Ron Lauder used his wealth to get term limits on the ballot in 1993. Voters passed the measure, limiting the Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, and members of the City Council to two terms.
In 2001, he used his wealth to beat back a ballot initiative to modify term limits.
Now Ron Lauder supports modifying term limits in order to accomodate Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who wants a third term. Lauder believes the city will need Mayor Bloomberg's so-called expertise in order to deal with the financial crisis.
So let us debate: Is Ron Lauder a hypocrite for seeking to accomodate a member of his own party?
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written by Jay Golub , October 12, 2008
Yes he is. Debate over...LOL
First of all, the fact that Lauder said this "exception" should only apply once and specifically for this Mayor is a joke.
That sentiment implies that somehow this particular Mayor is needed due to the fiscal crisis hitting NY and the Country. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Bloomberg's only answer to the problems facing the city is to raise taxes and spend money. That is not the action of a "talented manager" of money, as many claimed he was in 2001 and still do today. He's spent an unbelievable 23% above the rate of inflation in his first 7 years in office.
If he's a financial genius, than he better start to get worried because i just heard that Freddy Ferrer was looking for job on Wall Street - Ferrer's resume as a similar economic genius is long and strong...
I don't think this guy Bloomberg could balance his own checkbook - which i doubt he even does today.
Yet, Billionaires stick with Billionaires i guess. That's the one thing they AREN'T hypocritical about...
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written by Jay Golub , October 12, 2008
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10...133246.htm
This makes me worry about what Bloomberg will have to "give" to these folks to keep them quiet on the issue or, even more worrisome, supportive of extending term limits.
Maybe Bloomy can give the teachers and DC37 another big raise...Ah, the benefits of being a financial "genius,"....you never have to actually prove it with your actions....
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written by Jay Golub , October 12, 2008
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10...133247.htm
Koch is such a blowhard. he's got to be kidding! here's what he said in this editorial from the Mayoral-friar club...
"Record budget deficits became record budget surpluses. That was Mike Bloomberg."
Sure, he enacted the single largest tax increase in the history of NYC - and arguably the country! he didn't reduce spending or make government more efficient or "do more with less" like he promised on the campaign trail in 2001. He did it by over-taxing further an already overtaxed NYC environment.
"Crime dropped to historic lows - and race relations improved. That was Mike Bloomberg."
Anyone who lives in the real world knows that Rudy did all those things. Bloomy just followed the path he already created. Also, it's widely known that the numbers Bloomberg brags about today are essentially lies - concocted to satisfy the once-effective tool called CompStat, now only used as a grading system for Commanding officers in the NYPD. Every statistic has been fudged to benefit the internal political system for promotions in the NYPD. Either way, Mayor Mike was a follower, not a leader in the critical area.
"The schools - so long plagued by dysfunction and patronage - made amazing progress. That was Mike Bloomberg. "
Sure, test scores look much better when you dumb down the tests and hold back a group of 3rd graders in 2004-5 who would have made all the test scores for the last 3 years look much worse. Bloomberg claimed he did this to end "social promotion," but that's the case. He did it to improve the 4th Grade exams - which were critical both politically and statistically for the Mayor. If you hold back all the students who would do poorly, you, by definition, will have "better" results.
"Our infrastructure received huge new investments as part of an ambitious environmental agenda. That was Mike Bloomberg."
The subways and public transportation have never been worse. Recent statistics, which i posted in another area of UE, demonstrate that. Also, cranes are collapsing, our electric infrastructure continues to decline, NYC is devoid of enough power to supply itself over the next couple of years, the roads are in disrepair. Sure, if you count the publicly funded stadium deals - that cost the city Billions - he's done something. But please, where are the statistics to support that our infrastructure is better?
"And when Wall Street collapsed, New York City was ready - having saved money during the good times instead of squandering it on politically popular programs. That, too, was Mike Bloomberg."
Is that why we're facing multiyear, multi-billion dollar deficits? Is that why Bloomberg is looking to cut services and raise property taxes by a whopping 7%? I can't believe the Post would actually print this drivel.
When are we going to get an honest accounting of this Mayor's bland performance at City Hall?
The only people he's pleased are the governmental Lefty's on the Council, the Left-wing non-profit groups which politically run this city on the ground floor and his billionaire and Mayoral Friar Club buddies.
If UE is the only place for reality, then so be it. But i wish there was at least some accountability to how the media covers this guy...
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written by Reaganite , October 13, 2008
I'm curious when you say Lauder is supporting someone from the same party, exactly what party is that? I didn't realize there was a billionaires party.
Bloomberg is no longer a republican and hopefully our county chairs will have more sense then to support this tyrant who used and abused the republican party (which sold itself to him on the cheap).
The real question is, did the republican party get what is deserved by supporting bloomberg? We are clearly at an all-time low in the city and you can't blame it all on Bush or Pataki.
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written by Cranky Young Man , October 13, 2008
Of course he is. There's really no other way to describe such a flip flop.
But, even if he was never for term limits, the theory for keeping Bloomberg around is flawed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is we're a nation of laws not men. And the only rulers that can get away with being indispensable are 3rd World Dictators.
Really, the crux of the logic is that he's a businessman and we need a businessman in government during the these hard economic times. I've never understood that just as I didn't understand it when Mitt Romney was running for President.
A businessman's job is to try to get their customers to use more of their product. In government, we want less of a product. We'd even like certain parts to go out of business! Why the heck would we ever want someone who'd goals are completely opposed to smart government running things at all? I just don't get it.
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written by Jay Golub , October 14, 2008
this entire issue has NOTHING to do with what NYC "needs" right now. NYC doesn't "need" Bloomberg, Bloomberg needs us.
one must remember that Bloomberg has gone from being a $6 Billion man to a $20 Billion man during his Mayoralty. If he stays another 4 years, he'll probably move that figure up to $30 billion. It's amazing how far one can stretch one dollar in salary...;(
Now THAT'S great financial management!
The City? Well Bloomy's driven that baby into the ground, but who cares, right? He's "better off today" than he was 4 years ago, so who cares how well the average New Yorker is doing?
Surely it doesn't appear our Mayor cares.
The GOP needs to not make the same mistake as before. Pick their own candidate and run against Bloomberg in the General Election. Either way, this will ensure that Bloomberg can't win and, maybe, that will stop him from running altogether - sparing the people of NYC 4 more years of this self-absorbed Billionaire...
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written by alice Lemos , October 14, 2008
bored rich guy with a Messiah complex - much like one B. Hussein Obama - who actually believes that the City cannot survive without his "prowess". He has no clue as to how real people live and since most people seem to believe that "when you're rich they think you really know" (as Tevye said in Fiddler on the Roof) he is given a pass. He has no loyalty to anybody or anything except his own bloated ego. He dreams of grandiose real estate projects (to which he thinks his name will be attached one day as in the "Mike Bloomberg Arena") but does not understand the nuts and bolts of everyday life. He could not care less about the taxpayers who will be stuck paying the bill for his pet projects. This man should not be allowed to get away with subverting the will of the people. And neither should Ronald Lauder who should go back to running his cosmetics business!
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written by Reaganite , October 14, 2008
I agree with you Jay. The GOP should not sell out to Bloomberg again. He has done nothing for the party while pushing an agenda that is antithetical to most NYC republicans.
Ban on smoking, ban on fatty foods, aggressive fines for motorists and small businesses and on minor errors in garbage disposal. Massive redevelopment projects that uproot entire communities. It goes on and on.
This is not what we signed up for.
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written by SPR , October 14, 2008
Yes. Next Question...
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written by Jay Golub , October 18, 2008
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10...134127.htm
you can't make this stuff up. Imagine, Adams chastizing the Council for infringing 'democracy." LOL!!
Although the Council is a joke for many reasons, nothing except maybe Sacramento, CA make a mockery more of the democratic process than Albany.
the number of hypocrites keeps growing and growing and growing...
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