I kinda like Bloomberg

[AlexSFCA]

I’ve always liked him and I think he was the best NYC mayor, totally turned the city around. I like his non-ideologic atheistic pragmatic worldview, like most of his positions - strong and effective on gun control, understands that healthcare is not just having health insurance, etc. I can see him building high speed rails across US and more. It matters not one bit to me that he is spending his own money. Good for him.

[mopinko]

1. he's done a lot of good things, and stood up to some big lobbies.

we tried the soda tax here in chicago, and it was a trollfest. they backed down.

and we all loved beto for his stance on guns, but bloomie has walked that walk.

i dunno. i have the same opinion i have of most of our candidates- the more dems out there bashing trump and talking to voters and running cutting ads, the better.

at least he is actually rich.

[AlexSFCA]

5. My understanding that he is in it to win it

I agree with him, none of the current candidates will be able to beat trump, at least not on their own. I’m hoping if Bloomberg doesnt get the nomination, he’ll help the nominee. He can spend billions on purchasing airtime and facebook completely shutting off trump’s and russian disinformation.
The biggest problem with current dems, they are not at all prepared for military grade disinformation to be rolled out funded by foreign countries and hacking, email dumps, etc. That will dominate the “news”. 2016 was just practice, we are now talking possibly about outright voting machine fraud, strategically placed.

[liskddksil]

2. How is he strong and effective on Gun Control when he literally endorsed GOP Senators

including Pat Toomey that are a vote for Mitch McConnell and against any hope of gun reform until he is no longer majority leader? He also endorsed George W. Bush who let the assualt weapons ban expire. Bloomberg is all talk and no action.

[TwilightZone]

4. He outspent the NRA in Virginia to help Dems win

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/06/mike-bloombergs-gun-control-outspends-nra-helps-democrats-win-virginia.html

I'm not a fan of his presidential run, but that pretty clearly signifies "action".

[StevieM]

16. Bush was horrible and Bloomberg's support of him is disqualifying IMO.

Never-the-less, it was more the fault of the GOP congress that the assault weapons ban expired. Had they voted to extend it, I believe that Bush had indicated that he would sign the bill.

[DrToast]

43. Pat Toomey? Of Manchin-Toomey?

That guy?

[liskddksil]

44. Yeah, that guy (Toomey) who's continued support for Massacre Mitch ensures

no further action even on something like Manchin-Tommey which was a weak-sauce, bare minimum, pat-your self on the back and say you did something kind of bill to begin with. That means no Universal Background checks, no Red Flag Laws, No bans on high-capacity magazines, no ban on assault weapons, no closing of loopholes, no voluntary or mandatory buybacks. Nadda zip. Nothing.

[Lexee]

3. Saying there does not need to be an increase in a minimum wage that has sat stagnate is

offensive.

[Thekaspervote]

8. Was going to post that myself! Vote for me, a billionaire, but no you can't have a living wage

Thinks legalization of marijuana is the dumbest thing ever suggested.

Stop telling me these guys aren't good buddies. I've got a hundred more of these.

@realDonaldTrump and @MikeBloomberg have been two peas in a pod for decades.

Link to tweet

[AlexSFCA]

14. there are pictures like that of Bill and Hillary

and many other dems. It doesn’t say much. Trump was an entertainer and his NYC based show required permission to film from Bloomberg.

[Thekaspervote]

18. Bloomberg has called dotard a grifter a con... yet this?? Not buyin it

Not to mention Bill and Hillary were NEVER republicans

And as mentioned in post #17 he supported bush Cheney... still think that’s okay?

[Amimnoch]

21. Actually, as much as I'm loath to dig up that old pile of bullshit, but Hillary

Was Republican early on. Her Goldwater support was crap flung by sanders people much during ‘16.

[Lexee]

23. HRC was a teenager. I would loath digging that up too.

[Thekaspervote]

28. +++

[The Valley Below]

9. To be fair, his plan is to raise earned income tax credits to achieve the same effect

for workers that they would see from an increased minimum wage.

He believes that an EITC increase would not cut job growth they way a minimum wage increase might.

I'm not saying I agree, but his position is far more nuanced that simply saying he's against minimum wage increases.

[Thekaspervote]

11. He has actually stated he is against $15 minimum wage

[The Valley Below]

13. Correct. As I said, the wants to raise the EITC instead. Same net effect for workers

according to him, without the job-killing aspects off a minimum wage increase.

Don't shoot the messenger.

I just know his plan involves more than opposing an increased minimum wage.

Take home pay would be increased via an EITC according to Bloomberg.

[Thekaspervote]

20. Not wanting to shot the messenger! I understand what you are saying

I do not trust him... too much baggage

[The Valley Below]

31. I'm not suggesting you trust him. He's not my guy.

I'm only aware that he's talking about using a different mechanism to raise the take home pay of low income workers.

I don't know much about EITCs. Can't say if it is a good idea or a terrible one.

[Lexee]

22. At minimum wage will be the least affected with something like this because they earn so little

that EITC would not have much affect on their total number, opposed to the more middle and upper middle income.

[The Valley Below]

24. I belive that the EITC only applies to low income workers, depending on the number of children

and not at all to those on middle and upper middle incomes.

No expert here.

[Thekaspervote]

25. Thank you for the clarification

[Lexee]

29. So if old and simply making minimum wage, this doesn't do much.

Even older people and people without kids need a living wage instead of a stagnated minimum wage.

No. That doesn't work for me.

[The Valley Below]

32. I believe that anyone making minimum wage--by definition--would qualify under his plan

to be part of an EITC scheme. Not claiming any expertise here. It is designed for low income workers.

[Lexee]

33. Thanks, I googled EITC.

[The Valley Below]

34. Then you are probably already more expert than I. LOL.

[jrthin]

6. As a New Yorker, no! Bloomberg was not the best mayor.

He was arrogant and obnoxious. During the lead up to the Iraq war, he started the "penned-in" movement or caging of protesters. He made life for men of color a hell, as he vigorously enforced the "stop and frisk"policy. Further, he helped to erode the public schools. In my opinion, he was and is awful!

[AlexSFCA]

10. he dramatically reduced violent crime

and facilitated large scale gentrification that made NYC a more livable city.

[AlexSFCA]

12. post 9/11 was such a difficult time

for a mayor of NYC in particular. I won’t blame him for that particular period. I also forgave HRC and Biden for their actual votes to authorize the war. They underestimated gop.

[appalachiablue]

19. Stop and Frisk, he was blasted for it and other procedures

[AlexSFCA]

26. what about public schools?

From Wiki: Education
Bloomberg replaced the school board set up by the state with direct mayoral control over public education.[96] He raised the salaries of teachers by fifteen percent[97] while the test scores of students in the city and the graduation rate rose as well.[98] He opposes social promotion, stating that students should be promoted only when they are adequately prepared for the next grade level. He favors after-school programs to help students who are behind. As mayor, Bloomberg strengthened the cell-phone ban in schools.[99]

Is it not correct? Looks good to me, no?

[liskddksil]

42. Where to to even begin with this one. Sure if you like school privatization

out-of-control standardized testing, corporate education reform and charter schools, Bloomberg is right up your ally. If you believe in Public education, definitely look elsewhere.

[rickford66]

7. I believe the tallest candidate usually wins.

[rickford66]

30. You're over 5'7" and the tallest guy will still win.

[appalachiablue]

35. Remove their shoe lifts! :) Tough choice, ha

[rickford66]

38. You're not supposed to expose this secret

[Polybius]

37. Oh no, let's hope not!

Trump isn't as tall as he says, but he's still taller than our top 4.

[StevieM]

17. He supported Bush/Cheney in 2004.

That is all I need to know in order to conclude that he should not be the Democratic nominee and he should not be president.

[CentralMass]

27. No thanks.

[Laffy Kat]

36. A billionaire? No. Just, no. nt

[redqueen]

39. "The former mayor of New York is less popular than Donald Trump"

Polls show you're somehow not the only one, but



https://www.economist.com/united-states/2019/11/28/michael-bloombergs-unlikely-presidential-candidacy

[lark]

40. He's not the worst person in the world, for sure.

I, however, do not trust him one bit. Stop and Frisk is a step too far for me to forgive. Yes, he's better than criminal traitor tot, but so is almost everyone human with a well functioning brain. I will only ever vote for him if he's the candidate in the general, and I certainly don't expect that.

[Dem4Life1102]

41. You like someone who

supported the racist stop and frisk policy?

who illegally imprisoned protesters during the 2004 GOP convention?

who is against raising the minimum wage?

who increased taxes on middle class homeowners while cutting taxes for himself and the wealthy?

[MrsCoffee]

45. And who gave millions to some of the worst humans ever to walk the earth.

[Hortensis]

46. Yes, as billionaires trying to buy party nominations go,

he's my favorite so far. And if China were to decide to intervene on his behalf, I'd probably consider that preferable to Russia also. Or not.

[tenderfoot]

47. LOL

[BannonsLiver]

48. I kind of can't stand him.

Different strokes.

[Quackers]

49. I hope you're not homeless. If you are, don't you dare fly first class into his city to grift. nt

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287359710