New York City Mayor Bloomberg, who is kind of a liberal except when it inconveniences him or disrupts his power in any way, appears on the verge of a nervous breakdown after the City Council bravely
passed, with veto-proof majorities, two pieces of legislation in the middle of the night "aimed at increasing oversight of the Police Department and expanding New Yorkers’ ability to sue over racial profiling by officers."
Bloomberg has been in a state of hysteria for the past few days over this. He
proudly stood next to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, a world renowned fearmongerer, as the latter actually said, "Take heart, al-Qaeda wannabes" in response to these mild legislative proposals that would name an inspector general to provide oversight to the NYPD and allow victims of several forms of police profiling - most notably in the context of the infamous and demonstrably racist "stop-and-frisk" policy - to file lawsuits.
Many are the "al-Qaeda wannabes" (I like to call them AQW's) who have just been
waiting for these monumental breakthroughs: a mayor-appointed police watchdog and increased protection for victims of discrimination. Now they can unleash hell.
Speaking before the votes, Bloomberg saw Kelly's baseless and desperate speculation and raised him:
“What are you going to say at the next eulogy you have to give after these bills are passed when the family is 100% convinced that had you not passed this bill, their child would still be alive?” Bloomberg asked Council members as they prepared to vote. “This is not a game. This is a life-threatening thing.”
YEAH, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY AT THE NEXT EULOGY?
After the votes, Bloomberg reiterated that this was a matter of "life and death" and
slammed this "harmful" and "dangerous" legislation that will hinder the NYPD's ability to "protect New Yorkers." In Bloombergian logic, you see, "protect New Yorkers" means "operate with zero oversight, and profile at will."
This is Bloomberg at his absolute worst: contemptuous of democracy, hysterically paranoid about the potential for even the slightest checks on his power, entirely disconnected from the day-to-day lives of the people of New York. It's actually good that he can't help but reveal his fascist side every now and then, because it reminds liberals that, despite his support for gun control and gay rights (which requires no political courage whatever), he's still a declared enemy of the people and he always will be.
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Thursday was a glorious day in New York for another reason. The City Council again defied the Centrist Tyrant by overriding his unconscionable veto of legislation that would require city businesses with over 20 employees to offer paid sick leave for workers. Bloomberg is very rich, and his friends and family are all rich, so naturally he doesn't give a shit about paid sick leave, and he's fought this legislation tooth-and-nail for years. It's really fun to watch him lose.
{Originally posted at www.justindoolittle.net}