Bloomberg Uber Alles

Bow to me and I will grant you small favors. Or not.

Hissoner has recently given his victory speech, The State of the City (at Barclay Center), announcing to the world what an amazing job he has done as mayor. (Ask yourself: Are you better off than you were ten years ago?) This was no holds barred bragging, but it was more frightening than that. It was a warning to all those who might try to oppose him.

Here are a few highlights:

“But not us. And here we are. Against all the odds, despite all the legal challenges, despite all the naysayers and NIMBYers, here we are. And as we speak, the first residential tower at Atlantic Yards is rising, and it will have nearly 200 affordable apartments. Marty — Mr. Brooklyn — and Bruce Ratner, who made it all happen, stand up for a well-deserved round of applause.

“Over the past eleven years, we have beaten the odds, and the obstructionists, over and over again, not just here in Brooklyn, but in neighborhoods all across the city. For instance, back in 2002, we were told that you couldn’t bring crime down any further without locking up more people. But today, murders and shootings are at new record lows — and, so are incarceration rates.

“But as far as we’ve come, our work is not done. We have unfinished business — and only 320 days to complete it. As the countdown clock in City Hall says: we’re going to Make Every Day Count.

“Our goal is not to spend the year cutting ribbons. It’s much bigger than that: Our goal is to advance projects — and start new ones — that will keep our city on the right course for decades to come. And to do that, we’ll take on the toughest jobs — and the most politically difficult jobs.

“The special interests and campaign donors have never had less power than they’ve had over the past 11 years. And this year, we’re going to show just how true that is.

“So let’s all get back to work. City employees: this is not a half day. We’ve only got 320 days left and we’ve got a lot to do.

He has also provided a whole list of records that he is responsible for.  Here’s one of the specific “Records” that Bloomberg is bragging about.

Record Number of Rezonings – With more than 36% of the city now rezoned to increase investment and protect neighborhood character.

(Maybe some of you have been a victim of such rezoning.)

In any case, if you listen (or read) closely or not even very closely—Bloomberg is basically saying that he accomplished everything that he did accomplish despite all the opposition: and that means opposition from citizens, unions, advocacy groups, etc. In other words, despite democratic process and/or the will of the people.. In fact, when democracy gets in Bloomberg’s way, he pays someone to make it disappear.

In his victory speech, he has vowed that he won’t let “the people” or the unions, or the naysayers, or any body for that matter, get in his way in the future. He will bulldoze his will into the public domain and he doesn’t care what people think. He even doesn’t care what you think, dear reader.

He made this quite clear in his run for a third term. (Well, run for a third term is misleading: rather his buying of a third term) He has told people that he has a right to tell you what to eat and how to behave. He has a right to pursue the most racist of policies.  He has the right to tell you what to eat and drink. His police dept. WILL NOT be subject to civilian review.  And you better not say a word about it or he will crush you.

It will interesting to see what Bloomberg does, after leaving Gracie Mansion. He has greatly enriched himself via his guidance of the city, making the markets profitable for his own enterprises. Hopefully the American people will prove less cowed than New Yorkers have been and they will not let this man run for president.

We all know there are words for his personality disorder(s).  Napoleon Complex, anyone?  Caesar-o-mania?

Where is Brutus when you need him?  Hell where is Jimmy Stewart?