(4 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)
Loading ...Mike Bloomberg Receives National Mayoral Leadership Award From The U.S. Conference Of Mayors
Yesterday, Mike Bloomberg was awarded the National Mayoral Leadership Award. He used the opportunity as he has in the past, to praise the leadership of the Mayors and Governors who are fixing the problems we face as a nation. Here is an excerpt, however, the full text is certainly worth the read.
“John F. Kennedy told us, ‘The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.’ That’s what many of us in this room did. We used the good times to save for the future and pay down debt. And when the storm clouds started gathering last year, we tightened our belts. In New York, we put $2.5 billion into a trust fund, beginning in 2006. Last year, we began cutting agency spending by 2.5 percent and we instituted a hiring freeze. But in Washington, they did exactly the opposite.
“They spent most of this decade running up bills with reckless abandon and when the economy started heading for the ditch, the special interest give-always got even bigger. They ate the seed corn without worrying about the next year’s harvest. Well, the next year is here, and the seed corn is gone. All we’ve got is a barn full of I.O.U.s.
“We can’t borrow our way out of this. The jig is up. It’s time to start getting our house in order, which I believe starts with a simple idea: Making decisions based on the business cycle instead of the election calendar.
“We all know that spending decisions in Washington are driven by whatever will attract votes and campaign cash. You can see it in the farm bill: 10 percent of farms – the large agribusinesses – captured 75 percent of the benefits, while the small family farmer got a few crumbs. You can see it in the energy bill, which was also a gift to agribusiness – and the rest of us are paying higher food prices as a result. And you can see it in the response to New Orleans, banks got their mortgages covered, but people still lost their homes.
“We can do better – if we start focusing on stimulus policies that make sense over the long term. Without keeping you here all night, I’d like to touch on a few ways we can do that.
The Mayor closed his speech with “And, Go Giants!” Appropriate, considering how well his bet with the Mayor of Green Bay went.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
This speech was a killer. I loved everything about it except that “Go Giants!” part.
I am, after all, a broken hearted Packers fan…
January 24th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I hear ya GP! But as they always say up there - “The Pack WILL Be BACK!”
And Bloomies “jig is up” is right one!!
Maybe the Giants win is a sign of some sort! Here’s hoping!! Would love to see a Bloomie 30 second spot at the Super Bowl taht would give all eyeballs )and the 2 Parties) a thing or 2 to ponder if they do not get their Sh** Together and stop the shameless palliative pandering that just drives the nation further into the hole.
January 24th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
The Superbowl would be an amazing time to announce. Talk about a dramatic entrance.
That would have everyone talking, but I suspect that he’ll still play it cool until the front runners are more obvious. Unfortunately, that’s after the Superbowl.
The other dynamic (I think) I see is that the flirting with the media over “running/not running” will level when they ask him too much. But then if they don’t, it’ll become more blatant. Always just below the surface, but enough to stay in the public eye.
I’m growing so impatient for Supertuesday. I think the Dem side will be settled by 2/13. By that day, the 2/12 contests will have brought the contest through about two-thirds of the total delegates. Should be mostly clear by then and I think it’ll be Hillary.
The Republican side is more murky, but with lack of money, someone will have to take the lead by then.
And yes, The Pack will always be back
January 24th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
If I were Bloomie, I would not announce -just a quick vid/statement summarizing the frustration with the partisan pandering that the 2 parties have demonstrated and maybe a sutle warning that their could be alternatives if the current partisan panderbearism that ignores the crucial problems continues.
And on Tsunami Tuesday I really think that McCain and Obama (despite the Super Delegate thingy) will be the eventuals. And maybe a Bloomie Super Bowl warning or prospective run may just help/nudge to bring that about in some small way. If so I think we would have a good honest vetting of the issues with McCain vs. Obama and Bloomie probably would not jump in. If not then Bloomie will be ready.
Would love to see 2 brokered conventions (morbid curiosity always betrays me) though, but I agree it will be settled by COB February.
And the Pack forever! Farve or not, Cheeseheads rule!!
January 25th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
[…] key component of Mike Bloomberg’s vision for America was outlined at the recent speech given at the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The short version is that building our nation’s infrastructure is a key to our future, which […]