[andyt]

CKASlacker wrote:

Heh - I was just in Colorado last week for some skiing, so I'll give you my impressions:

I was in Boulder, which I thought was ridiculously left-wing. Organic food stores everywhere, "god-forbid-you-don't-drink-fair-trade-coffee", white people into all sorts of outdoor activities, people bike everywhere and in all seasons (and accompanying bike racks at every public place). I even saw a guy barefoot (in January!) on a skateboard. Basically, it struck me as very hippy-friendly. The only exception was that it was really expensive real-estate wise, but that's more to do with the local Boulder green-friendly policies (and thereby artificially limiting supply). Sure, there was a gun store, but then people are more outdoorsy, and there would be a demand for hunting and such equipment.

Denver I thought was pretty cool too. A little more multicultural, but still really clean. I didn't see any gun-toting nitwits running around, nor bible-thumpers at street corners. Even saw some Buddhist influences. Denver has a Hare-Krishna center with a free meal once a month (which my grad student friend was eager to take advantage of).

Basically I saw CO as a more lefty BC. So sorry, I just didn't see any radical nutbar, tea-party types. Maybe they exist in other areas of CO -- but that's diversity. There are gun-toting, bible-types in Canada too (mostly called Albertans). [/quote]

How is what I underlined left wing? What's wrong with biking everywhere? And Boulder is one of the highest income cities in the US, because of all the PhD's working at various govt institutions. And not much for homeless people. The kids you call hippies are often driving a Range Rover, the proper term for them is "trustafarians" because they all have trust funds from daddy. They'll grow up to be good little Republicons.

In Denver they call Boulder "The people's republic of Boulder" because it's such an anomaly. You say Denver is more left than BC - you must be nuts. I've never seen a bumber sticker saying "this car insured by smith and wesson" as is so common in Denver. And as I say, we don't elect MLA's that think UN troops are massed across the border ready to invade. Or the chief of police calling bike riders granola heads - your uncle?

If you disparage bike riding and eating good food as hippy left wing, I guess many place seem left to you . But to say the CO is to the left of BC is nuts. Pay a visit to Colorado Springs and Focus on the Family if you want a real sense of what most of CO is all about.

[CKASlacker]

andyt wrote:

How is what I underlined left wing? What's wrong with biking everywhere?

Nothing - it's a healthy lifestyle choice that (where possible) is much better for congestion, pollution and health than personal, combustion engines. Still, I don't associate that "green-thinking" with dyed in the wool, right-wing Republicans.

andyt wrote:

left to you . But to say the CO is to the left of BC is nuts. Pay a visit to Colorado Springs and Focus on the Family if you want a real sense of what most of CO is all about.

Where I was seemed very left wing -- you spent more than one week there, so your opinion is likely more valid.

Still, I stand by my initial assertion -- sounds like CO is a red state. Try living in a blue one (NY or MA) -- the differences don't seem so huge.

[andyt]

Quote:

Colorado Republicans are on the offensive, hoping to take back a formerly red state that gradually turned solid blue in the past 10 years.

I was there more like 20 years ago, so looks like a lot has changed. Interesting. To me, coming from Vancouver, every where except Boulder seemed like redneckville. Boulder just seemed like Kitsilano. Nice, but not real.

[Lemmy]

CKASlacker wrote:

Still, I stand by my initial assertion -- sounds like CO is a red state. Try living in a blue one (NY or MA) -- the differences don't seem so huge.

I'm not conviced. I lived in MA and, compared to Ontario, it was like moving to Uranus. I would certainly describe the differences as "huge". I've also lived in Singapore and Massachusetts is as different from Ontario as Singapore is from either, IMO.

[Mowich]

I think the attack ads are simply pointless and a waste of money and I am a Conservative. We need a new PR department as this one sadly lacks in imagination.

I don't like Iggy but it has nothing to do with his time spent abroad in any country. I wonder just how many Canadians really do care - would not be surprised to hear that the numbers are very low - which would make these ads even more futile.

[EyeBrock]

Mowich wrote:

I think the attack ads are simply pointless and a waste of money and I am a Conservative. We need a new PR department as this one sadly lacks in imagination.

I don't like Iggy but it has nothing to do with his time spent abroad in any country. I wonder just how many Canadians really do care - would not be surprised to hear that the numbers are very low - which would make these ads even more futile.

Soldiers...with guns...in Canadian cities.....

Remember that? That ad (that never aired after failing the public opinion test) the good old Liberal days when the CF was a sinister and dark organisation to be feared by all pinko-bike-riders.

But the Libs and 'they will buy popcorn and beer with that $100' didn't see the change in the wind. The CF under Hillier did a remarkable job of showing the positive face of the CF. Once our first casualties from Afghanistan started coming back, the media's mantra of 'our boys in body bags' was replaced with the citizen initiated 'highway of heroes'.

Attack ads have a long history, but the less than relevant ones will define the actual moment of a political party's or candidates decline.

User beware.

[raydan]

Soldiers...with guns...in Canadian cities.....

I remember seeing that about 40 years ago.

[EyeBrock]

raydan wrote:

Soldiers...with guns...in Canadian cities.....

I remember seeing that about 40 years ago.

Well you buggers should have behaved!

[ShepherdsDog]

that's a lovely piece of advice coming from paddy

[CKASlacker]

Lemmy wrote:

CKASlacker wrote:

Still, I stand by my initial assertion -- sounds like CO is a red state. Try living in a blue one (NY or MA) -- the differences don't seem so huge.

I'm not conviced. I lived in MA and, compared to Ontario, it was like moving to Uranus. I would certainly describe the differences as "huge". I've also lived in Singapore and Massachusetts is as different from Ontario as Singapore is from either, IMO.

Hmm... I was in Boston in 2000, and it I thought it was pretty left-wing. There was a common, almost socialized car insurance (ie. it didn't matter which provider you had, you got the same rates based on your driving record), the state consumption tax wasn't that high (5% or so), but there was the rather awful yearly excise tax based on the value of your vehicle (people really didn't like it). I would consider places with higher taxes to be more left-wing than right-wing. I honestly found a lot in common with the GTA and Boston -- high cost of living, white collar jobs. Sure, there's the health insurance thing, but pretty much everyone with a white collar job has health insurance, so that didn't seem a big deal.

In NYS now I pay higher state income tax than I would on the same money in Ontario. That's probably balanced out by the 13% HST.

Culturally, both NY and MA have 4 seasons, actually have NHL hockey teams, etc. I guess if you look for differences you'll always find them. But they don't seem huge to me.

Now, New Hampshire is a different thing altogether -- but that always seemed more Libertarian than a true Republican state.

[EyeBrock]

Hey, we always took our invasions well. They never lasted. After 400 years the bloody English gave up. Ulster will be out populated by us soon enough. Really, the people who invaded Ireland should ask themselves; "Why?"

It never goes well and it's for little gain!

[ShepherdsDog]

well some of the Scots living in Ulster can claim right of return, Seeing as that's where their people originated.

[EyeBrock]

ShepherdsDog wrote:

well some of the Scots living in Ulster can claim right of return, Seeing as that's where their people originated.

Yep, 'divide and conquer' has been very successful for the English. Sending Jocks to fight Paddies saves Limeys getting their hands dirty mate.