Bloomberg has come out swinging against the Roberts nomination for the Supreme Court. That is a cynical attempt to play the NYC sentiments. Considering he has paid more money to George W. than any other individual in the solar system, and considering George W. has a clear track record of listening to people who bribe him, I bet Bloomberg could arrange for a breakfast, lunch and dinner with W. all on the same day. Well, why does he not do that? And tell the president, "Remember when I gave you money, lots of money? Payback time. Now listen to me. Take Roberts out of this nomination process. Please."
But Bloomberg will not do that. You know why? Because he really does not oppose the Roberts nomination. He does not care one way or another. He is opposing the nomination in an attempt to play to the gallery. He is being theatrical. This man belongs on Broadway, not at City Hall.
On all the social issues, he sings the right tunes. If he has such fierce disagreements with the Republican party, why did he switch in the first place? If he went in to change it from within, he has no track record of making any attempts.
Bless his soul he spends his own hard-earned money on his lavish campaigns. But he has not made any efforts at campaign finance reform. So his spending his own money is not to say he wants to be a mayor who is not beholden to the special interests. Rather it is like saying, so you are not rich like me, tough! That attitude should generate a fundamental disconnect between this man and the people of New York City. And what's up with riding the subway? Bloomberg, a man of the people? Refer to the line above about Broadway.
Rudy Guliani rode the national Clinton economic boom of the 1990s, and took credit all the way to the bank. Good thing that boom has not ended yet. It has slowed down, but it has not entirely gone down. But give that time, George W. and his cronies are at it back there in DC.
Bloomberg can't see straight and does not have his priorities right. This man wants to wear an expensive stadium on his shirt sleeve. Has he heard of public schools? Has he heard of health care for those working poor who don't have it? If he can pay for his own campaign, and if he can pay George W., what stops him from paying for his own stadium?
Bloomberg's theatrics on the social issues, mispriorities on the financial issues and the early treason of switching parties should ring alarm bells. If he were to now go back and run his company like he has been running the city, I bet his Board would vote him out. It's been that bad. If it were not for the checks and balances of the City Council, this man would have run the city into the ground by now.
So why did he win in the first place? Democratic disunity. That's why. The party might be nationally out of power, but that does not mean the local party has to continue to be in disarray.
Party unity is the need of the hour. A victory in this race will ignite a national Democratic resurgence, so we can take back the Congress in 2006, and the White House in 2008.
Bloomberg has been cynically trying to hang Amadou Diallo around Fernando Ferrer's neck. This is beyond cynical. This is shameless. I checked up on that. Ferrer is on record describing it as a crime. But don't you black folks in Harlem get holy on me on this one. Like my African friends at college used to say, "Those African Americans, man, they are not Africans, they are Americans!" Recent Hispanic immigrants might have more in common with the African Diallo than black folks who have been here for centuries.
Before Bloomberg can hang Diallo around Ferrer's neck, he himself needs to state where he stands on the issue. This is one of those problems he can't throw money on and wish away. This man Bloomberg does not feel your pain.
As a South Asian in America, I am all too aware of the rich ethnic tapestries. To a white or a black person, brown is brown all the way. But to the brown folks, there are endless shades of brown. And there are many animosities and hostilities among the brown folks.
But you have to look at the big picture. You have to look at the big money and the big power. And at that level, the African Americans and the Hispanics in this city need to be rallying behind Ferrer, one voice. Powerlessness leads to infighting, true. But that infighting has to be brought to an end to attain genuine power. Al Sharpton, homework time. Jesse Jackson, movement time, rainbow coalition time. Roll the national ball right here in New York City.
One Democrat - Bloomberg - betrayed the party back in 2001: he left. But you don't have to follow suit and bring shame to your name. Stay back and vote Democratic. Don't get deceived two times in a row. If the Democrats can only work the unity theme, victory is guaranteed. The rich are with the Republicans, and there just are not quite many of them. We got the numbers. The wisdom is, if you want to live like the Republicans, vote Democratic. You don't become rich by voting for a rich man. Rid the illusion.
Rise up, stand up. Lead the national revival. We are a progressive city for people of all colors: white, black, brown, red, yellow, you name it. The nation needs our leadership. Showtime.
