At least Ted Cruz gets beyond the trivial concerns about character, policies and electability. He disqualifies anyone with New York "values." That presumably includes all of us New Yorkers, and both billionaire presidential aspirants, Mike Bloomberg and Donald Trump. But there are differences and similarities between the two men that are ripe for consideration.
It would seem hard to connect the Donald and Bloomie. I've interacted with both, and the differences are clear from the get-go.
Bloomberg is smart, controlled, decent in his human instincts, and generous in his fashion. He looks at you when talking, listens and responds. He's likable. And a mushy, middle-of-the-road social liberal/economic conservative.
Donald is, well, not so much. He is smart and impulsive. But the smackdown, in your face attacks on groups and individuals are really appalling. And when you talk with him he seems to be looking over your shoulder to see if there's anyone more important in the room. His current ideology is best described as Tea Party Mogulism.
Their contrasting styles and viewpoints have brought both political success, and failure. Until 2016 Trump was a perennial candidate putting himself forward and then withdrawing when no one paid attention. Bloomberg rented the Republican Party to start his career, and then purchased a third term which was a failure for himself and New York City. But both are emerging as serious players in 2016.
Their similarities are actually more important than their differences, at least insofar as the presidential race is concerned.
Having used their immense wealth to advance their political careers, both men are showing the limitations of immense wealth.
Both men have created lives which have reinforced their enormous and imperturbable confidence in their own correctness. They simply do not hear the word "No". People say it to them, but they don't hear it. Both have friends and staff who are smart and courageous enough to occasionally utter the word. But neither Bloomie or the Donald ever really absorb the notion that someone else knows better, that they should be guided by anothers wisdom. I believe that is a consequence of having billions of dollars, not just a personality trait.
It's easy to see it in Trump, even though he's been right more often than his advisers. He read the Republican electorate and attuned his campaign to the kind of anger and outspokenness that has him in first place.
It's harder to see in Bloomberg because he's much less bombastic. But time after time, he simply bulled ahead, insisted on his way, and failed. Be it congestion pricing, or the proposed stadium for the New York Jets, or attempts at school reform, or the third term shenanigans, my-way-or-the-highway got him nowhere.
These similarities are a serious problem for both parties.
Both men pose real dangers to a political system that is stressed and not performing. Compromise is out. Principled gridlock is in. Either New York billionaire will do little to return us to political functionality in a divided government. And both endanger the principles they espouse. Trump is the easiest candidate for a Democrat to beat. Bloomberg's third-party effort will assure a victory by a right-wing Republican.
It would be best for the country if someone would say "No" to both men. No such person exists, and neither man will pay much attention. It's every billionaire for himself.