November 11, 2004
NYers Kinda Like Mayor Mike
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's approval ratings are up since August which may mean that even if you're a stiff, marble-mouthed billionaire who brings the Republican Convention into a blue city, people can still like you. Gothamist loved how NY Times reporter Jennifer Steinhauer put it into perspective: "[It seems like] a year spent doing things like playing boccie in Queens, doling out public works goodies in Staten Island and enduring abuse at community meetings is starting to pay off." Heh. You can't forget about the Mayor's attempts to seem a like a regular guy, such as taking the subway. The Post has an interesting spin on the numbers:
Forty-five percent of voters said he does, while 49 percent concluded he doesn't. That was as close to a positive grade that the billionaire mayor — accused by his critics of being out of touch — has come in three years on the empathy issue.The Mayor should be pleased, but shouldn't get too excited - the Quinnipiac University poll also showed that if an election were held between Bloomberg and Fernando Ferrer today, Ferrer would win, 45-40 percent.
Yesterday, the Mayor was talking campaign finance and how new regulations, to allow opponents spend more, are bogus. His opponents are saying "Cry me a river," given that Mayor Bloomberg spent $75 million of his own money for his 2001 run. And Gothamist on the Mayor's approval ratings.
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i didn't vote for bloomie in the last election and if there was one right now, i would. just because of the smoking ban (it's so nice to come home not smelling like an astray after going to a concert or a bar) and that my taxes aren't going towards his salary. the only thing that i do disagree w/ him on is the need for a west side stadium and bringing the olympics here. that'll be a huge mess.
Every one that is of the truth hearerth my voice
Sure, Ferrer would win 45-40 direct against Bloomberg... but add a few other liberal challengers in the race. I think Bloomberg would walk right back into office.
It would be nice if those two could generate a REAL political race for next year. Interesting to watch, at least.
I wouldn't vote for Bloomberg no matter what his approval ratings.
He's a RINO because he found it more convenient to run as a Republican, he now has to raise money for all sorts of Republican causes and was the head cheerleader for the RNC this summer. Do we really want a mayor who stands - albeit quietly - with president Bush? Although I applaud some of the mayor's policies and his handling of the mess that was handed to him post 9/11, I can't, in good conscience, let him off the hook for his support of the Republicans.
New Yorkers and moderate Republicans should send a clear message to the GOP: denounce the fundamentalists within your midst or we'll bounce you out of office.
I don't know if "sending a message to the Republicans" by itself is a good enough motive to vote against anyone. If you think someone will do a better job for the city than their opponent, wouldn't you want the better candidate in office?
Suck my balls Jesus
yeah, I would vote for him
it's ammusing to see your mayor take the same train as yourself.
Regarding the campaign finance stuff, it's interesting that his opponents don't seem to be able to tell the difference between Bloomberg spending his own money to get elected and them spending my money to get themselves elected.
I like Mike
he's been a lifelong NY'er. Although he might be a Republican, from what I've seen and heard, it seems like he loves this city more than anyone else I've met.
Bloomberg is not a lifelong New Yorker. He was born in Massachusetts and only moved to NYC after finishing Harvard when he was in his twenties.
Negative things about Bloomberg:
1. His fiscal policies caused the rent boards to raise rent increase percentages at least twice.
2. He proposed a unitary ballot for primaries, which were designed to unfairly weaken the Democrats.
3. He sideswiped our democratic process by firing three members of the Panel for Educational Policy simply because they disagreed with his views on social promotion.
4. He has supported quotas for "quality of life" violations for silly things such as feeding pigeons and wrong font sizes on store signs.
5. He went on to propose strange bans on dog barking and ice cream truck music.
6. He banned smoking, yet specifically wrote obvious exceptions in the law to allow the upper class to smoke.
7. He SUPPORTED the ILLEGAL ARRESTS of cyclists during recent Critical Mass bike rides for "blocking traffic," and SUPPORTED the NYPD's ILLEGAL search-and-seizure methods at the RNC.
8. He failed to stand up and get the Federal government to pay overdue 9/11 aid in full.
9. He spends more time micromanaging petty issues than addressing real issues with our schools and public transit.
10. And last but not least, he personally donated money to the Republicans to support George W. Bush's reelection.
Some of these issues are tiny, some are normal and some are so HUGE that I do not even know why people are dismissing them.
Why do people like him? Is it because of one issue, such as the smoking ban? Petty-single-issue voters need to look at all the issues. Throwing away the baby with the bathwater just for the smoking ban issue is foolish. Single-issue voters are about as nearsighted as those red-state folks who ignored all issues and voted for Bush, simply because they liked his stance on marriage.
Bloomberg tends to be popular among white voters, yet isn't so popular among Hispanics or blacks. Why do you think this is?
I implore all Bloomberg-lovers to seriously reevaluate their love for Bloomberg. Remember, he is a Republican--and he seems to be fitting into his new shoes better as time goes on.
I like Mike. And what everyone seems to forget is that he tried to bring BOTH the democratic and republican conventions to NYC. I'm a democrat, but it appears that the republicans outsmarted us once again by taking advantage of our city.