tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21554899.post5304358607990689482..comments2024-03-26T04:26:04.911-07:00Comments on Lost City: Politician, Heal ThyselfBrooks of Sheffieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18297071358029060908noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21554899.post-12094900513659860562009-10-27T20:13:57.380-07:002009-10-27T20:13:57.380-07:00This was your best post ever. You are absolutely r...This was your best post ever. You are absolutely right, in my opinion. <br /><br />Anyone who says Bloomberg has done a 'good job' as Mayor has a very different definition of the word 'good' than I do. He basically has ridden the wave of the stock market recovery since 9/11, and if you look across the country, many, many cities did well between 2002 and 2008. Bloomberg will be as incapable as any politician of stopping the economic decline we're in, especially when it really kicks in over the next year or two.<br /><br />Meanwhile, he has used the relative prosperity of the 2002-08 to allow developers to run rampant, unsupervised with the vast majority of new construction uninspected. Neighborhoods have been irrevocably changed, their characters killed or badly damaged, and architecturally inappropriate and simply bad buildings have proliferated. He has encouraged and sped the suburbanization of a wonderful city, caring more for recent arrivals with money and tourists than for the backbone populace that has lived here for generations.<br /><br />He is a rich man that wants the city to be in his image -- facile, superficial and reserved for the wealthy.<br /><br />Using the fear tactic of 'We're gonna get another Mayor like Dinkins--remember how bad things were then?' is both borderline racist and a complete logical fallacy. As Thompson's TV spot shows, Bloomberg believed him to be the greatest comptroller in city history--until he ran against Bloomberg.<br /><br />I will never forgive Bloomberg for hosting the Republican convention here in Manhattan, and in ordering the police state tactics against any dissenters, or even seemingly potential dissenters, during that event. It was a display almost worthy of Mayor Daly in '68, although more chillingly efficient at quieting disagreement.<br /><br />In fact, that's really the legacy of the man: quieting disagreement, usually by force of one kind or another, including the force of his wealth in stifling any competition.<br /><br />The coming years will probably be tough in the city, as they will be most everywhere. We need someone who at least has a feel for the true pulse of the city and the majority of the people who make it work by working and living here.JMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09876016557456927299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21554899.post-26486956016118962962009-10-27T17:57:46.160-07:002009-10-27T17:57:46.160-07:00Really the only thing you can do is to leave. But...Really the only thing you can do is to leave. But that is harder than alot of blog commentators (a disproportionate amount of whom, I think, are retired), tend to think. You still need a job and its good to have family nearby. New York is a bad place to find a job right now, but there are parts of the country where the economy has more completely collapsed (Florida) or where the local governmens are actually closer to bankruptcy (California).Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21554899.post-19040762345446594812009-10-27T16:22:01.059-07:002009-10-27T16:22:01.059-07:00I don't live in the city, nor is my office loc...I don't live in the city, nor is my office located there, so in some ways I don't have a dog in the race - but the health of the city both fiscally and physiclly does affect us bridge and tunnel folks too.<br /><br />I agree that the 3rd term is being jammed down your throats and there is some justification for voting against Bloomberg on principal there. Third terms are notorious for being bad there is wisdom in term limits.<br /><br />But - Bloomberg has done a good job as Mayor. <br /><br />I don't know how old you are or how long you live in NYC, but remember the last "traditional Democratic" mayor? That would be Dinkins. In 4 years he almost managed to give back all the gains of the Koch era and send the city back to the days of Lindsey and Beame. I can't see Thompson being any different - the job is over his head and he's a political hack. We've already got one in Albany - do you want one running the city?<br /><br />Think carefully before you vote. If you vote for Thompson as a matter of principal on the term limits issue, I can respect that. But on ability to lead and govern, Thompson can't shine Bloombergs shoes.Mike Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21554899.post-87591669811936725522009-10-27T11:38:55.230-07:002009-10-27T11:38:55.230-07:00it'll be a miracle if he loses. That photo is ...it'll be a miracle if he loses. That photo is priceless!Ken Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100185198750536244noreply@blogger.com