Bloomberg cleared to run for a third term.
Bloomberg cleared to run for a third term.
The New York City Council voted today to extend term limits so that Mayor Michael Bloomberg can run for a third term next year. The council’s vote of 29 to 22 undoes the result of two voter referendums that had imposed a limit of two four-year terms for the Mayor’s office. Here’s Bloomberg’s statement on the vote:
Today, the majority of the City Council decided to give the people of New York a fuller choice in the November 2009 election. I believe that was the right choice, and I want to thank Speaker Quinn for her leadership. Those of us who work on both sides of City Hall must now move forward with the important decisions that face us, particularly finding ways to soften the fallout from the economic downturn and balancing our budget as revenues decline. We have a lot of work to do together to get New York through these tough times.
The New York Times reports that after Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum announced the final result, the balcony in the Council chamber “erupted in shouts of ‘The city’s for sale!’ and ‘Shame on you!’”
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Don’t like the rules? Change ‘em! After watching the past eight years, I don’t see how anyone can be surprised.
If the good people of New York (sadly, an “unamerican” and elitist city…) don’t want Bloomberg to remain as mayor, they simply vote him out.
Of course, having millions with which to run, Bloomberg seems quite willing and able to outspend any opponent.
PEACE
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:31 pmHow does a City Council get to over rule two voter referendums?
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:33 pmWe The People ain’t much, now is it, New Yorkers?
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:39 pmI wonder if Rudy is putting his golf clubs back in storage.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:39 pmThis is simply proof that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Bloomberg considers himself the “indispensible man” now, Guiliani wanted to postpone the election, so he could stay in office past his second term (because of 911). Bloomberg just bought off the City Council, just like he’s also likely to buy the election for himself as well.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:40 pmWell, at least this passed through a political ‘process’ of sorts, unlike that when Rudolph Giuliani proposed suspending the mayoral election in the light of the attack upon the World Trade Center on September 11…
Still, it has the same chilling feeling. That somehow—lacking the ‘leadership’ of the sitting mayor—the good citizens of New York City and its surrounds cannot overcome the adversities they now face as a result of the current economic collapse and financial meltdown. The one that some Republicans are surely responsible for, and other Republicans—the present Mayor, for example—did little or nothing to prevent.
Deja vous all over again…
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:41 pmBloomberg just guaranteed himself a loss.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:41 pmOn the local news here New Yorkers are VER pissed-off by this. My impression is that most New Yorkers wouldn’t mind Bloomberg for a third term, but they are quite rightly outraged and disgusted at his attempt to circumvent the rules.
Had he asled for a public referendum , I’m sure he’d have won it.
Now, on certain legal challenges to this scheme, he’d surely lose such a referendum, on principle.
BTW this power grab (I don’t care how well intentioned it’s supposed to be) would apply not just to the Mayor, but all the politicians on the committee that just voted for it. How convenient!
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:44 pmNew Yorkers, run this egomaniac out of town in the next election.
Thank You.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:45 pmNew York just has to vote him out now. If you don’t let a mayor win a third term you have a de facto term limit. However, that relies on his competitor being a good alternative. This is a good opportunity for someone to throw their hat in the ring and to start with a leg up on Bloomberg.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:45 pmI guess Bloomberg is a Republican after all.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:49 pmYou know, Mayor, approval ratings aren’t sponsored by Quikrete.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:56 pmAs a New York City resident, I call bullcrap. I didn’t vote for you Mike, not going to this time either and I don’t think that many New Yorkers will either. We are sick of this city losing more of its character as even more chain stores and condo towers go up. Michael Bloomberg is an opportunist who switches parties whenever it suits him and let’s not forget he was one of Bush’s biggest money guys in 2004. A lot of New Yorkers remember that, but he will probably buy himself another election. D-BAG.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:59 pmSince when can a city council overrule a “will of the people” initiative? If I were a resident of New York, I would be suing the hell out of the City Council.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:38 pm#LushInterior Says:
Hey a$$hat. The Republicans have been running roughshod over all of us citizens for 8 years now. Are you happy with what has happened? I know I am not.
When the Democrats take over, I expect them to play nicely and if they don’t, I’ll criticize them the same way I have criticized the Bush Crime Family.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:42 pmIf you don’t like the rules, just change them. And the hell with the public, eh?
But you know, when you’re worth $20 billion, people just tend to bend over backwards for you. For some reason.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:46 pmSounds like NYC needs to give the boot to their council members and Bloomberg in their next election.
Overriding voter referendums like this is subverting the democratic process.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:15 pmJust doesn’t smell right to have legislators taking a vote that benefits one individual. Next we will have Arnold in the presidential lineup.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:27 pmLushInterior Says:
No judges dont legislate from the bench. You are a hivemind moron repeating the stupidity you are told to believe even though it doesnt even make sense
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:33 pm.
So,
The will of the People of NewYork city does not matter?
.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:36 pm.
I suppose when the People of NewYork City don’t re-elect Bloomberg, the (Sh)
Cit(t)y Council will nullify that, too?.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:40 pmMost cities I know of don’t have term limits for mayor. But NYC’s pretty powerful, so if anybody gets to do it differently, they should.
But Bloomberg seems to comfortable. He should either transition to the national stage or get off the pot.
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 pmAs a New Yorker, I don’t mind Bloomberg even if he has sucked the life out of our city by selling every inch he can to big money interests. What I don’t like are monarchies. With his wealth, he can buy the election. With his big money supporters he will sell us out even more.
Looks like we big city elites have something in common with the real America now.
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:20 pmTell me how arrogant is he?
Bloomberg lacks a superego.
Like KO said, how can they overturn the voters’ choice? Another wannabe king.
What is he going to do if he doesn’t get what he wants?
I take politics seriously not like the tricks they play.
Policy is all around us.
Obama\Biden
October 24th, 2008 at 12:30 amPretty Please
So the City Council (2/3 of which would be forced out after Bloombergs term ends) voted to allow a third term for the Diva of Wall Street. This vote in essence also potentially extends THEIR jobs for four more years. Kinda reminds me of when these self-serving “public” servants vote themselves nice raises. I think it was Olbermann who said last night of Bloomberg that if he feels that he is SO indespensible to the city on economic matters, why don’t you just volunteer yourself as an economic adviser to the next Mayor for free? The voters of New York have voted twice on this issue in the last 10 years or so and gave a resounding “F U” to extending term limits. Bloomberg is just another egotistical Republican. When he floated the possibility of a presidential run, most NYers laughed. When it became obvious that he was not seriously considered by McCain for a VP nod, he figured he could impose himself on NY once again. GO AWAY MIKE, IF WE NEED YOU WE’LL CALL YOU! THANKS BUT NO THANKS!
October 24th, 2008 at 8:41 amHe who has the gold makes the rules. I’ve always thought of Bloomie as Giuliani-lite, and he’s proved it again. A nasty little authoritarian who puts his own interests far beyond those of the people he’s supposed to serve. The sad thing is that parts of New York (Hello, Staten Island!) are conservative, or thick, enough that Bloomie will probably get his third term. Honestly, I don’t get it. He doesn’t seem to enjoy being mayor much, he doesn’t seem to like New Yorkers much, He doesn’t seem to have any overarching plan or philosophy for his tenure: Is it really all about his ego? Seems to be.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:42 pmMeanwhile, there’s a class-action suit coming up against Bloomberg L.P.’s discrimination against pregnant women. Bloomie himself has a problem with women, and has had to bury a couple of harassment suits. I’d like to see those getting a lot of publicity soon.
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April 5th, 2009 at 6:36 am