Election debate?

[cowman]

Last night on the news the pundits were ranting how Kevin Taft won the debate with Brian Mason a close second! They all seemed to think Ralph took a licking!
Now I watched most of the debate(missed about 5 minutes at the start) and quite frankly I thought Ralph ate these guys for breakfast! Now maybe I'm slanted or something but when I hear any politician telling me how he's going to spend more of my money, I just start feeling uneasy!
When old Ralph said very clearly that both the Liberal and the NDP plans would put us into a deficit position...I think he hit a home run and won the game?
Now mind you Ralph isn't exactly the most thrifty lad on the block but at least he doesn't have plans to piss all our money away?

[cakadu]

I did not get to see the debate and have only heard feedback from those who did see it. Many have thought that the reason Klein did not "win" the debate was because he was not really in the debate i.e. didn't look like he wanted to be there, or felt it was already in the bag so why bother?

Personally, I wish we had more green party candidates running out in the rural areas instead of just in the more major centres. Might be really good to register a protest vote with them.

We have all paid fairly dearly for all of this fiscal restraint and paying off the debt. We are going to be paying for years for many of the things that were brought in i.e. energy deregulation, which tops the list of should not have done its.

[Horse]

Ralph may not piss our money away but what I saw it looked more like piss on you just who do you think you are to question ME.
He learned from Paul that you dont talk about your own platform you tell the oposition what thiers is and then discredit it . I sure hope he gets the same results that the liberals got, not much hope though albertians have to be the most mule headed buggers alive one would think thier memory is about as long as Homer Simpson.
True the other partys dont have chrismatic leaders but if you change gov you dont change the buricats and they run the departments with a little or a lot of interference from the elected members. Mabey ralph would be alright if the people would hold his feet to the fire instead of kissing his ass all the time.

[cowman]

Actually Ralph didn't have to trot out anything new because the other two have come out with such ridiculous spendthrift programs that they hung themselves! More money for education, more money for healthcare? Where does it end? We spend about 70% of the budget on those two items now. Would 80% of the budget work or 90%? ...I guess we really don't need any roads, bridges or airports!
I think it would have been a much better debate if Thorestein could have participated? At least we would have had an opportunity to see another side, instead of spend, spend, spend?

[cowman]

cowman I agree with you on this one. WE keep throwing money at education and health but it seems as though it isn't getting to the people who need it most. The Province continually injects money into health care but the Health Regions decide where the dollars go. In our area recently the Health Region decided to change the nice airy dining room in Long Term Care at our local health care centre, into three MORE new offices for administration, and put the dining room for the elderly residents back in a dingy corner of the facility !!! They have added offices in every available corner of the facility over the past few years but there are still not nearly enough long term care beds, so it really won't matter how many dollars the province inject into health care it doesn't seem as though it is getting to the front lines !!!
The Liberal and NDP platforms are scary to put it mildly. Ralph has bitten the bullet on more issues than one and made cuts that weren't popular but at least we will have money to continue to address areas that need funds as opposed to paying down debt.
On another note, whats the opinion of the agri-ville folks on who will succeed Ralph when he decides to retire ?

[cowman]

Emerald: Well I'm really hoping it's Ted Morton. Heard him speak once and met him personally(he was the boys Pol Sci prof at the U of C) and it seems to me he understands the Alberta situation pretty well. I think he will stand up for Alberta.

[Horse]

Didnt ralph say he would fund health care and ed. As for wasting the money through adm I believe you but who gave it to them and who has to power to see it is spent properly Just mabey these clowns that have had free rein for the past 30 odd yrs.
I dont believe you can blame the ND or Liberals for how the money gets spent.

[Horse]

Today Taft is advocating no premiums for health care. What a crock that is ! I think that those who are below the poverty line should not have to pay premiums, but to abolish them altogether is ridiculous. The money could be better used to add more beds or hire nurses or something that would enhance the health care system vs allowing everyone free access without having to pay a cent !!!
cowman, I have heard that Ted Morton is a real contender when the position of leader is open. Do you think he is too right wing and too much of a religious fanatic ????

[cowman]

Well Emerald I don't know about the right wing thing or overly religious. I believe he is fiscally conservative and socially conservative...whatever that means!
I guess what I like about Morton is his pro-Alberta stance? I think he has pretty well stood up and spoke his mind on that subject?
I also believe he stands for smaller government? For me that means less regulations, less beuracracy, less taxes. I hope he sees it that way? Ralph Klein started out good but he sure slipped back into a "liberal" attitude? Now it is all spend, spend, spend!
Is Morton a religious fanatic? Again I don't know. I do know that things like abortion, gay marriage etc. have not been handled properly...in my opinion! But then, we live in a democracy, right? So who am I to tell the majority what is right or wrong?
My own opinion on those two issues is the government should not be promoting them, but discouraging them? Again just my opinion(and yes I know Ralph has come out strongly against gay marriage).