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Ralph Klein's Last Election
Topic Started: Nov 5 2004, 02:01 PM (845 Views)
brewster
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Winemaker Extraordinaire
Yup, the Separatists have a way to go, but they keep trying...

Televised debates tonight, free-for-all format.

It's expected to focus on:

Klein's Electrical Deregulation, which has resulted in more electricity but higher bills.

Health Care, both Klein's studies on Privatization and the Lib/Socialist cries for more covered services.

Government Owned Auto Insurance, already in place in many provinces, but which Klein has steadfastly opposed for Alberta.

And of course, what to do with all that extra money...
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brewster
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brewster
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brewster
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sylley2000
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Sylvia, Grand Bend ON
Right about now, I'm almost ready to move to Alberta!

McGuinty, our Ontario Premier, without a word of warning wants the age of majority to be 18 for students to leave school.

http://www.canoe.ca/OntQueTicker/CANOE-wir...tion-To-18.html

The man is a walking disaster wandering around looking for a place to happen!

Sylvia

On edit...hmmm wondering if he's doing that to divert our attention away from the tax he imposed despite his promises to the contrary about not raising taxes? It ain't gonna work!!!
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jackd
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Brewster:
Why is Alberta going through an election.?
Everybody knows what the end-results will be..... no contest.
Is this only a way to spend some of your surplus cash??
JackD
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Walk behind me, I lead you
Walk beside me, you are a friend.
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brewster
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Sylley;

Your McGuinty sounds like an interesting character....

Remember that ancient Chinese curse...

"May you live in interesting times"
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brewster
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Jack;

It does take a bit of thought.. Ralph didn't have to call an election for another year and a half. But if you follow the events in Alberta, it starts to make a lot of sense. :thinking:

First, next year is Alberta's Centennial, and the Queen is coming. When she does, she'll undoubtedly be expected to move around Ralph's Alberta, giving her Royal Blessing to many of Ralph's projects. Since it's rare that any Party waits 'till the very last minute to call an election, that would conflict, introducing politics into her Totally Ceremonial Occasions - that would be messy. :yuck:

Second, everyone in Alberta has known for some time that Saint Ralph has now fulfilled every promise he ever made, and really doesn't want to start the next phase, since he would undoubtedly not be around to finish it. So he wants out, and the nicest time would be right after the Centennial Party, when he gets to squire the Queen around and get some fancy pictures taken. :hi5:

Third, as I mentioned to Colleen, he has been such a strong leader that none of his Lieutenants have had a chance to shine. This way, they get a year or so to show off while always having Uncle Ralph as a safety net if they screw up, then a couple of years to get settled into the job before they have to call an election themselves. :stooges:

It all makes a nice, tidy transition. Of all the politicians I know, only King Ralph has ever had both the power and the presence of mind to pull this off. :tiphat:
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jackd
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Brewster:
Going on an election at this time is indeed a good move for Klein. He's a very wise guy.
In the mean time the CAN$$$ is at US83,97c., Euro at $US1.2985
That is becoming a bit scarry.
JackD

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Walk beside me, you are a friend.
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brewster
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Jack;

The whole exchange rate thing is interesting...

It's now reached the stage that the dollar is rising faster than the price of oil, which is based on the US$. :nyanya:

The price at gas pumps in Alberta is starting to come down - off 3c per litre in the last week here in High River... :yahoo:

Ralphie's gotta love this - he gets to collect the royalties per barrel while simultaneously taking credit for lower prices at the pumps - some people can do no wrong! :hi5:
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jackd
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Brewster:
The price of crude is gradually coming down. (Alberta producers are loosing)
At the same time, the currency in which Alta producers are paid (US$$$$) is going down in value (Alberta looses again)
Retail gasoline price are also going down, which lessen the tax revenues for the province (12% of the selling price)(Alberta looses again)
Alberta is loosing on all counts.
How can Ralph be so happy???
JackD
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Walk beside me, you are a friend.
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brewster
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Because he's still running a budget based on less than $45 per barrel.... Anything over that is gravy.

Plus, the public wanted him to kick in a rebate on the price of gas.

Now he can ignore that, and save the money. And still everybody's happy! And he's still collecting over budget! He'll be able to declare an EVEN BIGGER surplus!

And nobody cries if the big oil companies lose a little, unless it gets so serious that they cut back on exploration jobs, and it's nowhere near that yet!

(His surplus will be less than it looked like at one point, but he'd never officially announced those numbers anyway!)

During an election!

On Edit: Yes, you as an individual might be upset at losing projected revenue, but exceptional politician that Ralph might be, he's still a politician, and Votes are more exciting than Money!
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brewster
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The latest polls are Just In!

Ralphie's lead is getting bigger!

Quote:
 
The debate comes as a new poll suggests Klein's Tories enjoy a comfortable lead, with support from 61 per cent of decided voters, compared with 62 per cent who cast ballots for the party almost four years ago. (It was 57% in the poll last week!)

The Compas Research poll, which surveyed 500 Albertans last Wednesday and Thursday, indicates Liberal support stands at 19 per cent, down from 27 per cent in the last election.

Meanwhile, the NDP strength under Mason has gone up, with 16 per cent of respondents saying they'd chose the party, compared with eight per cent in 2001.

If the two opposition parties remain close, potential vote splitting between the Liberals and NDP could allow the Tories to win even more seats on Nov. 22, said pollster Tamara Gottlieb of Compas. The Conservatives captured 74 ridings in 2001.

"You could not rule out a Conservative sweep of the province," Gottlieb said.

The survey pegged the combined support of the Alberta Alliance, Green Party and Separation Party of Alberta at less than five per cent.


For the Americans listening in, Imagine an Electoral College in which Bush or Kerry won 100% of the electors!
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brewster
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Worth Repeating:
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
So that's what a riding is, a precint or district. Does each then provide one electoral college member?


From what I understand Ralph has been cautioned to keep cool in the debate. While party loyalty is strong, personal popularity has fallen especially this term. One in three voters is undecided.

Would be interesting to listen in.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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