RINO ALERT: The Incredible Shrinking Mayor

Washington Post ^ | Friday, May 9, 2003 | Howard Kurtz

[Liz]

New Yorkers didn't know a whole lot about Michael Bloomberg when they handed him the keys to the city. They knew he was loaded. They knew he had a media company, and a stock machine, named after him. And they knew Rudy liked him – and if the post-9/11 superhero Giuliani was vouching for Mike, that was enough.

That, and the $70 million of his personal fortune that Bloomberg spent winning the mayor's office. Bloomberg wasn't a politician; he was a Successful Businessman. That's way superior, right? Well, it turns out that you need basic political skills to run a major city.

And Bloomy's poll numbers are suddenly lower than a Brooklyn sewer. The major reason, of course, is New York's huge budget deficit.

The ailing economy is causing problems for governors and mayors from coast to coast.

Cutting programs and raising taxes, it turns out, is a surefire path to unpopularity.

Does anyone really think Gray Davis would be facing a potential recall effort if California's deficit wasn't equal to the GDP of several small countries?

[katnip]

I almost lost control of my car this morning listening to Mikey on WABC this morning.

Pushing his tax hike proposal on New Yorkers "lucky enough" to make a combined income of $150,000.00.

I wonder why he thinks that "luck" has anything to do with it.

[Thebaddog]

No Smoking ANYWHERE, puts Mike into the nanny state category of leftists. He's making his own bed all by himself.

[Liz]

Don't you just cringe at his smarmy, smug way of talking?

Also has an outsized sense of entitlement that the Grand Canyon couldn't hold.

[katnip]

His manner of speaking drives me crazy. I think he sounds like a sissy.

[mr.pink]

[Consort]

He's not even a true RINO; he's a Liberal Democrat pretending to be a RINO.

[Cicero]

Well, with NYC experiencing an economic meltdown, it's good to know that Bloomberg has the money to support 150 police working full time to arrest smokers.

[katnip]

I thought I heard on John Gambling show that Terry McAuliffe(sp?) is inviting him back to the Democratic party.

I sighed wondering when he ever left the leftists.

[Glenn]

You elected him. So unelect him. Pretty simple, really.

[katnip]

Bloomberg is a neo-crat.

Actually, he's an oldy-crat. He masqueraded as a neo-con for the elections.

[Sonny M]

He didn't masquerade, he was farther to the left then Green, plus Rudy backed him, and Sharpton and his group (ferrer and co) were mad at Green. Green lost, bloomy didn't really win. Also, Terry has invited Bloomy back more then once, but Bloomberg won't leave (He's got the GOP convnetion next year), however, I think he still sends money to the democratic party,he has hinted at such.

[Calvin Locke]

... has the money to support 150 police working full time to arrest smokers....

You miss the point. Not only do smokers pay the outrageous tax, Bloomie wants more money from fines, too.

[Liz]

Blech. Bloomie's priorities are the pits.

[Liz]

Priceless. Love, love, love it.

[Liz]

Bloomer exhibits all the signs of a liberal Dumbocrat....an abortion worshipper, exponent of the nanny state, a big taxer....need I go on? The only thing I thin he hasn't done is kneel in obeisance to the Clintons......but wait, that'll come.

[Liz]

Apparently, you are not familiar with the Byzantine politics of NYC.

[beckett]

His national profile is close to nonexistent. But even at home he's the least public performer of anyone to hold that office in a generation. John Lindsay, Ed Koch, David Dinkins, Rudy – like them or not, these were high-profile figures who were always on the job, always making news, often doing shtick.

Dinkins? Wrong. Dinkins was a disaster in public, a terrible newsmaker and speaker, and generally always gave the impression that he was over his head in the job.

[Sonny M]

nanny state is putting it nicely. When he came into office he bragged how nyc government, per capita is bigger then the federal government. The term he uses is "activist government".