Linkfest: Moral Defective Watch
They wants the precious…
ITEM: After quietly running for president while insisting that he wasn’t running for president, and after insisting that he had no intention of doing anything other than being a full-time philanthropist after his second term as New York City mayor ends, Michael Bloomberg has suddenly decided — surprise! — that, gosh darn it, he’s just too important not to continue micromanaging every nook and cranny of the city and every decision the people in it make –
Mr. Bloomberg, as part of that effort, commissioned a poll recently to determine whether city voters would be open to lifting the term limits law, which forces him and other elected city officials from office after two four-year terms. The poll found that even as voters approved of his performance as mayor, they would strongly oppose any attempt to undo the limits.
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The deliberations are occurring as the mayor expresses frustration that his agenda is unfinished and that some of his more ambitious proposals, like congestion pricing, have been blocked by lawmakers in Albany. And despite his previous public statements that he is looking forward to focusing on philanthropy full time after leaving office, people who have spoken to Mr. Bloomberg say he has clearly been bitten by the political bug and is not eager to give up the power that comes with elected office.
A hubris-drenched politician becoming hopelessly, disturbingly addicted to power? Who could possibly have seen that coming?
ITEM: Across the Hudson, very very very incumbent New Jersey senator Frank Lautenberg easily survived a primary challenge from fellow Democrat, Representative Rob Andrews. The central issue in the primary was not so much Lautenberg’s age — 84 — but rather his hypocrisy for having used age — 26 years ago — against his first opponent, Millicent Fenwick (aged 72 at the time). Incidentally, the 84-year old Lautenberg is only the third oldest Senator, behind Robert Byrd (90) and Ted Stevens (84). The median age is 70; McCain is 71, Clinton is 60, Barack Obama (third youngest) is 46.
ITEM: Speaking of Hillary Clinton … well, “Hillary Clinton.” Enough said.
Filed under: Politics