The Payer Mayor: Has Mike Bloomberg Bought Himself Another Term?

I don't get it. Every day I hear complaints that Bloomberg is stealing the election with his money. "His millions give him an unfair advantage!" "He's broken the law with term limits!" "He's buying votes!"

Is he, really?

I think this attitude is more an emotional reaction than an accurate assessment. It comes from an inherent distrust of the rich. We've seen all too often how money corrupts. Greed destroys. Favoritism of big businesses crushes the middle class. It seems the person with the most money is sure to win because he or she will get the most exposure, the most publicity and the most popularity. And in today's fast paced, instant access, short term memory environment, that's what people will remember most and nobody votes for a less memorable candidate. Sounds logical. But it's an insult to the mindset of the progressive liberal.

One of the ways the left has gone askew is that they have a habit of getting stuck in "complaint mode." They've been the champions of the noble (and losing) cause for so long and they've honed their skills at exposing corruption and wrong doing so well that when there is none, they'll find some. As a prime example we need to look no further than our current Congress. Even though they have a majority all they can do is wallow and whine. Oh, they're really good at instructing how the ball should be handled but when they're given it, they drop it -- or more accurately, they throw it away. Then they return to indignant complaining - just 'cause they're so good at it.

It's a similar situation with Mike Bloomberg. Now, I don't want this to sound like this is an endorsement. There's a big risk in over-praising anyone who is still living. At some point they can do something really disappointing -- like neglecting to see major corruption or hiring a staff member who was once a crack dealer or finding out they've been carrying on an affair with several farm animals for the last three years. Then I can expect to hear: Hey Montana! Good call with that A-hole you liked so much!"

But I will go out on a limb with this one.

Mike Bloomberg is exactly what left wing New Yorkers have been asking for. He's liberal in most every way. He crosses party lines and isn't beholden to anyone. He has mostly a Democrat staff. He's pro-education. He supports the arts. He's kept Central Park a virtual paradise. He has a good relationship with the black and Latino communities. He's supported public housing and worked to make it better. He's done more than almost any other politician to create a greener living atmosphere by creating bike lanes and attempting to limit traffic into the city.

He works for free.

He can't be bought.

So what's the problem? Is it the fact that he's pro-big business at a time when New York was teetering on financial collapse after 9/11 and he brought it back? Is it the fact that turned around term limits ? Why? If someone is doing a good job they can stay there for the rest of their life as far as I'm concerned. Why replace them with someone less competent? If they fail to perform there's a little procedure called voting that can change the circumstances.

Is it because he spends so much money on his campaign? Hey, it isn't your money! That's more than I can say for 99% of the rest of the buffoons running this country.

And what of Bill Thompson? Is he getting a raw deal because he can't compete with Mike's money? This is another area with the left fails to see the forest through the trees. Just because he's the underdog, and just because he's the Democratic candidate, doesn't mean he's preferable. I've examined his record and it's less than sterling. If there wasn't one thin dime spent in advertising, in a straight up comparison, Bloomberg is clearly the better man.

Mike Bloomberg isn't perfect and there are a few issues where I disagree with him, but I have to ask: when will New York Democrats be happy? When we get another Mayor like Dinkins in? What does it take to be satisfied?

It's time for liberals to get out of the loser mindset and start taking charge. We need to stop shouting from the sidelines and get in the game. Great things can be accomplished, but it requires action. And I don't mean gestures like feel good bills that do nothing, or appeasing special interests or placating the public with promises. I'm talking about actually getting things accomplished! Mike Bloomberg has done just that. And I urge all New Yorkers who care about this great town to get out and vote on Nov. 3.

Now don't disappoint me Mike. I'll be watching.

Comments

[kamandi]

"Green Mayor" Bloomberg cut the budget for recycling and you claim that it was fraught with waste but what about the $700 million being wasted on his mismanaged 911 system overhaul?

Contributions are tax deductable, its been well documented that some of his have come with strings attached, $26k to Cory Booker and $1 million to the Harlem Abyssinian Baptist Church Dev. Corp., both of whom endorsed Bloomberg shortly thereafter.

His personal profits show where his priorities are. I'd prefer a NY'er who is more focused on the middle class than a Billionaire Boston transplant who is a friend to millionaires at the expense of us working class people.

I remember Central Park in the 80's and just as you pointed out that Bloomberg has nothing to do with Ground Zero, you did not mention that he had nothing to do with Central Park.

Here's his education record which should be brought up, curriculums have been changed so now kids are been taught just for the tests and not much else. Here's an interesting article from today's Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2009/10/30/2009-10-30_charters_making_less_progress_on_tests__ed.html

I'm not being short sighted or naive, I'm a working class NY'er who was born and raised in this city and I hope that I will be able to afford to continue living here.

[Nelson Montana - Huffpost Blogger]

Yeah, he's so anti environment that Al Gore endorsed him. Maybe you know more about the environment than he.

[Finn Liu]

The latest Quinnipiac poll showed Bloomberg leading by 18 percentage points. He's leading in all five boroughs, he's leading among both men and women -- he's even leading among Democratic voters for the first time. Also, 63 percent of those that were polled said they have a favorable opinion of Bloomberg. He's up against an underfunded, ill-fated opponent. He has the most technologi­cally-adva­nced GOTV campaign this city has ever seen that will get all his supporters out on election day. You're just beating a dead horse here. As if all those endorsements, mailings, and TV/Radio spots aren't enough.

[kamandi]

By outspending his opponent, I believe it was 16 to 1, he is basically buying the election. Its naive to think otherwise. He is oversaturating the market on a level that no one can compete against.

Your "green mayor" has sent out mailers to my house and the homes of everyone I know EVERY SINGLE day, he has cut the DSNY's funding for the recycling program in half. He also has nothing to do with the upkeep of Central Park. It is maintained by the Central Park Conservancy a not for profit. 85% of their operating budget is from donations.

Your claim that he helped NY economy is ridiculous. If you look at studies, the city has been hit by the recession just as badly as everyone else, curiously enough, Bloomberg's company tripled its profits during that same period. Also what about his 911 overhaul project that has missed its deadline and is $700 million overbudget?

He also has not helped improve the schools, he and his cronies have basically thrown out curriculums and instead of having kids learn the "three R's" they are being taught for the tests.

Bloomberg is about ego and his outlandish spending has fooled a lot of people into thinking that his illegal, (closed door deal with Quinn) overturning of term limits is in our best interest. Hopefully come November 3rd, enough of us who know that the emperor has no clothes will make the right choice and vote Thompson.

[Nelson Montana - Huffpost Blogger]

Try and get past your own short sightedness and naivete' for a moment. Because you're wrong on most every count

The recycling program was frought with waste. Just because the intention of a program is good doesn't mean it deserves to be written a blank check.

What does Bloomberg's personal profits have to do with running the city? He's also contributed more money to charities than you me and half of the city could ever hope to give.

Do you remember Central Park in the 80's? It was a disgrace.

Ground Zero is owned by the Port Authority and not under the Mayors jurisdiction, though I do believe he should speak out against it.

Sure, he has ego. I'll take that over someone indecisive and ineffectual any day.

Instead of spewing prejudice, inform us of what evidence you have that suggests Thompson will be so much better. I'd really like to know. Do you?

[Raul Barcelona]

To pretend that Bloomberg's personal profits in a time of crisis have little to do with a running a city is beyond naive. Tell that to the thousand city workers he laid off.

The unchecked greed of banks and financial firms is what got us into this mess. No man embodies Wall Street's greed and power than Michael Bloomberg. A man not satisfied with two terms who decided to pay off a change in the law so he could stay in power.

Did you happen upon the recent article in the Wall Street Journal about New Yorkers fleeing the city? Or does that also have nothing to do with Bloomberg or running a city?

You mention Bloomberg's philanthropy. The end result of his gift-giving is an elected official who's bought the favor of everyone in this town. Those donations do not come without strings attached. The institutions he gives money to become dependent on his donations to stay afloat, especially at a time of crisis--do you think they’re ever gonna say anything bad about him?

The change of the term limits law is scandalous in a country that professes to be a "democracy." It is a coup-d'etat. A peaceful coup-d'etat with no bloodsher, I'll give you that. But a coup-d'etat nonetheless, brilliantly executed, no doubt about it.

Yet, everyone in this town is all hush-hush about it. Voices of dissent have been silenced. (continued below)

[Raul Barcelona]

It’s incredibly naive to think everyone approves of this law change—voters voted twice on it, polls say at least 80% of them do no approve of term limits extension. Why don't you hear people standing up to Bloomberg, voicing their disapproval of his third term push? Speak up and lose your charity money, lose your bonus, your favors, etc etc.

You vastly underestimate the power of money to change people's minds, to buy people's silence, to persuade people to turn their heads the other way the way the city council members did last Fall.

What you say about Central Park could be said of Giuliani—“Remember Times Square before Giuliani?” Yet he was denied a third term, even in light of the catastrophe that was 9/11. Unfortunately for him he didn't have Bloomberg’s billions...

Bloomberg has done some good things and should be thanked. But when an elected leader becomes unresponsive to the will of the people, as the Bill of Rights suggests, he should be removed from office.

This is clearly not a government of the people, by the people, for the people. This is a government of the media moguls, by the billionaires, for Wall Street and the banks.

A vote for Bloomberg is a vote for the greed and power hunger that got us into this crisis. A vote for Thompson is a vote for the hard-working people who have been left out to dry by Bloomberg and his ilk.