Tea Party Candidate Wins Landslide...In Liberal Toronto

While Republicans are still struggling to accommodate the Tea Party, the conservative message is spreading like wildfire, even across international lines:

The story last night is so familiar to U.S. political reporters: the business community and other elites line up behind one candidate, but the opponent rallies the conservative base with talk of rolling back government spending and no more taxes. The press mocks the latter candidate for off-hand comments and what they consider simplistic rhetoric. But the political grass-roots is more emboldened than ever and people are fed up with and nervous about government in general and take a chance on the “risky” candidate.

It could have been Nevada, Alaska, or any of the states and races where the “tea party” movement emerged triumphant last year. But, instead it was Toronto, Canada, where voters last night resoundingly rejected the “establishment” choice for mayor and instead went with “outsider” candidate Rob Ford. With nearly half the eligible voters turning out, 41-year-old City Councilor Ford rolled up a landslide win over “establishment” favorite George Smittherman, who had the backing of the business community and organized labor.

In reporting the stunning win of the outspoken Ford, the Financial Times this morning likened the mayor-elect to a “tea party” candidate. Indeed, Ford campaigned on an agenda to cut city spending and roll back taxes, his cogent slogan being: “Stop the Gravy Train!”

Don't miss the rest of John Gizzi's article.

Reuters Canada reports:

Ford drew 47 percent of the vote, compared to Smitherman's 35 percent, with no other candidate getting more than 12 percent, according to official vote tallies...

Toronto, with a population of 2.6 million, is Canada's financial capital. In federal elections, the city tends to vote Liberal or for the left-leaning New Democrats, while many of its suburbs vote Conservative.

Ford capitalized on voter resentment over high taxes and an ugly municipal workers' strike, while generating support for his own penny-pinching and accessibility. He vowed to abolish Toronto's vehicle-registration tax and land-transfer tax.

If the fiscally conservative tea party message can win in a landslide in liberal Toronto, it win anywhere in the U.S.

Related: Israel's right wing starts its own Tea Party.

Cross-posted at Left Coast Rebel

The Solution to All of Our Problems

Our leftist friends have made a compelling case, and I am now convinced that laissez faire economics are the source of most of our financial problems.  So I have a brilliant idea. Since free-market capitalism has been unequivocally proven to be the source of our economic woes, let's introduce new government regulations. The more the merrier. And to introduce these regulations, let's not call in a bunch of economist.  Let's put a few hundred smooth-talking lawyers in charge. We will call these demagogues "congressmen" and "senators." 

We should choose individuals who inspire a great deal of confidence.  Given the importance of the American economy to everyone who lives on this planet, we will need to assemble the most ethical, competent, farsighted, smart and sensible group of people the world has ever seen.  If we are judicious, perhaps we can put together a group that will have a very high approval rating, perhaps around 9%.

These lawyers will draw from their vast business experience and will apply their profound wisdom to all of our perplexing challenges, and will give us the best economic system their legal minds can come up with.  In the process, they will concentrate power in Washington, cater to special interest groups, and pander to the lowest common denominator.  

Doesn't this sound like a recipe for success?  I knew you would agree.

More

• Honest man goes the extra mile.  Government fines man $650 for his honesty...and threatens him with criminal charges.  Let's put Government in charge of everything!

• The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of likely voters found that only nine percent (9%) give Congress good or excellent ratings.

• Chrysler wants to thank you for your involuntary contribution to the bailout.  Chrysler spent $100,000 on a full-page ad in USA Today to tell you how happy they are to have your money.  Tell them what you think on Chrysler's blog.  "Hey Chrysler:  You're not welcome!  Now is not the time for a 'thank you'.  Now is the time for a refund...and an apology."  My comment "has been saved and is pending moderation."  Think it will ever see the light of day?

• Barack Obama is considering abandoning laser-based airborne anti-missile defense.  Obama is an idiot. He is Soros' lapdog, and Soros longs for a weakened America. The 52% of voters who voted for Obama should be ashamed. I am incensed.

• Canada, are you crazy?  Canada offers $3.29 billion auto bailout.  Hey Canada, do you have anything left over to help us out with an anti-missile defense system?

Fascinating vintage cartoon...the secret of American prosperity.

Pay your income tax gladly and proudly!

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