But he is much more of a Democrat (albeit a conservative one in some specific areas) than he ever was a Republican--he used to be a registered Democrat, and now he's an "Independent" who gives millions to Democratic PACS. So whatever. I also don't understand your "What is this with you and Bloomberg?" schtick. Why do you have a need to get personal? I don't think I've devoted an excessive number of posts to the guy. This thread IS about him, he is from my state originally, I know a bit about his past, and I don't regard him as a caricature. I think he is a complex individual, with some good aspects, and some not so good.
Bloomberg ran as a Republican solely to avoid the Democratic primary. He didn't want to debate a bunch of opponents, he wanted to debate one. He also knew full well that with a Republican administration in DC, life was easier for him on that side of the fence.
Everyone knows this.
He switched to independent as soon as he decently could, right around the time when GWB was unpopular and really stinking up the room, and Dumbya's power had eroded sufficiently while MB's had coalesced.
And he was an INDEPENDENT when he ran for office the last time.
This is a matter of record.
A Democrat before seeking elective office, Bloomberg switched his party registration in 2001 to run for mayor as a Republican. He defeated opponent Mark Green in a close election held just weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Bloomberg won a second term in 2005 and left the Republican Party two years later.[5] He campaigned to change the city's term limits law and was elected to his third term in 2009 as an independent candidate on the Republican ballot line.
I am by no means suggesting that Bloomberg is some kind of saint (he's not), and he does have conservative leanings in very specific areas---but he's not a Republican. As I said, I find stop/frisk odious and I think he's wrong as hell on that score. However, the GOP wouldn't have him, because of his stances on a number of other issues. These days, anyone who is aggressively pro-choice, anti-gun, anti-death penalty, pro-teacher, favoring amnesty for immigrants, and who is a prodigious philanthropist is NOT a Republican, and I don't care what The Wraith insists. He may not be a terribly "progressive" or a "lefty" or "liberal" Democrat, but he's NOT a Republican. He doesn't agree with ANY of the touchstones of their platform and he endorsed Obama, not Romney, in 2012.
Bloomberg reports giving $254 million in 2009 to almost 1,400 nonprofit organizations, saying, "I am a big believer in giving it all away and have always said that the best financial planning ends with bouncing the check to the undertaker."[173]
He's a VERY rich guy who is a mixed bag. His views are shaped by a lot of things--his childhood, his cultural references, and, of course, his great wealth. He has a lot of money and he likes to spend it. If he wants to spend it on Democrats, that's fine with me! So, make of that what you will--but don't get personal. That's just not the way to have a conversation.
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