Hr can run for mayor of Ramallah.

Because if that mosque gets built with his endorsement NEW YORK WILL BE BECOME DETROITISTAN.

The comments re: Bloomberg and BS like 'he is a good mayor' really has dashed my hopes that there are any brains left in the American people.

I sincerely hope that when historians of the future teach the rise and fall of the American empire that they are as kind to us as they were to the Roman and Greek empires before us.

+1

You are absolutely correct.

That's funny because I'd say the exact opposite:

People who don't think that Bloomberg is a good mayor make me fear for the future of this country.

What specifically is your problem with Bloomberg? I hate his smoking policies because I love cigarettes but I'm willing to deal with his occasional meddling in my personal business since as a whole he's whipped this city into shape and made it more prosperous than it's ever been.

I have to give it to Bloomberg, he's good businessman he "bought" New York for $109.2 Million. He has to be the greatest deal this city has seen since Peter Minuit bought Manhattan for $24 in trinkets and beads. For a mere $109 Million he bought off politicians and the media but the hearts and soul of the people that was free. They just mindlessly followed, like sheep in a herd.

Bloomberg is the emperor of NYC, he conquered this city when he, against the will of the people, bought off everyone in town and got himself another term. The worst part is that he can do no wrong because he has the media in his pocket. No one dares to go against Bloomberg's Billions. Of course he has high approval ratings because he's the media's darling after all he's a media mogul himself, he knows exactly how to play the game. So he spends on obscene amount of money on the reelection and all of NY's media outlets profit from it and now he can do whatever he pleases and no one questions it. He pushes the agenda of his rich real estate developer friends, hooks up their kids with ridiculous salaries straight out of college, etc and no one dares question him. If any other politician had off shore accounts they'd be hell to pay but Bloomberg simply says "mind your business" and they do as he says. If another politician has caught working four days and spending the next three on an island somewhere (17 weekends from December to April) the media would jump on it but again he says "its none of your business" and everyone shoos away. Imagine another politician was discovered to have set up fictious companies for the purpose of "laundering" campaign money? That would pose a real problem, unless your name is Michael Bloomberg, then it's ok. The NYPD is fudging the numbers, crime is going up and no one dares question the mayor or his commissioner. The mayor walks around with his head in the clouds thinking of new pet projects, new pedestrian walkways, while threatening to lower the number of cops, teachers, close down senior citizen centers, get rid of firehouses, closing of hospitals and the media says nothing. Traditionally the media has been the gatekeepers they make and break politicians by questioning and doing investigative work but they continually give Bloomberg and his administration a free pass so he does whatever he pleases. This city is his playground, a billionaire's version of an ant farm. The joke is what does a billionaire who has it all, buy himself as a gift? The greatest city in world, of course.

I see all these stupid impact studies about how much revenue a new stadium might bring the city or if Lebron James came to the Knicks how much the city would gain but what I would like is an impact study of how much Bloomberg's illegal third term cost this city. How much of OUR taxes went to giving everyone who could've opposed him raises and perks so they would just look the other way as he trampled the democratic process in New York City. How much did he have to give the City Council in raises and perks so they would be quiet and go with his plan? How much did he promise DC37 and the Teacher's Union, in raises and perks, and everyone else to "buy" his third term? As we see even working out a deal where he won't ask for any concessions on pensions costs the city millions, if not billions, for years, until all those employees die. How much of our taxes went to "corporate welfare" in the form of subsidies and tax breaks during his years in office? How much all his pet projects such as pedestrian walkways, bike lanes, Hudson Yards, Willets points, Coney Island, Atlantic Yards, Yankee Stadium, etc, etc., etc, have cost this city and who actually benefitted from them? Then I'd like to see how many native New Yorkers have had to leave their hometown because they can no longer afford to live here, but we continue to subsidize new apartment buildings that only the richest NYers can afford. How many mom-and-pop stores have had to shutdown while he gives tax breaks and incentives to big name retailers and franchises? Ultimately I'd like this study to explore who benefitted from Bloomberg's time in office? When comparing the wealthiest and poorest of New Yorkers, who fared better during his reign? I know the answers, but I'd love to see the actual numbers.

The media was paid off by HIS money. Let's be realistic how can a paper, or any media outlet, go against the man who's about to spend millions upon millions in ad campaigns? And they're still in his pocket. Bloomberg has such high approval ratings because no one opposes him, plain and simple. His legacy is secured, he will go down as one of our greatest mayors, but due to what? What are his accomplishments? I don't necessarily think he's bad mayor but he's mediocre at best and that depends how you look at it.

If I were a real estate developer I'd think he was greatest thing since sliced bread and would be raising funds for his 4th term right this minute. If I were rich I'd probably be singing his praises because he certainly looked out for them. But since I'm neither, I see him from the middle class (if that even exists in this city), the working poor and the poor's point of view and I can't see what he's done for these groups. These groups just happen to be the majority of New Yorkers and their concerns, in my opinion, have been overlooked. A major concern of ours is crime in our communities but as crime numbers go up no one seems to be addressing it. The mayor only talks about it when it reaches into Manhattan, as in the "wilding" incident in Times Square on Easter. The NYPD is a mess, scandal after scandal, abuses of power, fudging of crime stat numbers, rogue cops, etc and no one is saying anything about the state of the department, or its leadership. Another huge concern is education in our public schools but he seems to think it's a good idea to lay off 6,000 teachers, but it doesn't cross his mind to stop the outrageous no-bid contracts and stop paying obscene amounts of money to consultants. The cost of living in NYC is driving many life long residents out, but he keeps raising regressive taxes and continues to protect his millionaire friends from taxes and gives every corporation with its hand out millions in tax breaks, while small businesses get nothing but grief from the city. These are just a few examples of why I think Mayor Bloomberg is mediocre, at best. But, unfortunately since he paid everyone off, we'll never hear objective analysis or reporting about him or his administration. So not only did he buy the election he also bought his legacy too.

I wonder why Bloomberg feels extended sidewalks, pedestrian walkways and bike lanes are more important than our children, this city's future? Why does his budget cuts so disproportionately affect the city's weakest, poorest and helpless citizens, the old and the young? I wonder how he can justify hurting the city's kids by cutting the few after school programs left while spending millions on his pet projects? I wonder if he can imagine being a senior citizen in this city without a private jet ready to go to Bermuda every weekend and how that senior's little trip to that run down senior center he's closing, is keeping them going and he so callously closes it without a second thought.

I also wonder how the 16th Richest Man in the World can fight against a $2 wage increase for New Yorkers and on development projects subsidized by NY taxpayers. How he can justify taking the side of his rich developer buddies and going against the poorest NYers. How he can do it and fancy himself a philanthropist. How it bothers him when money is going to the poorest NYers but when he's paying his "connected" buddies millions in consulting fees then it's ok.

Blomberg is a despicable man. He's this city's worst mayor ever, unless of course if you're a multimillionaire.

This has to be one of the most long winded and worst pieces of drivel I have ever read.

First let me make it clear that I didn't support Bloomberg's third term. Not because I thought he was a bad candidate, but because a potentially bad and corrupt mayor can now be elected a third term...

So onto your masterpiece analysis.

No one dare question him? Are his secret police out shutting down any critics? Don't be stupid.

Many politicians have offshore accounts. Its not like its really that difficult or illegal to set one up.

Subsidies to corporations? Why is that a particularly bad thing? Not saying every single one was right, but these companies provide jobs you dimwit. The last thing we need is more companies leaving NYC so our unemployment rate goes up.

Awwww so sad that he's pushing people out of the city who pay far below market prices on their rent. Thanks to their rent controlled apartments, the rest of us pay more.

Did you ever think those 6000 teachers might actually not be adding any real significant value? That their salaries could be better spent elsewhere to improve education?

It seems you have knee jerk reaction to Bloomberg. All I can see is that you are recycling what his critics are saying. You also aren't shy to blame things on the mayor that are outside of his control. It also seems that you assume all the corruption that has existed in NY politics for years can just evaporate in a short period. Why not look at it this way. Bloomberg made his money. The man has very little incentive to be corrupt as far as adding extra money into his bank account that the long line of other mayoral candidates are anxiously awaiting for.

BB is far from perfect, but no other candidate really holds any water against him.

"he's whipped this city into shape and made it more prosperous than it's ever been"

Whipped what into shape?

Prosperous? For whom? You must be a developer because last I checked everyone else is crying broke.

He's too short, and he's not married. He can really only fix one of those two things

My problem with Bloomberg is his odd populism. He seems like the kind of guy who should be live-and-let-live and yet he has all these little pet issues where he wants to be everybody's mommy. I mean I support outlawing smoking INDOORS, but outdoors is another story. And the salt thing? What the hell?

as a smoker who loves salt, i will also vote against him. a lazy politician is one thing, but someone who wants to put his fingers in our daily lives?

shudders me.

He's still a little too conservative for my taste, but you could do worse. Heck, would he run on the (R) ticket? If the Republicans put up a social liberal, they might have some cache. I doubt it though; they'll run Palin, or some other deeply reactionary radical religious extremist. If they run Palin they can always go back to running old white dudes & be like "what! We're diverse, we have a female candidate!"

If Bloomsburg ran on an (I) I might vote for him, though. Except I'm pro-rights in general, which includes gun ownership.

single issue voters would eliminate him on his gun stance.

he really wants to take your guns.

who are these people? and, he's getting pretty old, you think he could handle a nationwide campaign and pressing the flesh.

you have to be a fool. an absolute fool to vote for bloomberg. his disregard for our "vote" for term limits, abuse of eminent domain, stop and frisk, the illegal database of innocents from the stop and frisks, an NYPD that is out on control with a weak commissioner, his reckless rezoning of the city, doesn't want wall street reform after everything that's happenend, highest rate of homelessnes since the early 80's, building two stadiums for what reason?, the closing of a major hospital and doing nothing to stop this yet helped the yankees and mets get new stadiums, charter schools,... bloomberg is a parasite! he's gained and stayed in power on the weaknesses of the system and the apathy of the public. he capitalizes on any flaw or weakness not by strength of character and leadership. he cares nothing for the majority of the population of this city. and he keeps getting wealthier why most of us struggle even harder. you have to ba an absolute fool to vote for him.

+1

Well said!

i would vote for him...

Why?

The mayor's job to manage and lead the city, not patronize it like a king.

In any case, all this is just hot air as the rest of the country is not voting for a short, boring, unmarried Jewish billionaire from NY. He doesn't even capture the national attention like Gulliani did, even though he's doing a better job than Rudy did.

If Bloomie had taken that 99.8 million and gave it to the MTA, I would have been a lot more inclined to vote for him.

So they could piss it right down the drain? Bloomberg is the best mayor NY has ever had. Just take a look at the hacks, cronies and crooks lining up to take over in 2013. Not a decent civil servant among the crowd.

I completely agree and hoped he would run in the 2008 presidential election. He's a rare big city mayor who sticks to his convictions and isn't afraid to put his money where his mouth is. He'd run this country the way it should be -- like a business -- and he's damn good at doing that.

Wait until 2013 when we end up with a bunch of Chicago-style politicians running this town into the ground and a lot of the current naysayers will be longing for the Giuliani and Bloomberg "good ol' days".

LOL rare 'big city' mayor. Ooh. I think that's my favorite one so far.