The implosion of FordWatch

[sabotabby]

I'm not sure my humble FordWatch ticker can keep pace with the flurry of laughable bumblefuckitude committed by our Honourable Drunk-Driving, Wife-Beating, Bird-Flipping, Gay-Hating, Sexually-Assaulting Mayor lately. I may have to call it a day. I just can't keep up.

First, we have Ford weighing in with a characteristic amount of stupid on the Richard Kachkar murder trial. It's interesting that he rejects the idea that a person might have a mental illness that interferes with his ability to understand the consequences of his actions. I am not a psychiatrist—or even a juror, thank fuck—and don't know whether Kachkar is mentally incompetent, but I certainly believe there are people out there too mentally ill to be held criminally accountable for their actions. Probably more than are "let off" for that reason. The reason why it's interesting is that, as the next story inevitably unfolds, Ford's defenders will claim that the mental illness of addiction alleviates his personal responsibility.

Secondly, on Tuesday, the Star broke a story of the HWB being asked to leave a military ball because he was shitfaced drunk, and quoted sources within the mayor's inner circle that claim he has a drinking problem. Naturally, Ford went with his default reaction and denied everything. Details continue to emerge, but his pattern of behaviour does suggest either serious mental illness or substance abuse or both.

It's my prediction that he, or his brother, will have to eventually admit that this story is true, and that he'll make some show of suffering similar to his attempts to deal with his weight. And there will be a chorus of liberal sympathy, just like there was when he went on a diet, because after all, addiction is a mental health issue.

The thing is, as someone with mental health issues myself, albeit not addiction, personal responsibility is still a real thing. (Do I sound conservative? I'm a bit conservative in that respect.) I believe all drugs should be decriminalized and that addiction be treated as a medical, rather than criminal issue. I also believe that driving while intoxicated ought to be punished criminally with the same severity as if you'd shot a gun off in a crowded square and somehow had the good fortune to not hit anyone. Ford's issues, whatever they are, materially and tangibly affect people's lives. By removing this one drunkard from office, stat, think of how many other people—low-income, homeless, mentally ill, addicted—we would be helping. His addiction can't be blamed for his racism, his homophobia, his sexism, his vendetta against leftists and cyclists and pedestrians and anyone who isn't a rich sports-loving SUV-driving straight white man from Etobicoke. That's all on him. I hope that he, like other addicts, can get the help he needs (ironically, since he's all for cutting those sorts of "gravy" supports, or what's left of them), but it has to come after the dipshit's been removed from office.

Lastly, the school where he coaches football is also fed up with this bullshit, and who can blame them?

Comments

[ironed_orchid]

Didn't he get kicked out or deemed to be illegal or something? I hope I didn't dream that.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

He did but the decision was stayed and then reversed by the Superior Court on a technicality

[ironed_orchid]

Bugger.

[culpster.livejournal.com]

If you had waited an hour, you could have included the bit about his aide offering thousands of dollars to other schools on behalf of his football foundation, just like he swore he'd never do again. My head is spinning faster than his.

[cdaae.livejournal.com]

I find it bizarre that people think anyone is "let off" if they're found too mentally ill to understand the consequences of their actions anyway - generally they're locked up in high security psychiatric units. IDK about Canada, but here it's far harder to get let out of a high security psychiatric unit that it is to be released from prison, and you have less rights while you're in one that you'd have in prison, too.

Fucking politicians.

[lemur-catta.livejournal.com]

He has definitely reached a kind of stupidity supersaturation point. Just his insisting on remaining mayor is now so stupid ,that the ticker could never leave zero again. (except for the brief period where he has resigned but, is still technically mayor...and even in those last moments it's just a matter of time.)

[sabotabby]

I feel like he's making me stupider just by virtue of existing in the same city. It's a problem.

[smhwpf.livejournal.com]

He makes Boris look like the model of good sense, erudition and progressive politics. When do you get to vote him out again? Or does he have some sort of zombie clause that allows him to stay in office even when he loses an election?

[sabotabby]

I'm pretty sure we're stuck with him forever, since he can apparently break the law multiple times with impunity, get removed from office, and still stay in office.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

He's got a good chance of re-election. There's a solid 36% of the electorate who either don't believe or don't care about the drunkenness, violence, corruption etc. It helps that he has the backing of the city's main right wing tab and several talk radio stations but one has to say his handlers have done a masterly job of peddling the "elite left wing conspiracy" line.