Don] Davies. “They said the massive security force would prevent violence – it did not. They said that civil liberties would be protected – they were not.”

This is a welcome change from the sycophantic cop-worship by Toronto's city council, including the so-called left, who voted unanimously to commend the outstanding work by the cops. What a bunch of knobs - and not just ultra-right wingnut Rob Ford, who thought that the police were "too nice."

A Nematode

This is the same guy who got thrown out of a Leaf's game for picking a fight with another fan. He's lucky it wasn't during the G20 or the cops would have locked him up for 17 hours and strip-searched him. His other odious, bigoted and racist behaviour and utterances demonstrate that he is really too stupid to take seriously - if only he weren't a mayoral candidate. I tell you if that nematode is elected mayor I will strongly consider signing up to join the Black Bloc.

Mammoliti Loses His Shit
Ford's usual pro-cop drool-a-thon was only matched by the frothful meanderings of his arch-rival in stupidity and politics, Georgio Mammoliti, who had to be calmed down by the Council Speaker, Sandra Bussin. Mammoliti responded, Strangelove-like, by shouting at her "you should be on trial for your behaviour right now."