(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...We The People Will Be In Oklahoma on the 7th - Join the Draft Bloomberg movement!
We The People love to lament how our government doesn’t get it right on Education, Health Care, Foreign Policy, Climate Change and just about everything else. The question we need to ask ourselves is what are we willing to do about it?
Once every four years, We The People choose who will manage the 13 trillion dollar enterprise that is America. We decide who will fix our schools, fix our health care, promote our international interests and image, and guide our economic development. This is a powerful and compelling responsibility that sometimes requires us to look beyond our job, list of chores, errands to run, and business meetings.
If you are as disappointed as we are with the current crop of candidates, then it’s time to learn more about Mike Bloomberg.
On January 7th, Mike Bloomberg is meeting with an array of experienced politicians who are sick of the partisan war. They too, are sick of a government that does not get it right. The plan, spelled out in the Washington Post, is to draft an agreement to move forward, but this plan is lacking something.
The element missing from this high-powered meeting is us. We The People.
This is why I just bought tickets to go to Oklahoma. I will be reporting from there live on behalf of the Draft Bloomberg team.
Mind you, I am a volunteer - there are no deep pockets helping us out here. I am paying for this out of my pocket because I am sick and tired of politics as usual, and as a citizen I believe it is my duty to do something about it.
All you have to do is get involved - together all of us can change the direction of this country. You can take the first step by signing the Draft Bloomberg petition.
Happy New Year on behalf of the Draft Bloomberg team.
2008 will be our year.
December 31st, 2007 at 9:04 pm
YES! Wish I could be there with you.
January 1st, 2008 at 2:10 am
I’m very interested in hearing you report back on this, Andrew.
-Chris
January 1st, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Interested in the report. We need to keep up the pressure to let Mike know America needs him now. Last night I was touting Mike Bloomberg to a friend who had never voted because of his disgust with the two party system - and he said he would vote for the first time if Bloomberg runs. I am mildly concerned with a comment that heard him make to Ryan Seacrest last night - where he said “I will not run for President” I’m hoping it was just to get the media off of his back for now.
January 1st, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Somehow I think that when Mike Bloomberg makes the decision to run, he isn’t going to announce it to Ryan Seacrest. That being said, the MTV-voter can make or break this election!
January 1st, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I think Mike B. would be foolish to do an independent initiative unless it is to create the basis for the only logical outcome — to be a VP nominee. I see him paired with Obama on the Democratic side and Colin Powell paired with Huckabee on the Republican side. It will be the year of reaching for the center.
The Nader experience shows that in today’s 50/50 divided electorate, an independent candidacy is anathema to the losing party.
If the goal is to put the nation on a bipartisan, progressive track, then Bloomberg would be a logical choice for Obama who is clearly identified with such a trajectory.
I think his “candidacy” is ultimately a bid for the second spot. He has not paid the dues needed to be considered as an alternative to the main candidates of either party. And a third party risks defeating whatever altruistic purpose he might have in running at all.
January 1st, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Ok Stephen, then tell me what has Obama done to “pay his dues” to be a main candidate? Bloomberg has run a government that is bigger than most US states for the past 6 years - I’ll take that experience over Obama’s 4 years as a junior Senator every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I don’t dislike Obama - but when it comes down to it - I see him as just another tax-and-spend liberal.
I’m sick of the tired process where candidates pander to the extremes during the primary seasons then morph into the “center” to try to woo independent voters like myself, Andrew and the others in this movement. I want a true independent candidate for once.
And Bloomberg is no Nader. Nader was a fringe candidate that catered only to the extreme left. Bloomberg will run as a true centrist.
January 1st, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Bloomberg is not going to spend a billion dollars to be VP. He’s also not going to pair up with a Democrat. If he gets in the ring, it will be a unifying ticket with a Southwestern conservative, most likely Chuck Hagel. You’ve not been following these developments very closely.
What you suggest about Nader and other independents is far from a realistic comparison.
Think about this. There are several monumental differences between Michael Bloomberg and Ralph Nader and Ross Perot. Besides several billion dollars (yes, there are even several billion dollars difference between Bloomberg and Perot). For one, Bloomberg is a presentable fellow that doesn’t act like a fringe whack-job in front of a camera. But that’s just a matter of personality. Mike Bloomberg is different in several other significant ways.
1.) Ross Perot is a cheap-skate, Mike Bloomberg puts his money where his mouth is. Sure, Perot self financed, but only ledged to spend a mere $65M on his campaign, and then got cheap, ran no TV advertising at all, and spent only half his budget. Nader never had the financing to begin with. Mike Bloomberg spent over $180M on New York mayoral races. Should he get in the presidential race, he is expected to spend between $500M and $2B on an independent run. Never underestimate the power of money.
2.) Bloomberg knows the power of an endorsement. He is discreetly (and sometimes not so discreetly) lining up major names from both parties, as well as other prominent business figures to step up and endorse him, when/if he decides to enter the race. Perot and Nader had none of that. None. When heavy hitters defect their own party to endorse Bloomberg’s candidacy, it is going to be a serious game changer.
Take a country that now has a larger non-affiliated independent voter population than either major party. Wide-spead disenchantment with both parties. Very big name defections from both major parties endorsing a third party candidate, and put a very competent and pragmatic self-made billionaire on the ticket who’s willing to spend a very big piece of his own personal fortune to run for office and you’ve got a serious contender.
If you want to learn what some politicians of both parties, business leaders and other significant public individuals have been saying about a potential independent run for the presidency by Michael Bloomberg, look here:
http://www.RunMikeRun.com
There are also videos there of Bloomberg speaking on various issues, and other information.
Best regards,
Chris
January 1st, 2008 at 6:57 pm
My response above was in reply to Stephen Rose’s comment.
January 2nd, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Kevin…Take a look at the David Brooks column in todays NYTimes comparing the approach of Obama and Hillary Clinton. I was impressed by the description of Obama operating with an approach which is hardly traditional. As far as I am concerned this is not a contest about who is better Obama or MB. The issue is whether we have a three-way split in the electorate and what that would result in if it were to happen. I think few of us would be happy with the result — save perhaps those who want the Republican nominee to emerge victorious with a little over a third of the popular vote. I actually think my idea is sort of inspired: Obama-Bloomberg. When it comes down to it, wouldn’t you vote for it.
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:39 am
Obama is on the record saying he would raise taxes if elected. Even Hillary hasn’t gone that far yet. Raising taxes is THE WORST thing that you can do when your economy is teetering on a recession.
Sorry, but I trust Mike’s experience of being a self-made billionaire and steward of one of the nation’s largest economies over a first term senator to design economic policy.
I used to lean Republican until that platform was hijacked by the extreme right. Trust me, Bloomberg will draw his fare share of fiscal conservatives like me who would otherwise vote for the Republican but are disgusted with the partisanship that has divided this country.
This country needs a fundamental change in the way we select our president. Aren’t you tired of having the 30th and 41st most populous states (Iowa and New Hampshire) always choosing our candidates?
Nothing against the fine people of Iowa and New Hampshire - but I’m tired of having to vote in November for the guy I dislike less when I didn’t get to choose either one in the first place.
If the system is broken, it is up to us to fix it. We need Mike Bloomberg!
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:31 am
Kevin and Stephen,
Why bother having a divisive argument like this? It’s clear from Stephen’s language that he would support Mike Bloomberg’s run from a center-left position. And it is clear that kevin, you support Mike Bloomberg from a center-right position.
We need to build on where we agree with each other. First things first, our leadership is failing because none are capable manager. Lawyers aren’t CEOs! Secondly, to few are willing to reach across the partisan divide, to cut wasteful spending and do the right thing. Thirdly, none of the people currently running has achieved even close to the same results as Mike Bloomberg in government or in the private sector.
I honestly have no idea who will be his VP, but what I do know, is that we need unity right now more than we need anything. Will you UniteForMike?
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Andrew – I was merely trying to point out that Bloomberg will draw from would-be Republican voters as well using me as a prime example as a voter who typically (although by no means always) leaned Republican. I felt it was necessary to give reasons why I would not be very likely to get excited about an Obama Presidency.
I realize that right now the purpose here is to get as many people, who will notably have varying political persuasions, on board with a Bloomberg campaign in order to convince him and his people that we need him to run. I understand this – and certainly my point is not to be divisive. However, if and when Mayor Bloomberg does jump into this campaign - we can and must agree to debate the issues AND still pledge to the ideals of Unity and non partisanship. I’m not going to agree with Mike Bloomberg on EVERY issue, but I support his candidacy for the simple reason that he’s best for the job.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
[...] but he will need your help. Mike must pick up endorsements by many of the politicians attending the January 7th, Oklahoma University event. Mike must also gain the support of people willing stand up and demand change. We the people must [...]
January 4th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Andrew MacRae wrote:
“First things first, our leadership is failing because none are capable manager. Lawyers aren’t CEOs!”
You hit the nail right on the head, there.