I was at a dinner party last night, and the question of Michael Bloomberg’s tenure as mayor came up, as well as his plan to run for a 3rd term. Personally, I think that Bloomberg has set in motion policies that have degraded the quality of life in this city. His obsession with mayoral control of the school system has completely shut out parental involvement, and attempted to re-make the public school system using a corporate model as a template. His approach to development has given unchecked license to developers, who ravage neighborhoods and build without any consideration of infrastructure or residential displacement. And his focus on Manhattan has enraged and alienated many residents of the other 4 boroughs. And apparently, he’s increasingly testy about being questioned as to whether he deserves a third term, even to the point of telling the reporter who asked the question that he was “a disgrace”.
I only hope that the members of the local media here keep asking him that question, because not only would I like to know his true motivation for seeking a third term, but the emergence of his inner Giuliani might give William Thompson a fighting chance to unseat this asshat.
Update: Pissed in NYC reminds me of the trampling of civil rights perpetuated by Bloomberg during the Republican National Convention in 2004. Yeah, with Mayor Mike, it’s all about the fucking money.
May 28, 2009 at 9:30 pm |
It feels like a fait accompli, no, Morse? My biggest complaint against Bloomberg is the disgraceful display by the police during the RNC in 2004. A fucking outrage that hundreds of innocent people–some who were peacefully protesting, some who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time–were arrested and thrown into gitmo by the Hudson. Filthy. A city, a state, a nation is not a fucking corporation. It’s not about how many $1 million one bedroom apartments are built, it’s about quality of life for all citizens. And maybe it’s me, but the city just seems kinda boring now. Not all the time, not every part, but something seems missing.
May 29, 2009 at 4:12 am |
we could do worse than bloomberg but we can do a whole lot better – i dont know much about the school situation (morse you would know that better) – but the RNC problem is pretty bad = and what is with changing the rules in the middle of the game. to eliminate the terms limits in the middle because you feel you hare the only one that can fix the city during this economic mess – what a fucking ego.
i am afraid it is a fait accompli – most of NY will just automatically vote for him – and that is too bad.
May 29, 2009 at 8:16 am |
Morse… From a school’s standpoint, I agree with you on Bloomberg. It appears that with the Board of Education (and with the NYPD, FDNY and other city agencies), he is attempting to keep government costs artifically low rather than making those people who overtax city services (like developers) pay fair market value for them. But Bloomberg, too, is the polar opposite of what was in place in the late 70s and early 80s when we actually had school districts in the City of New York — the former District 24 in Queens is one — that banned certain classics (e.g., Huckleberry Finn) as subversive.
But to your broader point, NYC is over 300 years old, and has gone through some many permutations and reinventions, quite a bit of which ran afoul of public opinion.
You may not recall this, but there was a huge outcry in the 40s, 50s & 60s when the housing projects along the East River were built. They were called functional abominations by those who saw art in run down tenements or does on 1st Avenue who didn’t want to lose their river-front views. Although they were started by LaGuardia (three-term mayor)they were continued by Impelliteri (one term) and Wagner (3 terms). Their development went largely unchecked because the man behind this massive building was Robert Moses, who purposely built low bridges along the LI Parkways to keep certain undesirables off Long Island beaches and parks. But from my point of view… those projects were home.
May 29, 2009 at 1:55 pm |
Mayor Mike is a gigantic asshole. Term limits are a good idea in my world..which is why Ahnold can’t run again..thank Gawd for that!
Bloomie is a turd and I feel bad for all of you that live under his rule.
May 29, 2009 at 9:43 pm |
dusty: We had term limits, but Mayor Mike killed that with the help of Christine “I’m going to be the first lesbian mayor ever if I just suck Bloomie’s dick long enough” Quinn. It’s still being challenged, I believe, but Mayor Mike has enough money to stop that.
August 31, 2009 at 10:30 pm |
What’s so funny about the whole Bloomberg thing is the fact that he is letting rich criminals milk the cow to the point that now they have started to eat the ass of the poor cow (City) and yet not too many concerned citizens are around to stop these crimes. In short, a large scale organized crime by the Bloomberg administration includes using the DOT and some cunt Jannet Sadik Khan (brought from Europe) to close down up to two lanes for traffic creating artificial jam jam jam in the city. Now in emergency ven the fire trucks or enyone can go around these traffic situations. The point that I am trying to explain is ” In the name of saving the environment” he is using the DOT to close up lane unnecessarily and therefore he will be able to start the congestion tax for anyone who enters the city during day time. In the mean time you have the DOT contractors making millions in the process of fucking up the city so bad.
Secondly, When he tried to force expensive lousy unreliable hybrids on to the Taxi and Limousine drivers the federal court denied his approach then he went so mad and used the backdoor policy working with the rich Taxi Medallion Garages to charge drivers more than 200 for leasing a car as to create an incentive for the riches. Now not only drivers are suffering from having to drive toy ass small cars, but also it is costing them thousands in extra in maintenance and loss of revenue.
It is sad the way this asshole is running the city. Just like a money hungry dog with no touch of reality. He does not realize that this city is not made by riches alone. It’s the middle class taht keeps the city so much fun and going.
Perhaps, the truth is the Mayor himself is not doing these to make money for himself.. but the assholes around him are using him to fuck this city for their own personal gains. This is heart sickenning and raises questioning on his honesty.
I’d take a chance with anyone but not with Bloomie again (3rd term). I believe he bought his 3rd term already so good for him. I bet we have to get ready for a lot of surprise greedy maneuvers by the mayors office soon.