jpinkster Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 It's been awhile since I inundated you folks with my political ramblings. http://globalnews.ca/news/2806927/jason-kenney-leadership-bid-pc/?sf30397296=1 I've been slightly hesitant to express my perspective on Jason Kenney joining the race for the PC leadership. Now that all of the cards are on the table, I think I can make a bit more of an informed opinion on what Kenney is trying to accomplish. Jason Kenney is one of the hardest working elected officials in the entire country. He has dedicated his life to public service. While I respect his work ethic and dedication, ideologically we are miles apart on a vast number of issues. Kenney is running for the PC leadership with the intention of facilitating a merger with the Wild Rose. For that reason (and our differences on a vast array of social issues), I will not support Kenney running for leader. I don't disagree with the notion that we need to be better to defeat the NDP in 2019, but I do not believe this is the way to accomplish that. Albertans voted for change in the last provincial election because they were sick of seeing the same old song and dance. I believe that Kenney and a united conservative party is the same status quo of cronyism and rhetoric that Albertans rejected in 2015. I believe the PC brand is still strong. I believe the majority of our current members want to see the renewal and rebuild of the party. I'm the riding president for the Calgary SE PC Association - right in the heart of Kenney's old federal riding. I suspect there will be strong attempts to build the Kenney base in these areas where he has historically been very popular. Our leadership process is now a delegate vote. If Kenney wants to be successful he is going to need to secure votes in a number of ridings. I suspect I'll be seeing a few new faces around my meeting table. It's going to be an interesting next few months... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taco Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Considering he spent the last 2 provincial elections slagging the PC government and actively campaigning for WR I'd be more than a little suspicious of his motives. He gets in I'll never again consider voting PC and I damn sure will never vote WR which leaves me with some distasteful alternatives. I think I'll go fishin' on election day instead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianR Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I wonder what he plans to do with his fed pension.$1=$24.00.from his time in ottawa.prov.mla's get nothing.Now another fed byelection costing us even more $.A nice jester would donate back to the public coffers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricinus Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I'm from Ottawa and I'm here to help.. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I wish my pension was that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbowtrout Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Kenny is too far right, same with the WR. Strengthen the centre and lets get on with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutlover Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Jpinkster It is funny to me to hear people who participate in their party talk about what needs to happen. They are blinded by the community they surround themselves with and they focus on they party goals instead of what the majority of the public want to see in a party. A party unwilling to conform to what the majority of the public want to see will never rebuild. Politicians need to get out of their community of other politicians who all think the same, leave your table and stick your head into some real conversations at the water cooler. Edit: I guess its not fair for me to leave this without sharing where I lean. BigBowTrout i support your message. Especially the part where we "get on with this". Albertans are ready NOW for action and to see what party is going establish themselves to "save us" from the NDP. Jason Kenny is Fricken brilliant he beat both parties to the punch. Took a page out of old Trumps play book and has a GREAT chance to go all the way with it. Alberta wants a new right. It astounds me that the PC's did not get this message last election and if they did .......well crickets. It was something they needed to do now, make drastic change, get in the media, rally the people. Only media i have seen is Brian Jean and at the end of every interview or broadcast ..."oh ya and Ric Mciver had something to say but we forget what it was." Heck Danielle Smith gets more air time than the PCs these days. PC's got DESTROYED! and sat around while they vanished from Alberta politics Jason Kenny comes along and PCs get more attention than they have had in almost a year and the PCs be like "WE AINT GONNA CHANGE PISS OFF KENNY" and they send an old party face to give the message. PCs have a million ways to spin this windfall and no leadership that knows how to turn this into gold. If you ask me same old party no change in sight. NO desire to "get on with it". 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroutPanther Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I totally agree they need to pivot to the middle. Uniting the right, if it means a pivot right, will not earn my vote. I think the federal election showed brand Harper is broken. unless they put someone likeable up as the face of the PC party I would say they don't have a great shot. Why Kenney? Pinkster I would say as a "swing" voter that the PC brand isn't strong, they have some major work to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishinhogdaddy Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 It is doubtfull he will have any support from me. Wife injured and permanently disabled from a car accident. Apply for CPP disability; denied, appealed, denied, applealed, denied. 3 1/2 years of fighting. Contacted Mr. Kenneys office as he is my MP. Receptionist-rude, asks what I want, told her it's between me and my elected official. Wouldn't budge on a meeting or request for phone call until I told her what I wanted. I said he was my elected official and I have the right to contact him, refused unless I told her why. Told her what I was seeking from my MP for assistance in having my wives disability approved. She asks "what do you expect him to do"? and hung up. Find his email address, email him. 2 years later get a response from a "staff" member. 2 YEARS!! His next door-to-door election support "walk", I waited. Please knock on my door! Went down my street and knocked on all my streets doors, Not mine! Obviously had my address flagged. I was ready for him. Video camera ready to confront him with a "tough" question so that everyone on the interweb would see. Nadda. Dickhead. FHD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpinkster Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 Jpinkster It is funny to me to hear people who participate in their party talk about what needs to happen. They are blinded by the community they surround themselves with and they focus on they party goals instead of what the majority of the public want to see in a party. A party unwilling to conform to what the majority of the public want to see will never rebuild. Took a page out of old Trumps play book and has a GREAT chance to go all the way with it. This is contrary to what I've heard and seen from many Albertans. I don't believe the majority of Albertans want to see "unite the right". I think Albertans (specifically urban Albertans) are far more progressive than we give them credit for. A drastic jump to the right may encourage those folks to take their support elsewhere. Don't let the vocal minority fool you, I believe that 90% of Albertans are considerably closer to the middle of the political spectrum. If you take any pages out of the "Old Trump Play-Book" you shouldn't be elected for anything ever. Rhetoric and fear-mongering isn't what the majority of people want to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutlover Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 For the record. I do hope Kenny falls on his ass.I am not for unite the right. I am tired of a Party that needs to fix itself, rebuild its relations with the public and clearly send a message of who they are since they got their ass kicked. WHERE IS THE CHANGE IN THE PARTY THE PUBLIC SO BLATANTLY REJECTED? Who are they going to be? I think you are right 90% of the public want to support a "NEW" progressive party not a re-mashup of an old split PC party, but not the one we had....They sucked. Where is the "new" PCs? THAT is what the public want and there is NOTHING......crickets. In comes Kenny opportunity lost. Nice one PCs, Nice. What the water cooler talk is.......We need to be introduced to a party with a CLEAR agenda of "HOW WILL THEY FIX IT". The party needs to come out with a STRONG political leader that will paint the picture of what Alberta is going to look like in 4 years (Its going to be an ugly picture). THEN deliver the message of what they will do to recover. That is what people want and they want it now. We are in the crisis now and we need the message. We need someone to hope for and if the party gets support now for "The Plan" that party will win. REPENT. The PCs need to first repent and admit they know what the public rejected and then REVEAL who they will be going forward,then rebuild support on "The Plan". I think the leader selected will either make or break the PC party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpinkster Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 The party needs to come out with a STRONG political leader that will paint the picture of what Alberta is going to look like in 4 years (Its going to be an ugly picture). THEN deliver the message of what they will do to recover. That is what people want and they want it now. This is where I think we disagree again. I think people want the opposite. I don't think the days of top-down leadership still resonate within political parties. Members of parties want to know that they have a voice and they are being listened to. The big problem with the PCs is that we got flakey on what we stood for as a party. We went out and picked a leader and tried to adapt what the party stood for to adapt to the leader. That is so backwards! What we really need to do is establish our values and guiding principles, AND THEN select a leader that is a reflection of our members. Look at what has happened in the last 4 years to the PCs. Prentice and Redford both came in suggesting they had all of the answers and were tone deaf to what membership actually wanted. It's time that parties recognized who is actually in control - the members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I agree with Jordan that a large number of Albertans are in the centre or, to be more precise, just right of centre-- fiscally conservative but much less so socially. I am one of them. I am not a Wildroser. But I totally disagree that the formula for displacing the NDP is a PC rebuild. Recent history is all we need consider. For me,the collapse of Alison Redford, a true Red Tory, and the more astonishing collapse of the somewhat further right Jim Prentice make it overwhelmingly clear that the only way to get back in power is to make sure everyone on the right side of the spectrum votes for the same party, This is not a novel or outlandish concept--of course it is exactly how Harper got his job. I'll admit that historically I disliked Kenney's far right "rat pack" antics and I continue to be dumbfounded that anyone thought the niqab position was a good idea, but I think Kenney's experience, enthusiasm, hard work with ethnic groups,intellect,fundraising ability and friendliness have earned him a shot. I support a VERY large conservative tent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpinkster Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 I support a VERY large conservative tent. I guess that begs the question: do you think Kenney plans to grow the conservative tent or shrink it? I've been lead to believe it is the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I guess i assume grow because like me he wants a conservative government elected in 019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutlover Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Jpinkster I think that's what I said. Listen to the members and then present the plan that will execute their goals. You are right the party hasn't been in touch or represented the membership in many years. Hence why they barely exist now. I do however disagree with your perspective on the Leader. The party needs someone the public will believe in. I think the difference will be how that leader leads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonAndersen Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Jordan, I have to look only at how our eastern slopes have been treated for the last fifty years and I know who I will be voting for. Unless , you can resurrect Bill Yorko- http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/edmontonjournal/obituary.aspx?n=bill-yurko&pid=139355319 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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