> I increasingly believe that hierarchical authority of the sort we have is inherently tyrannical
The issue of course isn't "hierarchy" or "authority" - you want your brain surgeon to be near the top of a meritocratic hierarchy, and you want your contracts to be authoritatively upheld - the issue is *consent* eg. "no means no / stop! / let me go!".
I like Michael Malice's take on voting - my freedom is not up for a vote. The system is indeed illegitimate. Although things are a bit more grey with city governance, but not really, especially knowing that we don't really have acceptable options to opt out (we are not "allowed" to simply form our own cities with our own rules, even though most of Canada is empty) - and "no" still means "no".
> Chloe Brown who is a good news story in both this election and the last since she was able to gather a lot of supporters just through her policy ideas.
What's good about her? I think she's just another statist, and sees everything as a nail for her statist hammer, basically identical to all the others, except more "self-made" .. but what she's made of herself is just a facsimile of them :p.
Thank you Lorraine Smith (https://blorrainesmith.substack.com/) for sending me the Meatballs clip, and reminding me of it many times! So important to bring laughter and a wider perspective into these discussions when I take my thoughts too seriously.
Thanks, Sarah, for your honest and engaging commentary during the campaign. I do believe that a ranked voting system is inherently fairer and have inquired about how to achieve that goal. Getting mixed messages on that as well, but will continue to engage.
It seems bizarre that a city with the fourth largest budget of any government in country should be so centralized and top down regarding decision making.
I appreciate your candour and terrific ideas. I do hope that connecting with City councillors and other levels of the infrastructure will help build your profile and encourage the city to implement them for the betterment of everyone.
For some reason your suggestions, ideas... your overall platform... resonated much more with me this time than in 2022.
Either you tweaked your platform, or I simply wasn't paying attention last fall.
You know being a serious contender to become mayor of North America's 4th most populous city requires money (donors), visibility (make friends with the media, have a communication manager with great social media skills) and a team helping you (No 1 person show ever became mayor of Toronto.).
I hope from now till 2026, which will fly by, you will spend your time laying the groundwork for the next Toronto election. I really believe you have some amazing ideas, which you articulate extremely well, that the people of Toronto need to hear... and once they do they will resonate with and gravitate towards.
If you want to be the 67th (Okay, maybe the 68th.) mayor of Toronto bad enough then you can be. It's just a matter of putting in the work, building a team around you and most important learning to play the game. Afterall if you don't win then you can't implement your ideas and hence nothing changes.
> I increasingly believe that hierarchical authority of the sort we have is inherently tyrannical
The issue of course isn't "hierarchy" or "authority" - you want your brain surgeon to be near the top of a meritocratic hierarchy, and you want your contracts to be authoritatively upheld - the issue is *consent* eg. "no means no / stop! / let me go!".
I like Michael Malice's take on voting - my freedom is not up for a vote. The system is indeed illegitimate. Although things are a bit more grey with city governance, but not really, especially knowing that we don't really have acceptable options to opt out (we are not "allowed" to simply form our own cities with our own rules, even though most of Canada is empty) - and "no" still means "no".
> Chloe Brown who is a good news story in both this election and the last since she was able to gather a lot of supporters just through her policy ideas.
What's good about her? I think she's just another statist, and sees everything as a nail for her statist hammer, basically identical to all the others, except more "self-made" .. but what she's made of herself is just a facsimile of them :p.
> and maybe even get back to work on my book now
Ooh. What about?
Thank you Lorraine Smith (https://blorrainesmith.substack.com/) for sending me the Meatballs clip, and reminding me of it many times! So important to bring laughter and a wider perspective into these discussions when I take my thoughts too seriously.
Thanks, Sarah, for your honest and engaging commentary during the campaign. I do believe that a ranked voting system is inherently fairer and have inquired about how to achieve that goal. Getting mixed messages on that as well, but will continue to engage.
It seems bizarre that a city with the fourth largest budget of any government in country should be so centralized and top down regarding decision making.
I appreciate your candour and terrific ideas. I do hope that connecting with City councillors and other levels of the infrastructure will help build your profile and encourage the city to implement them for the betterment of everyone.
For some reason your suggestions, ideas... your overall platform... resonated much more with me this time than in 2022.
Either you tweaked your platform, or I simply wasn't paying attention last fall.
You know being a serious contender to become mayor of North America's 4th most populous city requires money (donors), visibility (make friends with the media, have a communication manager with great social media skills) and a team helping you (No 1 person show ever became mayor of Toronto.).
I hope from now till 2026, which will fly by, you will spend your time laying the groundwork for the next Toronto election. I really believe you have some amazing ideas, which you articulate extremely well, that the people of Toronto need to hear... and once they do they will resonate with and gravitate towards.
If you want to be the 67th (Okay, maybe the 68th.) mayor of Toronto bad enough then you can be. It's just a matter of putting in the work, building a team around you and most important learning to play the game. Afterall if you don't win then you can't implement your ideas and hence nothing changes.
(Your 1st goal... get into office!)