Bloomberg tangling with GOP-irks party ahead of big convention

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2664018

New York demands toughness, and the city's Republican mayor is playing hardball -- with the GOP members he'll host later this summer at the party's nominating convention.

Michael Bloomberg, who faces re-election next year in this solidly Democratic city, has tangled with Republicans over the basics of the convention: who has the final word on street closings during the four-day event and a long-term issue -- whether Republicans in Congress are denying the city millions of dollars in homeland security funds.

<snip>

Bloomberg's major fight with the GOP came after the Republican-led House rejected a bill that would have shifted about $450 million in anti-terrorism funds from rural areas to cities. In the days after the House vote, Bloomberg withdrew an invitation to Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, for a party meeting at his home and criticized other, unidentified lawmakers, for taking away "monies that we need to protect us against terrorists."

Ney was one of 147 Republicans who voted against the measure. But the vote fell largely on regional, not party, lines, with 89 Democrats and an independent also opposed.

Even the nuts-and-bolts planning of the convention has put the mayor at odds with the GOP.

[rwheeler31]

1. Why do we protect the nut jobs who won't

protect us?

[Catch22Dem]

2. If he's really trying to get those funds

Then I support him in his efforts. Sounds like he's using his tremendous leverage against the assholes whom he KNOWS are exploiting his city's tragety.

[Cha]

3. Argggh! If bloomberg "fights for the City" then

he is standing up for Democrats..pure and simple and we know how that goes against the grain of any run of the mill, sleazeball opposing Democracy.

[rwheeler31]

5. Let me get this real. this is a dem turned repug?

Why would anyone in NYC vote GOP?

[Don_G]

4. Which 911 Is Going To Backfire On Them?

And will Rove ever be employed after this fiasco?

Will Shrubbie ever learn to read?

Can Cheney escape to Brazil with Ken Lay?

Is Asscroft planning suicide by Calico?

Stay tuned, "These Are The Days Of Their Lives...."