TV Leaders' Debate

[Jonrox]

What really scares me is that Horgan thinks his plans are based on the last Liberal budget when it's blatantly obvious they aren't. The math is simple. His spending plan isn't possible without a huge amount of revenue coming from somewhere and he can't explain where it's coming from other than "we're basing our plan on the Liberal numbers". If he wins, he'll very quickly realize his promises can't be kept unless he increases taxes on all of us and will blame having to do so on the previous government.

So yeah, go on and vote NDP to spite Premier Clark, just don't be a whiny *bleep* when your taxes go up if they win. It's not the Liberals fault... it's yours for being so gullible.

[flamingfingers]

^^Horgan said that the NDP has different priorities in spending than the ChristyLiberals. YAY!!

[Urban Cowboy]

Of course they do, we know that very well. Horgan's spending priorities, if elected, will be directed toward appeasing the union brass that own him now.

Any of his promises that he can't afford, after paying his union debt, will be blamed on the Liberals. We know that play all too well also.

[flamingfingers]

^^^Prove what you 'think' is true...

[fluffy]

...I think Horgan has been pretty clear, some people might not agree with it or think it is too expensive but it's a platform just the same.
Can you expand your view on that FLUFFY...I am truly interested to hear your thoughts..

I find the NDP proposals weak and largely toothless, and the ones that do have some merit will be expensive.

It's also interesting that there is so much attention being paid to MSP premiums this time around. With the boomer economic shift already underway we are going to see medical costs soar in our province, a retirement destination for Canadians from all over the country. Doing away with MSP premiums and rolling the expense into income taxes won't do much more than mask the true expense from the taxpayers.

[mr.bandaid]

Only thing I gleaned from last nights debate is we're pooched (because I can't say the f word). Bunch of prepubescent dill holes one of which answered questions by saying "look a bird".
After watching the first half hour my thoughts of a minority government just seemed the only solution to rid BC politics of these three *bleep*.

[flamingfingers]

^^So in the realm of past premiers of BC (there were a lot of them) which premier did you feel was worthy?

[alfred2]

^^So in the realm of past premiers of BC (there were a lot of them) which premier did you feel was worthy?

none

[mr.bandaid]

^^So in the realm of past premiers of BC (there were a lot of them) which premier did you feel was worthy?

You know, that is a tough question. I will say that this current batch seem to attract the worst of politics. Some of the old guys would never survive in today's climate. I am not old enough to remember WAC and I don't remember much about Barrett. I can't even remember the last time we had a premier who didn't have a scandal associated to them. BC seems to be a cesspole of politicians. Who would you suggest and why?

[lasnomadas]

I was not impressed with any of them. Everyone knows how I feel about Christy Clark so I won't waste my breath(or should I say 'fingers') on her, but of the other two, I must say neither lived up to my expectations. Maybe Dave Barrett set the bar too high, but I haven't seen a Premier since who could hold a candle to him.

[flamingfingers]

Harcourt was well principled and took responsibility for an issue he was not even involved in. Quite middle of the road as was Carole James. The rabid left wingers have gone (Jenny Kwan et al) and Hogan was loyal to her. I see him as a Harcourt #2 who has Carole James as backup along with Eby, Michelle Mungall and Mike Farnworth...

[lasnomadas]

@Jx3:
Those old Socred voters that were around in the 1950s spawned children that were taught very well by their Socred parents. They now have grandchildren who are being taught Socred/BC Liberal 101 as well, but sooner or later, some of the 'flock' breaks away from the fold and instead of having a survey that reads, BC liberal 52%, everyone else 48%, it will be more like surveys in the rest of B.C.

[mr.bandaid]

Harcourt was well principled and took responsibility for an issue he was not even involved in. Quite middle of the road as was Carole James. The rabid left wingers have gone (Jenny Kwan et al) and Hogan was loyal to her. I see him as a Harcourt #2 who has Carole James as backup along with Eby, Michelle Mungall and Mike Farnworth...

Well done. I am not too humble to say you did better than I did. My background is that of a public employee as well as a public trustee. I have had to look at both sides and it would take a novel for me to explain my experiences.

[Urbane]

When all other realistic polls show Horgan leading

And yet the poll that you've been quoting said this:

When asked who they will vote for, results were tied for the Liberals and NDP (33 per cent), and were lower for the Greens (20 per cent).

Also, Horgan's favourability rating went down after the debate and Clark's went up. As well, more people in the poll (40%) thought that the Liberals would win the election compared to the NDP (35%). You may be right that the NDP will win the election but I don't think it's over quite yet.

[hobbyguy]

Horgan came across to me as an obnoxious 1970's labor negotiator. All he needed was a grey t-shirt, big red suspenders, red strap jeans. He was rude, refused to explain policies, and stuck to attack talking points that make absolutely no sense.

One example was housing affordability. His policies made no sense whatsoever. Yet he hammered away about about why the Liberals had let housing prices get away. What a pile of nonsense. If you follow what is happening in the world you will see many jurisdictions struggling with housing prices. Australia is a good example. They have tried numerous ways to try and put a lid on it, including making it illegal for foreign buyers to purchase existing housing stock, increasing supply... and guess what? To no avail. Housing prices in the major metropolitan areas has jumped. Look around the world. London, Amsterdam, Rome, Sydney, San Francisco and so on. The median house price in San Fransisco? $1,167,000 USD. What is driving that? Low interest rates and speculation. Last I heard provinces don't control interest rates. Last I heard no jurisdiction has been successful in keeping speculators out of the real estate markets.

Horgan and the NDP are clueless when it comes to rents and policy. He says here, $33/month - that'll solve it - lol. Then has policy that is going to "get tough" on those big bad landlords so tenants virtually own the place if you give them the key. Dear John, ever wondered why there is so little rental construction in BC? Ever wonder why some landlords resort to underhanded tactics? Because responsible business folks (the folks you want for landlords) won't touch rental construction with a ten foot pole. It was the NDP that started that, it is NDPer's (like byicycle Gregor) that continue it. Just build condos, sell 'em, and you are out of there with a clean profit. If you can't get rid of bad tenants, your investment goes down the drain, and you as the landlord get stuck with the repairs and other problems.

Mind you I suppose under the NDP and their poorly thought policies of grievance, housing prices would go down - they always do in a recession.

Weaver lost me when he waffled on site C. I like a lot of their policy platform, and their numbers add up. Would have liked to vote Green - but that one makes me wonder if Greens would not have a problem with a radical wing coming out of hiding after the election. (We always see that with the NDP, and always with baaaad results.) The Green platform takes a sensible view of site C, but Weaver waffling left me feeling that policy plank is very elastic.

Christy was Christy. Could be better, could be worse. But we know that the Liberals are competent at what they believe in, and it has worked, and will continue to work.