Bloomberg Wants A Kinder, Gentler Government
January 7, 2008 – 2:12 pm“Our political system is, at the least, badly bent and many are concluding that it is broken at a time where America must lead boldly at home and abroad. People have stopped working together, government is dysfunctional, there’s no collaborating and congeniality.”
13 Responses to “Bloomberg Wants A Kinder, Gentler Government”
My dear late mother would no doubt kvell to learn that a guy named Bloomberg is even being talked about as a presidential candidate. It would surely ease her disappointment that her own son never achieved such a distinction.
Nevertheless, and despite my admiration for Mayor Mike (and his money), it ain’t never gonna happen.
Yes, he could finance his entire campaign and owe no debt to anyone or any group and isn’t that the kind of unencumbered president we want?
But, despite Obama’s Iowa boom, which has stirred visions of an enlightened electorate, I can assure you that even if Bloomberg decides to run, there will be no dreidl spinning on the White House lawn…no matzo balls and chopped liver served at state dinners, and certainly no yarmulkes worn at Saturday press conferences.
Americans may be ready to consider a black man as president. And a woman (even if that woman isn’t Hillary). But I don’t believe they’ll accept a member of my tribe in the White House.
That enlightened, they ain’t.
By Steve Levine on Jan 7, 2008
Do you believe a third party candidate has a better chance of being elected President than a Jew?
By Joshua Rosenstock on Jan 7, 2008
Sorry to say, yes.
A third-party candidate would have serious obstacles and a hard time. But he’d be fighting only the two major parties. With a powerful message, enough money and a disaffected electorate, he could succeed.
A Jewish candidate, on the other hand, would be fighting entrenched anti-Semitism among VOTERS, which would need only a Jewish candidate to rear its ugly head. Plus a fear that the Israeli lobby would have an even stronger voice in American policy.
Yes, a third-party candidate would have an easier time.
By Steve Levine on Jan 7, 2008
This is exactly what I was referring to.
A Jewish candidate for president would unleash this behavior all across the country:
http://wcbstv.com/local/jewish.graves.desecrated.2.624707.html
By Steve Levine on Jan 7, 2008
Unfortunately, the urban city where I matriculated has plenty of troubled individuals that have nothing better to do than commit these types of criminal acts.
Do you expect to see a similar backlash against blacks should Obama get the nomination?
By Joshua Rosenstock on Jan 7, 2008
No. That might have been true at one time, but the bigoted and ignorant in this country now seem to reserve their hatred for Jews.
This act has nothing to do with idleness.
Make no mistake: this was a bias crime.
By Steve Levine on Jan 7, 2008
Maybe someone who projected the essence of a 45-year-old Paul Newman (but a non-actor) could pull it off. A guy whose looks and name weren’t too obviously Jewish, and he couldn’t have too much money– hundreds of millions just wouldn’t do.
If the son of immigrants from India can be elected governor of Louisiana, of all places, there’s hope that a Jew could get elected President.
They used to say a Catholic would never occupy the White House, until Jack Kennedy proved them wrong (of course it helped to have a father rich enough to buy the right precincts in Illinois).
A real mensch who had the right combination of masculinity, looks (blue eyes probably a requirement), and affable personality might do it.
Sadly, he couldn’t possibly be from NYC.
It would have to be some place like Iowa or Indiana.;-)
By Vince Williams on Jan 7, 2008
Oh, I left out the hair. He’s gotta have the right hair.;-)
By Vince Williams on Jan 7, 2008
Steve,
I agree; more likely than not, this was no random act of violence and a religious object was targeted specifically.
Vince,
Thanks for supporting my candidacy but I’ll have to turn your request that I run for President down.
By Joshua Rosenstock on Jan 7, 2008
Once again, my fantasies are dashed.
If Obama gets elected, and does a good job, I think a Jewish Black Lesbian Woman would have a shot the next go-round.;-)
By Vince Williams on Jan 7, 2008
There you go Vince….shoot for the moon!!
Oy Vey!!
By DAD on Jan 8, 2008
In this political climate, why not, D__?;-)
By Vince Williams on Jan 8, 2008
Following up my Comment #4…
The scum — four youths ages 15-17 — who desecrated those gravestones in a Jewish cemetery, have been found and arrested.
Amazingly, the Prosecutor’s Office has stated that:
“While the investigation is ongoing, the facts as presently known do not indicate that the damage caused was an attempt to intimidate, target or harm the Jewish community,” the release said. “The facts as presently known do not indicate that these juveniles were part of or otherwise acted under the direction of an organized gang or hate group.”
That statement is outrageous! You don’t need to be part of an organized gang or group to commit a hate crime. These aimless, ignorant, vicious hoodlums — TEENAGERS, who knew exactly what they were doing — chose a JEWISH cemetery. Hardly a coincidence.
In two separate assaults, they toppled or broke OVER 200 headstones, once of which weighed over 2,000 pounds. About 60 of the stones were fractured.
The status of the boys will be determined next week. They face charges of conspiracy to commit desecration of venerated objects, desecration of venerated objects and criminal mischief related to the incidents of Jan. 1 and Jan. 4.
I will be watching this story closely, but in advance of any determination by the Court, I strongly urge the local authorities to present the bill for repairing the damage to the parents of these vandals.
By Steve Levine on Jan 10, 2008