Goodbye Ralphy-boy!

What will I remember about Ralph Klein?

Folksy charm

• He's got an "aw shucks" about him and we forgave him and forgave him because of it.
• He would apologize for some of his acts and his outright honesty when he said his government didn't have a plan regarding the rapid economic growth and that the opposition was right, kind of silenced the opposition didn't it?
• A fat smoker and drinker
• He tried to sound smart, but couldn't pull it off. "Alluding to ... alluding to ... ". "What you have here...".

Indignancy

• Appeared aloof or drunk when giving a gift to former President George Bush Sr. at a $1000/plate dinner back in '95. "Mist...mister Pres ... President...."
• Drunk and out of his limo, he threw change at people at a homeless shelter
• Appeared to have thrown a book at a page during a legislative session
• A friend of mine who was bartending an event spoke with Ralph at the bar, where he was drinking non-alcoholic beer. My friend said he looked depressed.

Total lack of political loyalty

• Basically encouraged Stockwell Day to run federally, which was smart on Ralph's part
• Never outright supported the Canadian Alliance, whose supporters also voted for Ralph
• During the 2004 federal election campaign, spouted stuff about private health care, which gave fodder to the Liberals and likely cost the Conservatives some seats
• He used to be a Liberal.

Fiesty

• I think it was a monthly thing, but his continued "bash Ottawa" diatribes, including unfounded separation threats had many Albertans roar in agreement
• Continually called the NDP and some Liberals "socialists" and "left-wing nuts"
• Took his time stepping down

Accomplishments

• No deficit
• No debt -- although our current infrastructure is far behind the times
• Lowered personal and business tax cuts - flat tax
• Health care reforms
• Allowed Senate elections to take place

Non-Accomplishments

• Infrastructure debt
• Education cuts
• Tuition hikes
• Randsacking the Heritage Savings Trust Fund
• Lack of democracy - few sessions of the legislature
• Environmental record
• Health care premiums still around despite overflowing coffers
• No vision for growth

Summary

Some say a monkey could have done just as good of a job as Ralphy managing the province with the oil and gas revenues piling in. That might be true, but you wouldn't get that folksy indignancy would you?

However, I stopped supporting Ralph many years ago due to that indignancy. Although last election I was helping a friend with her PC campaign, after attending the kick-off rally and catching myself chant "Ralph! Ralph! Ralph!", after Ralph spoke, I realized that this guy has no idea what he's doing anymore and I didn't vote PC.

Ralph was one of those politicians that will be remembered for a long time. Like Trudeau, he was either hated or loved, ne'er both at the same time.

A legacy has ended. King Ralph has left the building.

Goodbye Ralph, and good luck.