History is replete with examples of society’s delicate civil fabric ripped asunder by strongmen doing what comes natural; accumulating political power to themselves. The ancient folly that morphed republican Greece and Rome into horrific tyrannies presents today’s active ingredients for struggles in Africa and Central America; abysmal conflict between stasis and status, government and governed, doyen and dunce tumbles on and on, sometimes bloody, but always emotionally charged. Desirous of the extraordinary ability certain individuals can bring to the table, but fearful of being swallowed whole, a vigilant citizenry attempts to limit the amount of time these powerful predators can feed in public waters - the key word here is “attempts.”

Michael Bloomberg with his disarming Howdy Doody smile exudes all the charm of a deep water shark relentlessly plying the icy North Atlantic. Just recently, in a shocking breach of public trust, he swam across the Rubicon, chewing through the safety net incumbent weary voters were comfortably tucked behind. The justification? “Who needs term limits when a man of my talent is working for you for free, or to be more accurate, a mere buck a year. Why? Because I love you .” The implied point comes across with all the earnestness Bostonians reserve for their brethren New Yorkers.

But an Internet skeptic might surf to
http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Michael_Bloomberg where the inferences suggest, the man has read Benjamin Franklin’s bio, and took profuse notes: for instance, are the morning subway rides extractions of Ben’s early morning wheelbarrow walks?
And Bloomberg’s statement, “People say I have my name all over town because I need to feed my ego,” he said in 1994. “Actually, it’s because that’s the way to build brand recognition.”(Hass, Nancy, “Bloomberg! Bloomberg! Bloomberg!” The Forward, Sept. 23, 1994.), echos of Ben Franklin urging tireless self promotion? As the Internet profile takes form, Bloomberg the man comes through as a supercilious egotist, Old Ben Franklin rolled into Marcus Licinius Crassus.

But, http://pdf.forbes.com/2001/05/02/0502facescan_print.html is the show stopper: Forbes Faces: May 2, 2001. Here we learn Michael Bloomberg was worth $4 billion before he took the oath of office. Directly below him on that same page is a photo of Silvio Berlusconi, prime minister of Italy, and at the time Berlusconi’s net worth of $13 billion dwarfed that of Bloomberg’s. A subsequent search revealed that today, eight years later, Bloomberg is worth $17 billion, and Berlusconi $9 billion. Clearly, Bloomberg grew much fatter feeding in New York waters then Silvio Berlusconi did by gulping down all the Mediterranean fish he could find. It’s hard not to notice that New York City, Bloomberg’s eight year charge, had no such astronomical rise of fortune; prosperity is now a fading shadow in the rearview mirror. In fact, downright dystopia is in the wind; as far as the dollar a year deal goes, you get what you pay for - we got screwed and he got $13 billion richer. Rather then a benevolent pater, the man who loves us is just one more sticky fingered media mogul grasping the goose laying golden eggs as tightly as he can, and will never let it go. –joseph tiraco

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The Independence party has become the billionaires first mens club. The Mayor and Tom Golisano with other rich men have bought the line. Who ever they want for any office they get. Both are not even members of the party. The two leaders of the party, Frank Mackay and Tom Connelly are all about money and power. They want everyone else to waste their time while they are making deals with Dictators. They learned this from their cult friends and the Republicans. What happened upstate was in the making for a longer time then what they said. There is no doubt in my mind that the Mayor had a hand in it. He and his rich friends want to take over the state and then the country. So they believe in their minds that they are the only ones who can save this country. It was the rich who got into this mess in the first place. This move upstate sounds like a Newmanite move. The Independence acting like the other two parties. Power, money and special interests. This country will never get better if the interests of the people and not the interests of power hungry Billionaires continues. Empires eventually fall. Grow up and come back down to Earth. I,m sure money was given for the legal services for the two Democrats. Money talks. Last Mister Mayor have some ethics and stop buying everyone off, you look like Elliot Spitzer and his hookers, which reminds me how is that pimp Fred Newman and his madam jackie Salit. Do you have any pride.

–Pam

A clean sweep every eight years, that’s US law, and that’s New York City law.  Bloomberg and
his stable of stooges today played out a Shakespearian tragedy on the steps of City Hall:  a
diaphanous scene where the prince seizes the crown and places it on his own head while courtiers
and jesters egg him on. The police barge in to pledge their loyalty to the prince, judges disgrace
themselves and media moguls begin to spoon feed the swill to the masses.  The whole thing
promises to end very badly, and unruly onlookers shower the players with a chorus of BOOS.

–joseph tiraco

Don’t forget to VOTE on Primary Day, Tuesday September 9, 2008. We are busy chasing down the facts. Check back here for a look at the Queens County Primary Day ballot. Lots of surprises.