NYC is for Sale (version 2.0)

Something WEIRD happened with the first version of this diary. At first I couldn't even DELETE the sucker. Finally managed it. SO, trying again here.

I saw footage on NY1 of Billionaires for Bush "supporting" Bloomberg, handing out dollar bills with Bloomberg's face on it in parody of the farce that is the NYC mayor's race. Tens of millions of dollars are being spent by a billionaire to beat an underfunded challenger who is trying to win by meeting and talking to voters. Money versus listening to voters. Guess who is winning?

New York City is up for sale. Yep, all of it. It is being bought by a representative of rich developers, someone who will make secret deals, with no public input, for rich developers, selling them our homes from under us. And he threatens to use eminent domain to force us to sell our homes to these private developers. New York City is for sale and the highest bidder is Michael Bloomberg.

Freddy Ferrer is running a solidly grassroots campaign fueled by volunteers and small donations. Michael Bloomberg is simply trying to buy the city wholesale for rich developers and for the Republican party. And have no illusions about Bloomberg not being a "real" Republican. Just because he is far better than Bush does not mean that he isn't a real Republican.

First of all, his stand on First Amendment rights is EXACTLY in line with the Bush administration. He arrests protesters. He calls protesters "terrorists." That "terrorist" accusation applies to my wife and me, who protested the Republican Convention. And also remember what the "terrorist" label can mean in America today--detention without due process and even torture. That is what "terrorist" means in America today and Bloomberg accused my wife and me of being terrorists. So, on the most basic level Bloomberg seems solidly Republican to me. His education plan is much like Bush's "No Child Left Behind" scheme which tests kids more but fails to provide money to address the problems revealed by testing. Here is an Americans for Democratic Action article on Bloomberg and Education.

But there is more. Bloomberg, in his own words, puts himself in the Bush camp. Here is footage of Bloomberg at the Republican Convention solidly endorsing Bush for President.

In this, he is endorsing the entire Bush agenda, from the Iraq war to torture to corruption. Bloomberg is aligning himself solidly with Bush in that video. Did he qualify? No. He endorsed.

Finally, there are Bloomberg's donations. Michael Bloomberg donated $7 million to the Republican Convention. Remember, this is the convention where they wrapped themselves in 9/11 and used it to justify the Iraq invasion. Did Michael Bloomberg complain about what they did with his money? NO! He endorsed Bush and arrested protesters. But he also donated $250,000 (more than any Republican Congressperson by about a factor of 5) to Tom DeLay's PAC--the one whose STATED purpose is to further the conservative agenda, including anti-choice, anti-environment, Iraq war, etc. He was one of the biggest donors to DeLay's PAC, the same PAC whose corruption has led to DeLay's indictment. Bloomberg has also contributed to some of the most anti-abortion Republican Congressmen in the nation as well as to Bush himself.

Michael Bloomberg has verbally and financially supported the Bush agenda and his actions on Civil Liberties and education closely parallel Bush's. What more do New Yorkers need to see that this man has allied himself to the most corrupt and mean-spirited Republican administration of my lifetime.

Bloomberg's views on the poor, homosexuals and women also seem very Republican, if not nearly as bad as Bush's. To see some of his more sexist and obnoxious statements, please see this diary.

For more information on Bloomberg's REAL record, as opposed to the record his millions of dollars is buying for him, please check out Truth on Bloomberg.

In sharp contrast to the slick, multi-million dollar attempt to purchase NYC, Freddy Ferrer is conducting a solidly grassroots campaign. In collaboration with national figures like Howard Dean, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Jesse Jackson and John Edwards, as well as local figures and groups like Major Owens, Letitia James, Chuck Schumer, Daily Gotham, Democracy for NYC, New Democratic Majority and Working Families Party, Freddy Ferrer is walking the streets of every Borough meeting people, making his case personally and actually listening to average New Yorkers. Michael Bloomberg hasn't listened to any average person for decades. Freddy Ferrer is running a people-centered campaign, supported by the most progressive grassroots groups in our city.

If you want to hear what Howard Dean, John Kerry and others are saying about Ferrer, please go here.

And here is a quote from one of Brooklyn's favorite Progressives, Chris Owens, endorsing Ferrer:

As Democrats, we believe that Mayor Bloomberg has done his part for New York City and deserves some credit for his efforts.  But it is time for leadership that is more sensitive to the needs of all the people as well as small businesses.

From the use of private millions to circumvent campaign finance laws and accountability, to his advocacy on behalf of millionaires and private developers exploiting the theory of eminent domain, this Mayor has placed the real-life concerns of working people at the bottom of his priorities ... and that is the wrong way to govern New York City.  Freddy Ferrer is the right person to lead New York City onwards and upwards.  

PLEASE volunteer. Ferrer is running a very solidly grassroots campaign and without your help, Bloomberg's money will win. The stealth Republican will win. Please show NYC what grassroots mean. Visit his website, check him out and, if you can, volunteer and/or donate.

MANHATTAN
Midtown (Daily)
14 East 38th Street, 3rd Floor
(btwn. Fifth and Madison Aves.)
Contact: Jeremy Wilson [phone]

East Harlem
181 East 108th Street
(btwn. Lex & Third Ave)
Directions: 6 train to 110th Street
Contact: Samuel Delgado [phone]

Washington Heights
612 West 178th Street, 2nd Floor #22 (btwn. Wadsworth & St. Nicholas)
Directions: A train to 175th Street
Contact: Carmen Perez [phone]

BRONX
Bronx County Democratic Headquarters (Daily)
135 Westchester Square
Directions: 6 train to Westchester Sq.
Contact: Gustavo Rivera [phone]
Andy King [phone]

Borough President Campaign Office
15 Bedford Park East
Directions: 4 train to Bedford Park
Contact: Gustavo Rivera [phone]

STATEN ISLAND
1282 Richmond Road (btwn. Mark Street & Newberry Ave)
Contact: Central Headquarters: 212.684.2005

BROOKLYN
Bed-Stuy
Unity Democratic Club
203 Ralph Avenue (at Decatur Street)
Directions: A, C train to Ralph Avenue
Contacts: Cleveland Beckett [phone]
A. Robert Brown [phone]

Bushwick/Williamsburg
Pueblo Democratic Club
32 Varet Street
(btwn. Manhattan & Graham Ave)
Directions: J, M train to Flushing Ave. Walk North 3 blocks
on Graham, left on Varet St.
Contacts: Paul Thomas [phone]
Pierre Devaud [phone]

QUEENS
Corona (Daily 12pm - 7pm)
40-53 99th Street (at Shore Road)
Directions: 7 train to Junction Blvd. Walk east on Roosevelt
Ave, right on 99th Street.
[phone]
Contacts: Corey Bearak [phone]
Patrick Von Keerbergen
Matt Farrell [phone]

Southeast
Guy Brewer Club
197-01 Linden Blvd (at 197th Street)
Directions: Take E, J train to Parsons Archer stop, from
there take Q4 bus to Linden Blvd
[phone]
Contact: Ruben Wills [phone]

Anoroc Democratic Club
45-23 47th Street at Greenpoint Ave., Woodside
Contact: Jonathan Ettricks [phone]