Could Bloomberg win the election as a third party candidate? [View All]

[gdaerin]

Bloomberg actually seems to be to the left of Hillary and Obama on some issues.

What do you guys think?

I know you all want a dem to win, so do I, but read this and tell me if you think he would attract voters or not

here's some info from wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bloomberg

Social issues
On the major issue of abortion, Bloomberg is considered pro-choice. He supports abortion rights, stating: "Reproductive choice is a fundamental human right and we can never take it for granted, on this issue, you're either with us or against us." He has criticized pro-choice politicians who support pro-life candidates.

Bloomberg tends to be liberal about his policies towards many social issues; for instance, Bloomberg supports governmental funding for stem cell research, calling the Republican position on the issue "insanity,"<25> while also supporting same-sex marriage with the rationale that “I think anybody should be allowed to marry anybody" <26>

However, he continues to support the strict drug laws that have been established in New York City and enforced by the New York Police Department (NYPD), despite having admitted to smoking marijuana in the past and " it."<27>


Domestic issues
On crime, the decline in New York criminal activity that began before Rudy Giuliani's tenure has continued. Bloomberg however is against the death penalty, stating, "I'd rather lock somebody up and throw away the key and put them in hard labor, the ultimate penalty that the law will allow, but I'm opposed to the death penalty."<28>

In addition to his anti-crime work, Bloomberg is an avid supporter of gun control stating, "I don't know why people carry guns. Guns kill people." As mayor he increased the mandatory minimum sentence for illegal possession of a loaded handgun. In regard to the change, Bloomberg commented, "Illegal guns don't belong on our streets and we're sending that message loud and clear, we're determined to see that gun dealers who break the law are held accountable, and that criminals who carry illegal loaded guns serve serious time behind bars."<28> Bloomberg formed Mayors Against Illegal Guns in May 2007, an organization made up of 210 mayors who are supportive of gun control.<29>

Bloomberg has also shown involvement in education reform as mayor, replacing the school board set up by the state with direct mayoral control over public education. He raised the salaries of teachers by 15% while the test scores of students in the city and the graduation rate rose as well. Bloomberg is opposed to the promotion of students to the next grade level for strictly social reasons citing that students should only be promoted when they are adequately prepared for the next grade level. He favors after-school programs to help students that are behind. As mayor, Bloomberg strengthened the cell-phone ban in schools.<30>

In dealing with global warming and New York's role in it, he has enacted a plan called "PlaNYC: A Greener, Greater New York" to fight global warming, protect the environment and prepare New York for the projected 1 million more people expected to be living in the city by the year 2030.<31> Bloomberg has also been involved in motivating other cities to make changes, delivering the keynote address at the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit and stating, "e now know beyond a doubt that global warming is a reality. And the question we must all answer is, “What are we going to do about it?" Bloomberg also talked about how he would go about fighting climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, using cleaner and more efficient fuels, and encouraging public transportation.<32>

On issues of domestic and homeland security, Bloomberg has attacked social conservatives on immigrationcalling their stance unrealistic, "We're not going to deport 12 million people, so let's stop this fiction. Let's give them permanent status."<33> He supports a federal ID database that uses DNA and fingerprint technology to keep track of all citizens and to verify their legal status.<34> Bloomberg believes that illegal immigrants should be offered citizenshipand supports the congressional efforts of John McCain and Ted Kennedy in immigration reform. Regarding border security, Bloomberg compared it to the tide, stating, "It’s as if we expect border control agents to do what a century of communism could not: defeat the natural market forces of supply and demand... and defeat the natural human desire for freedom and opportunity. You might as well as sit in your beach chair and tell the tide not to come in. As long as America remains a nation dedicated to the proposition that "all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," people from near and far will continue to seek entry into our country.:<35>

Bloomberg believes that the September 11, 2001 attacks were not intended to be solitary events. When he assumed office, he set up a Counterterrorism Bureau which works along with the NYPD intelligence division to gather information about terrorism affecting New York worldwide. He feels that funding for Homeland Security by the federal government should be distributed by risk, where cities that are considered to have the highest threat for a terrorist attack would get the most money.<36> Bloomberg is also a supporter of the USA PATRIOT Act. <37>


Economic issues
Michael Bloomberg characterizes himself as a fiscal conservative for turning the city's $6 billion deficit into a $3 billion surplus; however, the conservative PAC Club for Growth has criticized him because he increased property taxes and spending while doing so.<23>

Being a fiscal conservative is not about slashing programs that help the poor, or improve health care, or ensure a social safety net. It's about insisting services are provided efficiently, get to only the people that need them, and achieve the desired results. Fiscal conservatives have hearts too - but we also insist on using our brains, and that means demanding results and holding government accountable for producing them.

To me, fiscal conservatism means balancing budgets - not running deficits that the next generation can't afford. It means improving the efficiency of delivering services by finding innovative ways to do more with less. It means cutting taxes when possible and prudent to do so, raising them overall only when necessary to balance the budget, and only in combination with spending cuts. It means when you run a surplus, you save it; you don't squander it. And most importantly, being a fiscal conservative means preparing for the inevitable economic downturns - and by all indications, we've got one coming.

—Michael Bloomberg, speech to UK Conservative Party, September 30, 2007<22>
Bloomberg has expressed a distaste of taxes, stating, "Taxes are not good things, but if you want services, somebody's got to pay for them, so they're a necessary evil." <38> As mayor, he did raise property taxes to fund budget projects; however, in January 2007 he proposed cuts in property taxes by 5% and cuts in sales taxes including the elimination of taxes on clothing and footwear. Bloomberg pointed to the Wall Street profits and the real estate market as evidence that the city's economy is booming and could handle a tax break.<39>

His self-described fiscal conservatism also led him to eliminate the existing $6 billion deficit when he assumed office. He balanced the budget of New York City by raising property taxes and making cuts to city agencies, excluding the police and fire departments. <40>

As a businessman, Bloomberg is respected by the business community and governs with a pro-business platform. He is in favor of providing tax breaks to big corporations for the good of the whole community. As mayor, Bloomberg lobbied to the CEO of Goldman Sachs to establish their headquarters across from Ground zero by promising $1.65 billion in tax breaks. Regarding this deal, Bloomberg stated, "This is where the best want to live and work. So I told him , 'We can help with minimizing taxes. Minimizing your rent. Improving security. But in the end, this is about people.'" <41>

He has had a less cordial relationship with unions as mayor. In 2002, when New York City's transit workers threatened to strike, Bloomberg responded by riding a mountain bike through the city to show how the city could deal with the transit strike by finding alternate means of transportation and not pandering to the unions.<42>

Bloomberg is a staunch advocate of free trade and is strongly opposed to protectionism, stating, "The things that we have to worry about is this protectionist movement that has reared its head again in this country...." He worries about the growth of China and fears the lessening gap between the United States and other countries: "The rest of the world is catching up, and, there are people that say, surpassing us. I hope they are wrong. I hope those who think we are still in good shape are right. But nevertheless, the time to address these issues is right now." <43>

More liberally, Bloomberg puts a strong emphasis on public health and welfare, adopting many liberal policies. As the mayor he made HIV, diabetes, and hypertension all top priorities. He extended the city's smoking ban to all commercial establishments and implemented a trans fat ban in restaurants. <44> He also launched a program called Opportunity NYC which is the nation's first-ever conditional cash transfer pilot program designed to help New Yorkers break the cycle of poverty in the city. He instituted a $7.5 billion municipal affordable housing plan, the largest in the nation, that is supposed to provide 500,000 New Yorkers with housing. <45>

Bloomberg is concerned about poverty and growing class divisions stating, "This society cannot go forward, the way we have been going forward, where the gap between the rich and the poor keeps growing." <46>


Foreign policy
As mayor, Bloomberg has made trips to Mexico, England, Ireland, and Israel in the first four months of 2007.<47> In late 2007 he conducted an Asia trip that brought him to China, where he called for greater freedom of information to promote innovation. He also attended the United Nations Climate Conference in Bali.

Initially, Bloomberg strongly supported the war in Iraq and the rationale for going in. He stated, "Don't forget that the war started not very many blocks from here" alluding to Ground Zero. In regard to the global War on Terrorism including Iraq he said, "It's not only to protect Americans. It's America's responsibility to protect people around the world who want to be free." His enthusiasm seems to have lessened somewhat over the course of the war. In August of 2005 he said, "I think everybody has very mixed emotions about the war that was started to find weapons of mass destruction and then they were not found." <48> Bloomberg expresses criticism about Democrats in Congress who want to set a timetable for withdraw from Iraq calling them, "irresponsible." <49>

Mayor Bloomberg has recruited some top foreign policy experts to advise him on international issues of general interest.