Then Along Came Mike Bloomberg

Then along came Mike Bloomberg and his money.

Yes, much to the horror of all those democratic candidates who worked their asses off in the wilds of Iowa and New Hampshire, the former New York City Mayor now appears to be a viable alternative in the race. That's right, who needs to press the flesh in places like Ames and Nashua when you've got billions and billions and you're willing to spend a large chunk of it on a job which, according to ThoughtCo, pays $400,000 a year plus another $169,000 in various expenses.

Depending on who you read, Mr. Bloomberg is worth anywhere from $55 to $61.8 billion. To put it another way his personal wealth is more than the GDP of 125 different countries. Forbes Magazine lists him as the 12th richest individual on the planet Earth.

He isn't afraid to spend it either, especially when he sees something he wants. He ran and won three terms as the NYC Mayor. The first run cost him $74 million, the second, $78 million, and the third $102 million. And that was back in the days when his net worth was around a paltry $40 billion, or so.

No wonder Bernie Sanders, Liz Warren and the rest are accusing him of trying to buy the nomination. He really is.

Mike Bloomberg is also a political chameleon. He spent his early life as a democrat, then before he ran for mayor the first time, as the successor to Rudy Giuliani, he became a republican. By the time he sought a third term he had switched to an independent. Now he is back to being a democrat. To many this seems crass political opportunism. It's a hard charge to deny, especially when your history includes spending $174 per vote out of your own pocket which he did during that third campaign.

Of course Bloomberg didn't exactly make a play for minority voters when he was Mayor. He justified his, "stop and frisk," policy by saying, "95% of murders--murderers and murder victims fit one MO. You can just take the description, Xerox it, and pass it out to all the cops. They are male minorities, 16-25. That's true in New York, that's true in virtually every city. And that's where the real crime is. You've got to get the guns out of the hands of people who are getting killed. So you want to spend the money on a lot of cops in the streets. Put those cops where the crime is, which means in minority neighborhoods."

Putting cops where the crime is might be one thing, but stopping and frisking someone just because of the color of their skin is quite another. The words, "probable cause," come to mind for one. as does the term, "profiling."

Everyone from Bernie Sanders to Donald John Trump have savaged the former Mayor for his crime stopper campaign. The last couple of weeks Bloomberg has apologized often and profusely for the, "stop and frisk," policy. He has also bombarded the airwaves with ads which prominently feature Barack Obama praising him for his extensive gun control advocacy. The spots imply the former President has endorsed his candidacy, which he hasn't.

In three national polls taken on February 11th, Mike Bloomberg is now in third place and rising. He's done it without appearing in a single debate, or running in either Iowa, or New Hampshire, not to mention ignoring the upcoming Nevada caucuses and South Carolina primary. In short his campaign has gone all in on Super Tuesday when 14 different states will hold democratic primaries.

It is a massive bet, but as we know, he has the money to back it.

Bloomberg's ascendance is certainly a testimony to his cash flow. On the other hand it is also an indication the democrats are in disarray. The party is utterly conflicted about moving toward Sanders' Euro style socialism, or back to the center. Warren, a sort of Sanders lite, is fading. The Senator from Vermont has managed to disenchant what should be a major part of his base in Nevada, the Culinary Workers Union in Las Vegas--a huge hint his mandatory medicare for all might not play well in November. In addition, like it not, there is an elephant standing in Pete Buttigieg's living room while Amy Klobuchar still seems to lack the needed traction. As for Joe Biden, his age seems to have caught up with him. His response to the Ukrainian mess has been weak as have his debate performances.

Into this maelstrom steps Michael Bloomberg and his cash. The good news is he knows how to answer DJT's Twitter abuse. When Trump tweeted an insult, Bloomberg answered in kind by calling the current resident of the White House a, "carnival barking clown." The bad news is Mr. Bloomberg is still a billionaire who gets whatever he wants no matter what it takes.

Remember that third term as mayor? At the time NYC law said he couldn't run more than twice. Mr. Bloomberg avoided the inconvenience with cash and political favors to the right people. After the checks were cashed the city council changed the law, which was then signed into effect by, you guessed it, the sitting Mayor, Michael Bloomberg.

Ladies and gentlemen we have a devil we know. The question is, are we willing to challenge him with one who, deep down, has the same sort of ego?


sic vita est


2-14-20