Comments on Lorraine Sommerfeld - Blog: Why We Will Never Have Decent Leaders

I dunno...I don't think I would vote for any o...

2010-08-16T07:52:01.946-04:00

I dunno...I don't think I would vote for any of the current candidates for mayor of Toronto. Although not a Liberal I actually liked Smitherman as Minister of Health for awhile. But he trivialized the issue of inadequate care standards in nursing homes and started arguing about Attends (incontinent briefs) by saying he would wear Attends and see how it felt to go around urine soaked. I'm pretty sure he never did.

On the whole we get the elected representatives we deserve.

Really sorry that John Tory has decided not to run...

2010-08-16T07:40:30.308-04:00

Really sorry that John Tory has decided not to run, and agree with you on Rob Ford. When you look up "buffoon" in the dictionary . . .

I spent a lot (far too much) time consorting with ...

2010-08-14T10:46:55.625-04:00

I spent a lot (far too much) time consorting with pols of all stripes and at all three levels of government.

I came to believe that anyone (with a few exceptions) who wanted to run for elected office should be automatically disqualified.

See, I think you can safely park your assumptions ...

2010-08-13T20:32:03.259-04:00

See, I think you can safely park your assumptions about Mr. Ford based on his family business, frankly.

The best mayor for Toronto would have been John Tory. Mr. Tory and I have rarely seen eye to eye on several issues (I've called him out in my column before), HOWEVER, I absolutely believe he is intelligent, principled and has a vast amount of expertise in the business of running a city.

And to kind of prove my theory, he has (thus far) refused to join the circus.

You are picking the best of a bad lot.

And don't mistake me here. I would totally love for Ford to get elected. From a blogger/writer standpoint, there would be nothing better. But don't you be mistaken either. He is totally unfit for the job.

Politics is the only field I know where a candidat...

2010-08-13T13:25:08.718-04:00

Politics is the only field I know where a candidate has to fulfill every one else's Maslow's Needs on the speculation that they will vote for him or her! Maslow's Needs is a Pysch term describing the basic demands required for proper human development. They are categorized as physiological, safety,love-and sense of belonging,self esteem and self actualization. This puts a huge toll on anyone involved in such a ludicrous enterprise. This vampiric activity of the candidate by the voters can only mean equally savage retaliation to replenish the candidate's official's own physical, emotional, safety and self actualization needs. (I'll make sure your slush fund is topped up if you convince your union employees to swing the vote) At some point during the process, the symbiotic relationship goes feral with the candidate going corrupt whether elected or not. It can benign, like the famous "John Turner Shield" to malignant like Brian Mulroney. Put it this way, would you volunteer to infect your body and soul for the betterment of others?

I must admit that over the years I have bought a g...

2010-08-12T23:00:42.110-04:00

I must admit that over the years I have bought a great deal of product from the Ford family business. Doesn't make me a bad person...

The customers of Mr. Ford's business, Deco Lab...

2010-08-12T22:04:20.378-04:00

The customers of Mr. Ford's business, Deco Labels, are satisfied. I have been told that it is a profitable enterprise. It would be a nice change for Toronto taxpayers to be treated well by their Mayor. At this stage, in Toronto, if all anyone in office did was not waste money that would be a success!

My father in law was elected the MP for Oakville i...

2010-08-12T11:57:40.540-04:00

My father in law was elected the MP for Oakville in 1974. He ran because he truly thought he could make a difference. If nothing else he is a man of principle (although he did burn his wife's car to the ground by attempting to charge his electric toothbrush in her car using his camcorder charger. While camping. Ethical but lacking in a certain... shall we say... um... street smarts.) He quickly found that there is no room for ethics in politics. He was ushered into Pierre Trudeau's back benches for daring to say "I think there might be a better way of doing this."

But he still gets a Christmas card from the PM (when he's a Liberal) and we get to eat in the Parliamentary cafeteria. There's plenty of room at the trough.

And to put the rancid icing on the cupcake, Levi J...

2010-08-12T11:02:59.854-04:00

And to put the rancid icing on the cupcake, Levi Johnston is running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and will probably win.

Abandon hope.