Rural voters have more common sense than urban voters
bootlegga @ Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:25 am
Or so says a recently elected Wildrose MLA...
$1:
Just days after the election, a victorious southern Alberta Wildrose candidate is stirring up controversy by criticizing voters in the province's cities.
Gary Bickman says rural voters have more common sense.
"I think they possess more common sense, a least that's my experience. The people who make their living off the land really seem to understand the way nature really works," said Bickman.
He went on to say that city dwellers just don't understand the issues.
"I think that these social issues that came up during the last week and the PCs ability to exploit them, caused some concern in the voters within urban areas, at least, because they didn't really understand the issues, they didn't really understand that there was an aspect of free speech, " said the Cardston-Taber-Warner MLA-Elect.
Most of the support for the Tories came from the urban areas and they won 41 seats in Alberta cities.
The Wildrose only won three urban seats but they fared much better in the rural parts of the province where they won 14 seats compared to the PCs 20.
Political experts say Bickman's comments won't help the Wildrose in Alberta's urban centres.
"That's pitting one region off against another and that may be good local politics in Cardson-Taber. It is disastrous province-wide," said MRU Political Scientist, Duane Bratt.
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith was not willing to address the issue on Wednesday and said she could not comment on a question that was not sent to her before the interview.
"I think if you want me to comment on something, you have to share it before hand. I don't know the context of the statement so I'm going to have to look at the context of the statement," said Smith.
Bickman is very popular in his riding and won his seat by one of the largest margins in the province.
Gary Bickman says rural voters have more common sense.
"I think they possess more common sense, a least that's my experience. The people who make their living off the land really seem to understand the way nature really works," said Bickman.
He went on to say that city dwellers just don't understand the issues.
"I think that these social issues that came up during the last week and the PCs ability to exploit them, caused some concern in the voters within urban areas, at least, because they didn't really understand the issues, they didn't really understand that there was an aspect of free speech, " said the Cardston-Taber-Warner MLA-Elect.
Most of the support for the Tories came from the urban areas and they won 41 seats in Alberta cities.
The Wildrose only won three urban seats but they fared much better in the rural parts of the province where they won 14 seats compared to the PCs 20.
Political experts say Bickman's comments won't help the Wildrose in Alberta's urban centres.
"That's pitting one region off against another and that may be good local politics in Cardson-Taber. It is disastrous province-wide," said MRU Political Scientist, Duane Bratt.
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith was not willing to address the issue on Wednesday and said she could not comment on a question that was not sent to her before the interview.
"I think if you want me to comment on something, you have to share it before hand. I don't know the context of the statement so I'm going to have to look at the context of the statement," said Smith.
Bickman is very popular in his riding and won his seat by one of the largest margins in the province.
http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/ ... algaryHome
These bozos can't seem to understand why their party was rejected by so many voters - guess what pal - crap like this is why!
Freakinoldguy @ Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:36 am
Let me paraphrase Mr. Bickmans rant for him:
"Anyone who didn't vote for my party must be stupid and can't comprehend the impotent issues like us god fearin country folk, especially all them thar evil citified folk"
I guess nobody bothered to tell him that insulting a large majority of the voter base isn't the smartest political strategy around.
FieryVulpine @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:40 am
$1:
Gary Bickman says rural voters have more common sense.in the province.
Oh, I love the irony of that statement. If Bickman himself had any common sense, he would not said such a stupid thing.
PublicAnimalNo9 @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:50 am
Bickman has just joined the ranks of such illustrious "leaders" as Kim Campbell and Bob Rae. When your party get's trounced, blame the intelligence level of the voters.
martin14 @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 7:41 am
PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:
Bickman has just joined the ranks of such illustrious "leaders" as Kim Campbell and Bob Rae. When your party get's trounced, blame the intelligence level of the voters.
Sounds like Jacques Parizeau.........
ShepherdsDog @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 7:50 am
nope parizeau, typical of most seperats, blamed de etnicks.
fifeboy @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:25 am
Looking to a "Rural Separation " movement coming up! "Farmers have been humiliated !"
Thanos @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:15 pm
PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:
Bickman has just joined the ranks of such illustrious "leaders" as Kim Campbell and Bob Rae. When your party get's trounced, blame the intelligence level of the voters.
That's been the common theme among the reader comments at the SUN and the call-ins on the Rutherford talk show. If you didn't vote for the WRA you're stupid. Or corrupt. Or both. These people sure know how to make friends, don't they?
2Cdo @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:16 pm
Thanos Thanos:
PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:
Bickman has just joined the ranks of such illustrious "leaders" as Kim Campbell and Bob Rae. When your party get's trounced, blame the intelligence level of the voters.
That's been the common theme among the reader comments at the SUN and the call-ins on the Rutherford talk show. If you didn't vote for the WRA you're stupid. Or corrupt. Or both. These people sure know how to make friends, don't they?
Not really any different from other partisan supporters is it.
JaredMilne @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:21 pm
It's crap like this that got Craig Chandler kicked out of the Progressive Conservative party after Ed Stelmach refused to sign his nomination papers. He was the guy who said that Albertans vote conservative, and new arrivals to the province should "get with the program" or leave. Google "Craig Chandler do not destroy what we have created", and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Comments like Bickman's and Chandler's are pretty sad. They're also pretty ironic, considering all the grief that Westerners used to get for supporting the Reform-Alliance party. Many Reformers were accused of being bigots and hatemongers, and Liberal commentators frequently implied that Reform-Alliance's policy positions were somehow un-Canadian.
Those types of accusations pissed me off when the Liberals directed them at Reform-Alliance and by extension Western Canada, and it still pisses me off when Western conservatives do it. I thought that being Albertan was about speaking your mind freely and believing what you want regardless of whether the opinion was popular, not condemning anyone who dares to disagree with you.
BartSimpson @ Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:56 pm
To some extent, this fellows complaint is similar, in microcosm, to what many Canadians have to say when liberal Americans announce that polar bears and Canada geese should be protected by law from the threat of extinction.
Urban dwellers and rural folks have common sense and in about the same proportions, to my observation. It's just applied differently is all.
The rural guy knows not to drive a tractor into the swampy part of a field and the urban guy knows not to drive a BMW into the nasty part of the city. Either would be helpless in the other's environment.
Different perspectives is all. Neither should be a subject for mockery or scorn.
Zipperfish @ Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:42 am
Posted to your Wall: Pictures from Wildrose Party AGM
ShepherdsDog @ Sun Apr 29, 2012 2:04 am
The NDP isn't too happy witht the results either
oooops....wrong pic. This was from the federal party. 
Thanos @ Sun Apr 29, 2012 2:16 am
I think that's one of the ZOG aliens that DJakejackassedeedee saw flying one of the holographic JOO-airliners into the World Trade Centre.
ShepherdsDog @ Sun Apr 29, 2012 2:55 am
Thanos Thanos:
I think that's one of the ZOG aliens that DJakejackassedeedee saw flying one of the holographic JOO-airliners into the World Trade Centre.
well he obviously has Mossad written all over him