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New York City - If Bloomberg Can Do It, Why Not Bush-Cheney? |
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By declaring themselves indispensable in these troubled times, Bush and Dick Cheney, as Bloomberg, could possibly circumvent law as well as the will of the people. These twin pillars of democracy were all but collapsed in New York City Thursday. It doesn't help that the Big Apple also spearheaded the collapse of the economies of world capitalism.
Adding to the rubble, Mayor Bloomberg has trashed the law that dared limit his term to eight years. In 1993, and again in 1996, voters installed this protection against the abuse of incumbency power by greedy officials grown comfortable in office.
Ensconced in his private East Side mansion, Bloomberg reportedly threw off signs of staying put in office months before the Wall Street collapse. Yet, he seized upon this economic crisis three weeks ago, linking his stewardship to the city's recovery. New Yorkers might ponder why their financial wizard, once fired from Salomon Brothers, did not warn them about the meltdown and spare them the grief?
Instead, the city's economy teeters under Bloomberg's watch - while his personal fortunes have skyrocketed. His name blazes atop a gleaming, glass skyscraper testifying to the "Bloomberg L.P." empire expanded during his administration and run by his former deputy mayor, Daniel Doctoroff.
Early in his term, Bloomberg, with a fortune estimated at $4.9 billion, was ranked 36th on Forbes' 2003 list of billionaires. Growing steadily since, Hizzoner's fortune, the magazine said, jumped to $11.5 billion in 2007 and placed him in the 25th slot. This year, he leaped to the eighth spot with a fortune Forbes estimated at some $20 billion.
Rivals may quibble about a Bloomberg billion here or there, but being mayor for eight years has been very, very profitable for his personal wealth. The city has not done nearly as well, though it recovered from the economic chaos inherited from the Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who also was term-limited.
When the terrorists struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, however, Mayor Giuliani attempted to extend his final term, declaring himself indispensable to the City on matters of public safety. As a GOP candidate, Bloomberg argued against the sitting mayor overriding term limits, thank you very much. New York has survived the self-declared Great One on security matters and would likely thrive again without the self-declared Great One on financial matters.
These questions remain: (a) Would Bloomberg have pushed to extend his term had his personal fortune shrunk by 90 percent instead of expanded 400 percent? (b) What about national office? (c) Has the mayor simply run out of other political options acceptable to him?
Last year, observers buzzed that Bloomberg was gearing up to run for U.S. president. He dropped the requisite weight, slammed partisan gridlock in Washington, and even discarded party affiliation to become an independent. Insiders floated that Hizzoner would run for president if Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton got the Democratic nomination. Her decline reportedly stayed his hand, though he kept the weight off for a vice-presidential nomination that never came.
The next logical step for a city mayor who doesn't have $20 billion might be governor. However, with Giuliani circling toward an Albany race, winters up North likely have chilled all gubernatorial ambitions. Besides, the political tycoon is snug in his mansion blocks away from his gleaming "Bloomberg" skyscraper.
Why inconvenience such a popular lord of the manor with the trifle of term limits? Some 82 percent of New Yorkers want voters to decide on such an extension - not the mayor and City Council members who all stand to benefit. Yet, last week, Mayor Bloomberg and the rubber-stamp council passed a law-changing bill that would allow city officials to serve three terms. Opponents promise a court battle and final approval must be granted by the U.S. Justice Department.
Herein lies an opportunity for Bush and Cheney, who, like Mayor Bloomberg, appear to have run out of political options. As the mayor tramples the law and the will of the people, what's to keep Bush-Cheney from doing likewise? There's plenty of time before Nov. 4. Stay tuned.
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Read Comments (19) — Post Yours »
1
Oct 27, 2008 at 10:01 AM FINANCIER Says:
Just what we need 4 more years of rising deficits, the Dow decimated and rising unemployment. Unless the re-elected Bush Chaney team gets a loan from Bloomberg. They can make that Alaskan women ambassasor to Russia since she can lookout her window and see Russia, and McCain can lead the war effort.
2
Oct 27, 2008 at 10:19 AM Anonymous Says:
Bloomberg did not ensconce himself as Mayor by extending the term limits. All he did was allow himself to run and serve again. If the people of NYC elect him again, then it seems that the will of the people has spoken. If the people of NYC are angry at Bloomberg for this, they won't reelect him. Maybe all Bllomberg's detractors should understand this concept.
3
Oct 27, 2008 at 10:15 AM Anonymous Says:
Money is the BEST protektzia
4
Oct 27, 2008 at 10:08 AM Anonymous Says:
This is one of the dumbest posts I've seen in a while. The US constitution can not be changed by a simple vote by the government, like the term limits law in NYC can be changed.
5
Oct 27, 2008 at 10:07 AM Anonymous Says:
Hey, where Rudolph Guliani? He would do good against Bloomberg.
6
Oct 27, 2008 at 10:07 AM Anonymous Says:
because they don't have a chance of getting reelcted
7
Oct 27, 2008 at 10:01 AM Chaim Says:
You have more chances of growing a green beard then these 2 winning again.
8
Oct 27, 2008 at 10:50 AM Say No To Obama!! Says:
“ Just what we need 4 more years of rising deficits, the Dow decimated and rising unemployment. Unless the re-elected Bush Chaney team gets a loan from Bloomberg. They can make that Alaskan women ambassasor to Russia since she can lookout her window and see Russia, and McCain can lead the war effort. ”
You are misrepresenting the facts while showing your bias but thats ok, its expected.
The reason for the deficit is because we had to go to war to beat some yishmaelim yemach shmom v'zichrom. Keep in mind we were attacked on 9/11. You may not remember so I will help you recall, there were 2 VERY tall buildings in lower Manhattan that animals flew planes into not to mention the plane into the Pentagon or the one that was forced down in West PA. 3000 of our civilians died that day. A war was started and not by us. Granted had Clinton not been busy with Monizona would things have been different, only HKBH knows.
Wars cost money. Spending money on weapons cost money. Clinton got his surplus (which by the way was on the way down when he was leaving office) by cutting military spending. Shkoyach Schlikmeister!
The reason President Bush wouldnt have run again is because he is a believer in the Constitution. There are laws in place against additional terms and gnerally presidents follow those guidelines EXCEPT for Prez Roosevelt (who was not a republican).
9
Oct 27, 2008 at 11:05 AM Anonymous Says:
“ You are misrepresenting the facts while showing your bias but thats ok, its expected.
The reason for the deficit is because we had to go to war to beat some yishmaelim yemach shmom v'zichrom. Keep in mind we were attacked on 9/11. You may not remember so I will help you recall, there were 2 VERY tall buildings in lower Manhattan that animals flew planes into not to mention the plane into the Pentagon or the one that was forced down in West PA. 3000 of our civilians died that day. A war was started and not by us. Granted had Clinton not been busy with Monizona would things have been different, only HKBH knows.
Wars cost money. Spending money on weapons cost money. Clinton got his surplus (which by the way was on the way down when he was leaving office) by cutting military spending. Shkoyach Schlikmeister!
The reason President Bush wouldnt have run again is because he is a believer in the Constitution. There are laws in place against additional terms and gnerally presidents follow those guidelines EXCEPT for Prez Roosevelt (who was not a republican). ”
Just for your information, not that I am or was a fan of FDR, the constitutional amendment limiting a president's term to eight years was passed after he left office. Up until then it was just a tradition started by George Washington.
10
Oct 27, 2008 at 11:09 AM Anonymous Says:
Term limits are anti-democratic. If the majority of voters want to vote someone in for a third term, why not let them?
11
Oct 27, 2008 at 11:48 AM Milhouse Says:
Sure Bush and Cheney can get a third term. All they have to do is convince two thirds of each house of Congress, plus the legislatures of 38 states, to repeal the 22nd amendment before the Electoral College meets on 15-Dec. Then they can appeal to the Electors to vote for them. That's not likely to happen, but it could be done.
12
Oct 27, 2008 at 11:42 AM miamiyid Says:
“ Bloomberg did not ensconce himself as Mayor by extending the term limits. All he did was allow himself to run and serve again. If the people of NYC elect him again, then it seems that the will of the people has spoken. If the people of NYC are angry at Bloomberg for this, they won't reelect him. Maybe all Bllomberg's detractors should understand this concept. ”
i agree let the people decide
13
Oct 27, 2008 at 12:04 PM AuthenticSatmar Says:
The president can declare a national emergency and suspend the constitution. He is granted that right in the constitution. If Obama wins, I believe that constitutes a national emergency.
14
Oct 27, 2008 at 12:31 PM Anonymous Says:
cant be that the president could suspend the constitution. If this is true than the american people are crazy for electing hussein obama, ratavats. i still thik mccain will make it,or if not he will lose by one state and low margin. still dont understand halif of the american people.
15
Oct 27, 2008 at 02:32 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Term limits are anti-democratic. If the majority of voters want to vote someone in for a third term, why not let them? ”
Because they don't want someone to intimidate and/or force the voters and thus create a dictatorship like saddam hussein who "officially" had the popular vote of his country.
16
Oct 27, 2008 at 04:33 PM Milhouse Says:
“ The president can declare a national emergency and suspend the constitution. He is granted that right in the constitution. If Obama wins, I believe that constitutes a national emergency. ”
No, he can't. Try reading the constitution some time.
17
Oct 27, 2008 at 04:38 PM Milhouse Says:
“ Term limits are anti-democratic. If the majority of voters want to vote someone in for a third term, why not let them? ”
Because without term limits, the incumbent just becomes intrenched, using his position to dig himself in. Especially in a two-party system, without term limits the voters are often presented with only a choice between the incumbent and someone far worse. They only get a choice to vote for someone better than the incumbent in a primary, and it's very difficult to mount a real primary challenge to an incumbent.
Incumbents also often argue that the district/state/etc shouldn't squander the "seniority" they've accumulated, thus making the problem worse. Term limits is the only way to stop politicians from "going native"; a look at Tom Delay's career is enough to show that.
18
Oct 27, 2008 at 06:25 PM Rove is the new Atwater Says:
“ You are misrepresenting the facts while showing your bias but thats ok, its expected.
The reason for the deficit is because we had to go to war to beat some yishmaelim yemach shmom v'zichrom. Keep in mind we were attacked on 9/11. You may not remember so I will help you recall, there were 2 VERY tall buildings in lower Manhattan that animals flew planes into not to mention the plane into the Pentagon or the one that was forced down in West PA. 3000 of our civilians died that day. A war was started and not by us. Granted had Clinton not been busy with Monizona would things have been different, only HKBH knows.
Wars cost money. Spending money on weapons cost money. Clinton got his surplus (which by the way was on the way down when he was leaving office) by cutting military spending. Shkoyach Schlikmeister!
The reason President Bush wouldnt have run again is because he is a believer in the Constitution. There are laws in place against additional terms and gnerally presidents follow those guidelines EXCEPT for Prez Roosevelt (who was not a republican). ”
We were attacked on 9/11 by a number of terrorists in a plot created by Osama bin Laden, who was then hiding out in Afghanistan (although he grew up in Saudi Arabia). Most of the terrorists were Saudi nationals. Osama did not work with Saddam Hussein, dictator of Iraq; Hussein was too secularist for him.
Given these facts, would you please explain the connection between the 9/11 attacks and the war in Iraq?
19
Oct 27, 2008 at 09:36 PM Milhouse Says:
“ We were attacked on 9/11 by a number of terrorists in a plot created by Osama bin Laden, who was then hiding out in Afghanistan (although he grew up in Saudi Arabia). Most of the terrorists were Saudi nationals. Osama did not work with Saddam Hussein, dictator of Iraq; Hussein was too secularist for him.
Given these facts, would you please explain the connection between the 9/11 attacks and the war in Iraq? ”
Would you please explain the connection between the Pearl Harbour attack and the war in North Africa? Did Morocco bomb Pearl Harbour?