Politics is a 2 Edge Sword but I Think I Will Still Go With Robertson as Mayor

[Fudd]

This is a bit of delema on one hand Robertson wants to kick us out of are camp and is siding with the Imperialist Capatilist. What he has been saying about us on the news is pretty disheartning when he should be siding with us.

On the other hand my personnel experience and my activist groups experience with working with him and the city to bring in the bike lane on the bridge and the city centre has been very positive in that it has completely reshaped the downtown core to be more bike friendly. I remember a few years back when it was a major pain in the ass navigating through downtown on bike was really dangerous with all the cars getting in the way and no dedicated wide bike lane. The bike lanes has completely tranformed downtown into a nicer place.

I have got to admit at one point arguing at meetings to get the bike lanes, I felt that we were not going to succeed at one point. I remember one dick head from the other side came up with a stupid computer simulation which I admit looked pretty dam impressive on screen and try to show that the bike lanes would "bottle neck" traffic flow. I guess he was wrong with his fancy Phd from Magill.

I guess voting to keep Robertson in is the way I am going and I encurage everone else to support him. Up to now he has done a lot of good and I hope we can get more dedicated bike lanes into the major streets like Hastings, Broadway, Kingsway, Granview. Its a simple thing to do we just need the will and support which I think we will deffinitely get from Robertson.

 

[mercyshooter]

The bike lanes: he didn't even openly discuss with the public. Today he said bike lanes will be there, tomorrow there it is. Hyprocrite!

I'll have to admit that he did good things. But to me it's all communism! Totally destroyed the integrity of democracy. Building the evergreen line is another b.s. We don't have money! And according to the current transportation situation, most people would rather drive their own cars instead of taking the ridiculous Translink!

All in all, I don't want the government to be one party again! In the past 3 years, vision vancouver is just so-so.

 

[chilli]

Heh listen if you want to vote for a thug because he was nice to you one day - go right ahead.

 

[mercyshooter]

Why do people of Vancouver like to let the government borrow $180 million without our consent for future development when current and past issues have not been settled yet? We will be seeing another property tax increase in the next three years! Vision Vancouver is POISON! When will we be prosperous? I can gaurantee that there will be lots and lots of poor people in Vancouver! :frusty:

 

[Yman]

Occupy Bike Lanes

They should move the Occupy tent city into an area that doesn't disrupt the public. The Hornby bike lane isn't being used so they should set up there.

 

[uncleg]

Well I have never been much for a...............................

.......but after a few recent experiences with the cycle crowd, fuck'em.

 

[mercyshooter]

I have friends work in the vancouver government. And they think the government is a bullshit in terms of serving the public!

 

[Trus'Me]

Closing the viaduct is the most bizarre thing I've ever heard. Is it because they want more condos? Brutal.

As far as bike lanes, (and for the record I'm a lazy tit - I dont bike nowhere), I'm a firm believer that we're going to see gas prices skyrocket in the next 5 years. Let alone ten. It'll be nothing but bike lanes then.

 

[Yman]

No Alternative

I think the reason why Robertson won was due to the fact that Anton had little in the way of platform. All she did was criticize Gregor on his record. Unfortunately the NPA provided little detail on their vision of the future. Her representations of less government and less spending seemed vapid without details-- just less red tape--whatever that means.

 

[badbadboy]

The problem, in both Vancouver and Burnaby, is that the vicious mouth breathers that is all the right could find to run is simply not attractive to the general population.

Robertson and Corrigan both ran positive campaigns of real accomplishment against negative mouth breathers that never will accomplish anything.
http://vancouver.ca/electionResults2011/index.htm#10
http://applications.burnaby.ca/mes/2011/Default.aspx

The people that disagree with their accomplishments (I hate bike lanes) couldn't offer something that they had/would do instead.

Therefore, neither Robertson or Corrigan had a problem attracting a campaign team to run a campaign that basically listed accomplishments and listed future plans.

Anton and Rankin offered nothing and are both unpleasant people to be around. Team Burnaby only had 20 people at Romanos, they couldn't even get their spouses to attend. It's pretty pitiful when it's the 16 candidates and the campaign manager, office manager and a couple of reporters that couldn't get another assignment.

Negative campaigns don't work at the civic level. People are actually quite connected to their civic politicians because the potholes do get filled, the garbage does get collected, the library and schools are open. There is a regular schedule of civic events where people meet their civic politicians. The reality is that if a person has talked to the incumbent politician, even if they disagree with specific accomplishments, they aren't going to vote for an alternative politician that they have never met.

It's possible to paint an opposing politician into a corner/define the public perception of the opposing politician in a national campaign because there isn't a connection between that politician and the voter. It was fairly simple with the last two Liberal leaders because both were elitists that were uncomfortable with close contact with most of our population.

Demographics Alin. Burnaby has always been more of a unionized working class area which the Corrigan family panders to. They are a shoe in to win any municipal election.

Vancouver is the one that does surprise me. With the Howe Street crowd not liking what Robertson was doing yet they could not get people out to vote against what they all complain about daily. Vision is well managed from top to bottom and have a team thinking about the "next" election. Spending time on a flight from Toronto to Vancouver with one of their inside guys was an eye opener for me.

 

[Yman]

Vancouver is the one that does surprise me. With the Howe Street crowd not liking what Robertson was doing yet they could not get people out to vote against what they all complain about daily.

I think you're confusing the outrage and outcry from the small businesses affected by the Hornby bike lane with the overall business community ( except for the gambling community too). Vision Vancouver is actually a ' right ' of center political party which has some big business supporters. COPE which is essentially THE left wing oriented party was actually decimated in the recent election.

Gregor had overwhelming support from the WEST side and downtown Vancouver. NPA found support from South Vancouver.

 

[mercyshooter]

vision van failed to ask the court to give them legal action power to get rid of the occupy vancouver people. i can't believe a simple matter has to be escalated to the premier! wasting our tax money! :crazy: :doh: :frusty:

We should have a metropolitan government instead of municipal government!

 

[Big Dog Striker]

I think the reason why Robertson won was due to the fact that Anton had little in the way of platform. All she did was criticize Gregor on his record. Unfortunately the NPA provided little detail on their vision of the future. Her representations of less government and less spending seemed vapid without details-- just less red tape--whatever that means.

Yups! Anton had little NOT only in platform but in funding as well as compared to the well-oiled machine of Vision. Personally, I'm pretty happy with the last election as Adriane Carr became Van's first Green Party Councillor, getting the 10th and final spot by just 91 votes. Geez! kind of heart breaking for 11th. At least, making it to the polls during the last 5 minutes last Saturday evening was well worth it before going to the James Bond Party at the Vancouver Club. :nod:

 

[mercyshooter]

Yups! Anton had little NOT only in platform but in funding as well as compared to the well-oiled machine of Vision. Personally, I'm pretty happy with the last election as Adriane Carr became Van's first Green Party Councillor, getting the 10th and final spot by just 91 votes. Geez! kind of heart breaking for 11th. At least, making it to the polls during the last 5 minutes last Saturday evening was well worth it before going to the James Bond Party at the Vancouver Club. :nod:

My guess is Anton doesn't want tax payers' money gets wasted! And I also think that she wants to get rid of all the garbages that the vision van has left over in the past 3 years! Honestly with the past and current issues and the economic situation, it is not a good idea to plan/fund for future development. This is another reason why we should have metropolitan government instead of municipal government.

 

[mercyshooter]

Can't agree with you there.

In Burnaby we have replaced all of the old water and sewer lines. We also have an active program for street repaving. Vancouver still has areas of wooden water lines and has areas where an SUV is required because there isn't much difference between the Vancouver street and a logging road.

Joining up in a metropolitan government would be a substantial step backwards.

The reason I said this is that other people within Metro Vancouver such as Burnaby, Surrey, Coquitlam, etc come to City of Vancouver for their day-to-day businesses and same as people of City of Vancouver going to other places within Metro Vancouver for their day-to-day businesses. In order to be completely democratic, a metropolitan government is needed to be fair and square. Look at other metropolitan cities in the world. Look at how prosperous they are now. They can do it, so can we. You should have a "can-do" attitude!