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	<title>Comments on: Who&#039;s Saying What on Term Limits</title>
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	<description>Gotham Gazette&#039;s blog about New York policy and politics</description>
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		<title>By: Michael Meyers</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2008/08/22/whos-saying-what-on-term-limits/comment-page-1/#comment-82719</link>
		<dc:creator>Michael Meyers</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:44:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=1998#comment-82719</guid>
		<description>The monumental egos of pols like Mike Bloomberg and (the latest crop of) City Council members who keep testing the resolve of New Yorkers who have made it clear, twice, and recently, that we want term limits. There is a line in a Robin Williams movie which fits here, and it is to be paraphrased like this: &quot;Incumbent politicians and diapers ought to be changed frequently, and for the same reason.&quot; 

The sheer hubris of these insufferable legislators and this mayor, and of the other public servants who oppose term limits only because they see themselves as indispensable to the running of government (what a myth!)and because they are never ready to give up the power and the perks of office. The City Council who passed congestion pricing, for instance, nevertheless have special parking privileges for themselves so that they can park in Manhattan without being ticketed. These despicable pols readily spend taxpayers&#039; monies for slush funds (to benefit their relection and to keep civic and not-for-profit groups happy with them)--slush funds that the City Council&#039;s Speaker Quinn claims she told her staff to stop but they somehow they forgot to do so or else, with impunity, they ignored the cease and desist order from their boss. Quinn even spent taxpayers&#039; funds to test the waters to check public opinion as to whether she and her colleagues should overturn the voters&#039; referendum imposing two terms on the City Council, and then refused to release the study, which did not come back favorable to her anti-term limits stance. And billionaire Bloomberg, tried the same poll, to benefit from his inexplicable popularity, spending his own money, to see if New Yorkers would end term limits to allow him to run for a third term as Mayor. The results startled the egotistical Mayor of New York. Now, Bloomberg, having switched parties, again, has no place to go...He wasn&#039;t drafted to run for President, and he is reticent or too chicken to run against the first black Governor of New York; so, suddenly, he has changed his political posturing on term limits and says he is open to the City Council overturning the term limits law that he once supported. What shameless, despicable and insufferable hypocrites! Two terms (eight years) are enough for these self-indulgent pols. Their hubris in thinking they can on their own change the voters&#039; term limits law in order to perpetuate themselves in public office--in the guise of democracy--is so blatantly absurd and self-delusional. This will be a charade and usurpation of power on their parts if they attempt to repeal the very referendum that put them in office, a referendum that overturned the prior incumbents&#039; advantage by the only means available to the citywide electorate--through the imposition of two-term limits for the city&#039;s pols--the Mayor, the City Councilmembers, borough presidents and Public Advocate. The people have spoken, two terms are enough.

Michael Meyers, New York, New York</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The monumental egos of pols like Mike Bloomberg and (the latest crop of) City Council members who keep testing the resolve of New Yorkers who have made it clear, twice, and recently, that we want term limits. There is a line in a Robin Williams movie which fits here, and it is to be paraphrased like this: &#8220;Incumbent politicians and diapers ought to be changed frequently, and for the same reason.&#8221; </p>
<p>The sheer hubris of these insufferable legislators and this mayor, and of the other public servants who oppose term limits only because they see themselves as indispensable to the running of government (what a myth!)and because they are never ready to give up the power and the perks of office. The City Council who passed congestion pricing, for instance, nevertheless have special parking privileges for themselves so that they can park in Manhattan without being ticketed. These despicable pols readily spend taxpayers&#8217; monies for slush funds (to benefit their relection and to keep civic and not-for-profit groups happy with them)&#8211;slush funds that the City Council&#8217;s Speaker Quinn claims she told her staff to stop but they somehow they forgot to do so or else, with impunity, they ignored the cease and desist order from their boss. Quinn even spent taxpayers&#8217; funds to test the waters to check public opinion as to whether she and her colleagues should overturn the voters&#8217; referendum imposing two terms on the City Council, and then refused to release the study, which did not come back favorable to her anti-term limits stance. And billionaire Bloomberg, tried the same poll, to benefit from his inexplicable popularity, spending his own money, to see if New Yorkers would end term limits to allow him to run for a third term as Mayor. The results startled the egotistical Mayor of New York. Now, Bloomberg, having switched parties, again, has no place to go&#8230;He wasn&#8217;t drafted to run for President, and he is reticent or too chicken to run against the first black Governor of New York; so, suddenly, he has changed his political posturing on term limits and says he is open to the City Council overturning the term limits law that he once supported. What shameless, despicable and insufferable hypocrites! Two terms (eight years) are enough for these self-indulgent pols. Their hubris in thinking they can on their own change the voters&#8217; term limits law in order to perpetuate themselves in public office&#8211;in the guise of democracy&#8211;is so blatantly absurd and self-delusional. This will be a charade and usurpation of power on their parts if they attempt to repeal the very referendum that put them in office, a referendum that overturned the prior incumbents&#8217; advantage by the only means available to the citywide electorate&#8211;through the imposition of two-term limits for the city&#8217;s pols&#8211;the Mayor, the City Councilmembers, borough presidents and Public Advocate. The people have spoken, two terms are enough.</p>
<p>Michael Meyers, New York, New York</p>
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		<title>By: Larry Littlefield</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2008/08/22/whos-saying-what-on-term-limits/comment-page-1/#comment-82713</link>
		<dc:creator>Larry Littlefield</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:27:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=1998#comment-82713</guid>
		<description>If Bloomberg wants to stay in office, he should consult Vlad Putin in Russia, which is more of a democracy than the State of New York and more than the City of New York would be if this scheme is real and goes forward.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If Bloomberg wants to stay in office, he should consult Vlad Putin in Russia, which is more of a democracy than the State of New York and more than the City of New York would be if this scheme is real and goes forward.</p>
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		<title>By: Carey Campbell</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2008/08/22/whos-saying-what-on-term-limits/comment-page-1/#comment-82712</link>
		<dc:creator>Carey Campbell</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:59:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=1998#comment-82712</guid>
		<description>Thank You for story.

Mayor Bloomberg IS on the ballot for President after our petition drive that collected 70,000 plus signatures to put 5 candidates on ballot for U.S. House, Gail &quot;for Rail&quot; Parker for U.S. Senate,
and Michael Bloomberg for President.

The Independent Greens have called for other state affilates of the Independence Party of America, and the Green Party to put Michael Bloomberg on their ballot lines in almost 40 states.

We have also called for an alliance of Constitution, Libertarian, Independence, and Green Parties to put Michael Bloomberg on the ballot, and help elect him President.

Possible press conference in Washington D.C. this tuesday.

Thank You.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thank You for story.</p>
<p>Mayor Bloomberg IS on the ballot for President after our petition drive that collected 70,000 plus signatures to put 5 candidates on ballot for U.S. House, Gail &#8220;for Rail&#8221; Parker for U.S. Senate,<br />
and Michael Bloomberg for President.</p>
<p>The Independent Greens have called for other state affilates of the Independence Party of America, and the Green Party to put Michael Bloomberg on their ballot lines in almost 40 states.</p>
<p>We have also called for an alliance of Constitution, Libertarian, Independence, and Green Parties to put Michael Bloomberg on the ballot, and help elect him President.</p>
<p>Possible press conference in Washington D.C. this tuesday.</p>
<p>Thank You.</p>
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