It's never a minor thing to overturn elections or upend standing constitutional amendments. But that's just what the NYC Council and Mayor Bloomberg did in 2008. The argument - at least from the Bloomberg angle - was that we needed this genius business executive to stay in office to steer us through the economic calamity (the City Council had no excuse other than to keep their jobs). No other New Yorker could do that. He was the only man among the 8 million who could do it.
So he and the City Council overturned the twice voter approved City Charter amendment to limit the mayor to two terms. The result? New York City now has a far higher unemployment rate than national average - 10%. New York State's rate, minus NYC, is far lower. Over the last three years, the NYC unemployment rate has increased, even as the nation's has slowly dropped. Buffalo has a better employment climate than NYC. Buffalo!!!
In nearly every recession since WWII, NYC has lead the nation in economic recovery, not lagged it. Why is this time different? Leadership, of course. While the Mayor and his staff spend the majority of their time trying to stamp out smoking in China, New Yorkers suffer. While the Mayor and his staff focus on his Foundation, New Yorkers cannot find work and the city loses jobs. While the Mayor and his staff focus on Florida's gun laws, trans fats, sodium, bike lanes and smoking, New York's road and bridges crumble. New York's tolls and subway fares increase. His record on education - his top priority when first elected - is abysmal. His pension giveaways to the City's unions in his first two terms will bankrupt the city for decades to come. His dysfunctional and mediocre staff ignore and abet scandal after scandal, costing the city billions.
It would be one thing to have perverted democracy for a competent leader. But to have permitted the coup with this result and for this incompetent Bostonian, is just plain embarrassing.
Russell Harding
Comments