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Mayor Bloomberg continued to shock the political world by revealing he has spent about $65 million on his mayoral campaign so far—three times what his challenger, Democrat City Comptroller Bill Thompson has. Hey, if you're going to be the richest New Yorker—and 8th richest American—you've got to spend it somehow right?
The NY Times offers some context: "To market Bounty paper towels last year, Procter & Gamble spent about $63 million. To advertise Yoplait Light yogurt, General Mills spent about $62 million." NY1 points out that at this time during the 2005 campaign (against Fernando Ferrer), he "only" spent $47 million.
NYPIRG's Gene Russianoff lamented to the TImes, "It badly distorts the city’s democracy to have one candidate spend his own money like a drunken sailor — or more accurately, like a million drunken sailors," but Bloomberg 2009 campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said, "We’re confident that Mike Bloomberg’s record of progress on job creation, crime and education will prevail over Bill Thompson’s record of failure. But we’re not taking anything for granted."
Thompson's reaction? "The only word that can be used for the amount of money that's being spent is 'obscene.'"
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Unless there's a system of public financing and one for the running of elections where anyone can be a candidate, this is going to be the way things go. The fact is that the rich and the powers that be have no desire to change a system that stacks the deck in their favor.
Thompson could resonate a lot more with people despite having less money if he had some sort of message other than the same tired old democrat party platitudes and tax and spend philosophy.
I dislike Bloomberg's nanny state tendencies but at least he has been good fiscally and on crime. The rest is window dressing.
How much of that $$ went to Gothamist?
$64mil, mmmm? Triple it, and cut a check for $2400 to each of the 8 million NYC residents that you fucked over for the last 8 years, pack your bags and get the fuck out.
We already have a system of public financing in matching funds. You donate $4,800 to Thompson, the system gives him $42,000.
"Overall, Mr. Thompson, who has been the city’s comptroller since 2002, has raised $5.6 million, received almost $2.5 million in matching funds, and spent $3.8 million — equivalent, roughly, to Vermont’s annual advertising budget for tourism."
It's just that Bloomberg is spending far more than Thompson. Surely if his record was as good as it claims, he wouldn't need to be spending as much? Shouldn't his record speak for himself?
I also dislike the fact that Bloomberg has hired Jill Hazelbaker, who pops up often as a spokeswoman on high-profile Republican campaigns.
From Thompson's website:
"The NYC Campaign Finance Board will match all contributions (up to $175) from every NYC resident at a 8.57 to 1 ratio - so it will effectively make a $25 donation a $214.25 donation, a $50 donation a $428.50 donation and so on."
If you're interested in helping him out:
http://www.thompson2009.com/
How many distressed condo developers could that money have rescued? Bloomie must feel...conflicted.
Think of how many people that kind of $ could feed and house?
and don't forget to vote the incumbents out,
the one's who bloomberg got in their pocket.
all we need is a big turnout. ask everyone what has bloomberg done that you felt was an accomplishment personally? and, not from his ads of people over 65 talking about schools, people over 65 don't care about schools.
Monty Burns for Mayor!
Every other day I get this giant flyer in my mailbox and I think, "huh! who is this Bloomberg guy? i had no idea he even existed."
I would have voted for him if he'd said, "ok, I'm going to take this $64 million I would have normally spent on shitty literature and tv campaigns and pay for x-number of yearly physician checkups to New Yorkers without health insurance." Heating and food for the poor would be fine, too.