Gothamist: The 0.04-0.05% Problem

s

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 08:47:52 -0500

Most big campaign donor make small, token donations to the opponents of the person they support. Helps them defray any criticism? "Oh yeah? I donated 7 million to Bush? Well, I donated $1000 to Kerry! So there!"

Bob Retard

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 06:12:42 -0500

Why is that Blike guy such a huge conservative right wing Republican?

Blike Troller

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 22:04:07 -0500

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg presented New York City's bid to DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe in a ceremony in the main lobby of Grand Central Station on the afternoon of April 11. The document weighed in at 69 pages and had six appendices totaling about a hundred additional pages. One of the appendices contained letters of support from New York City's business and cultural leaders, representing groups from A (the American Museum of Natural History) to Z (the Zagat Survey). For example, Tim Zagat, founder and publisher of the Zagat Survey, wrote, "I can assure you the restaurant community here will roll out the red (white and blue) carpet for your delegates and guests, giving them a memorable edible welcome. The bid document also included a CD-ROM with an upbeat 3 minute 42 second video pitch from Mayor Bloomberg. In the opening part of the video, Bloomberg, standing in Madison Square Garden, makes the case that "New York produces winners." The scoreboard behind him reads "Welcome Democrats" and the clock shows the time as 20:04. Bloomberg closes the video stating, "If you make it here, you'll make it everywhere."

Blike Troller

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 21:05:01 -0500

Here are some of his previous donations. 5/19/1997 $500 Democratic State Central Cmte of Md 3/10/1997 $1,000 Moynihan, Daniel Patrick 7/28/1997 $10,000 Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte 3/12/1999 $1,000 Gore, Al 12/15/1999 $1,000 Weiner, Anthony D

bob

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 20:50:07 -0500

If you run as a Republican and get into office as a Republican and donate millions of dollars to Republicans, you are a Republican.

Intelligent Person

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 20:25:56 -0500

Blike, you are a crazy nutjob far, far left winger, some would call you so far left as to be an Anarchist...or you're so far left that you've swung around to Libertarian, thus back into the right side. It's a big circle, with reps/dems meeting at the top, and anarchists/libertarians meeting at the bottom. You're at the bottom. Read Mike's autobiography, you're a republican Blike.

Intelligent Person

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 19:34:47 -0500

Mike Bloomberg is a life long Democrat. He got on the Republican ticket to get into office. Arguing that he's not what he says he is, is ridiculous, and let me prove it to you, I will now argue: Blike Moomberg - you are such a Republican. Argue, argue, argue with thinly veiled support, and you waste multiple posts debating who could guess who is posting what. BLIKE YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN!!! Now that that's done... Mike Bloomberg on the other hand, is a smart Democrat who has satisfied both parties, except the crazy nutjob far left and crazy nutjob far right. (Democrats who get that he's a democrat at heart appreciate this, and Republicans who are center-lined, like 90% of those in NYC, appreciate this). That's a pretty tall accomplishment.

g

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 17:41:47 -0500

bktom, i think bloomberg is a good manager using what he has to work with, but he could be out there demanding more from washington. the fact that he is a republican, and depends on the party machine for political support, means that he can't always - some might say ever - stand up to Bush and the party machine. Because he can't stand up to their agenda, NYC loses a lot of money. When federal programs are cut, NYC hurts the most. Some info: (It comes from the Democratic party, but the numbers are solid) - In five key programs -- Title 1, IDEA, Teacher Quality, Education Technology, and Innovation -- President Bush has shortchanged New York City by over $2.5 billion, including $221 million for Brooklyn, $153.6 million for the Bronx, $110 million for Queens, $78.9 million for Manhattan, and $9.6 million for Staten Island. - The President's proposed Fiscal Year 2005 budget cut federal Medicaid spending by $1.5 billion. As 13% of federal Medicaid money goes to New York, this $1.5 billion cut put New York at risk of losing $200 million in funding. All of this means a higher burden on New Yorkers. We send a lot of tax dollars to Washington, but places like Wyoming get more of our money per capita than we do. I wish Bloomberg could stand up to his fellow Republican and fight for New York. But he doesn't. I have no problem with his being a Republican, but I do have a problem with his inability to do what's right for New York first. Ferrer is about as charismatic as Bloomberg, which is to say not very much. But I have no doubt he'll have more power to stand up to Republican cronies who are pulling the president's puppet strings.

bktom

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 16:52:03 -0500

I'll be voting for Freddy Ferrer in the election, but just wondering: What does Bloomberg's donations to the RNC have to do with his abilities to run the city? I'm sure he will continue donating from his massive coffers whether re-elected or not.

hijiki

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 16:39:42 -0500

i was addressing YOU, blike. i was asking for YOU to elaborate. and you did. so i'm a republican now. that's classic. once again, i've never supported bloomberg. i've made plenty of anti-bloomberg comments and exactly zero in support of him. i just don't think polarizing party tools who spin stats are helping to further a progressive agenda and that you are placing ideology over the health of the city. but maybe you're right, i'm rotting the soul of this city and have no right to an opinion since i've only lived here about 10 years. i didn't realize true blue democrats could be so xenophobic. you and nola are identical in your closed-minded ideologies. you just can't stand diversity of opinion and you think anyone who has other values is worthless and ignorant.

BM = big mess

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 16:18:00 -0500

Hmm... let's see. Bloomberg gives $7 million to RNC. Convention rents out MSG (tax revenue), uses Geller & Co for accounting (tax revenue), uses NY construction workers, electrician, car services (jobs + tax revenue), delegates fly into NYC (airport tax), stays in hotels (hotel tax), eats NY food, buys NY souveniers. Economic windfall! Plus they arrested a bunch of protestors! What so bad about Bloomberg personally funding 10% of RNC???

hijiki

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 15:38:43 -0500

who did i call blike besides yourself. when did i 'rip' you for that mistake? i asked YOU a question here because i knew you'd be here and jump at the chance to answer. was i wrong? i use only a single name and you've used aliases. now back to your regularly scheduled propaganda...

party issues

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 14:43:49 -0500

I wonder what would happen in this City if we were to have another crisis like 9/11 with Bush President and a mayor that was a Democrat. Would we get as much support?

hijiki

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 14:32:04 -0500

uh... wrong about what? gloating about what? i asked a question.

BM = Bullshit Master

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 13:58:23 -0500

Please don't just quote part of a paragraph. Here's some more. "The mayor's largess increased in part because he wanted to bring on Geller & Co., the accounting firm he trusts to handle his personal taxes and campaign finances, to do the Host Committee's books, sources said. The Third Ave. firm does not come cheap, and Bloomberg's donation helped to defray the costs, sources said."

BM = blabber mouth

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 13:41:22 -0500

Blike likes to pull crap outta his ass

hijiki

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 12:31:40 -0500

what is your source... where can i find evidence?

g

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 12:12:38 -0500

He raised at least $7,000,000 for the 2004 campaign.

hijiki

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 12:06:56 -0500

just curious, how much has mike contributed to the RNC, blike?

tell

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 12:05:19 -0500

And given Republican Mike's on-again, off-again support for gay marriage, I fail to see how gay voters can really support the guy.

g

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 11:59:25 -0500

If you wouldn't vote for George Bush, why would you vote for Bloomberg? Bloomberg is one of the RNC's biggest contributors. Things might be okay in NYC these days, but he's one reason we're in the mess we're in nationally.

jt

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 11:47:54 -0500

I didn't vote in this primary and never vote in primaries at all. But I'll certainly be voting in the general election and probably voting democratic.

lp

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 09:33:29 -0500

Ferrer voters might actually trounce Bloomberg voters. Nearly every Bloomberg supporter I've met is very casual about politics, and most don't even know the names of the other candidates. These don't sound like people with the motivation to vote in an off-year election. But Ferrer and Weiner supporters seem to be a lot more passionate and knowledgable about their candidate, and it seems like they'll join forces. It'll likely be a question of "who wants it more." Just before the primary, a theoretical matchup between Ferrer and Bloomberg had Freddy with 38%, Mike with 50%. This not a huge margin considering the circumstances. Weiner's well-received withdrawal and a noticable effort to unify the party might close the gap. Also, there's still that debate. Ferrer is a much better and more charismatic public speaker than Bloomberg. He'll likely throw hard-to-dodge questions at the mayor. This will probably close the gap even further. Then consider that Ferrer's polls were about 7 points lower than the actual turnout. Finally add the factor of the politically indifferent Bloomberg supporters, and I think we've got a race that could probably go either way.

Dave

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 08:41:59 -0500

Bloomberg is going to trounce Ferrer.