Bloomberg kept National Guard out of NYC because they had guns?
posted at 4:31 pm on November 4, 2012 by Jazz Shaw
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been on the receiving end of a firestorm of criticism lately, particularly for his ham handed handling of the Hurricane Sandy recovery. But this story is almost too stupid to check.
Mayor Bloomberg has snubbed Borough President Markowitz’s impassioned plea to bring the National Guard to Hurricane Sandy-scarred Brooklyn — arguing that approving the Beep’s request would be a waste of federal manpower and turn the borough into a police state.
“We don’t need it,” Mayor Bloomberg said on Wednesday during a press update on the city’s ongoing Hurricane Sandy cleanup. “The NYPD is the only people we want on the street with guns.”
I’m not sure, but I think we’re witnessing the complete implosion of somebody who was once considered a pretty influential politician on the rise. Yes, Bloomberg doesn’t much care for the Second Amendment and doesn’t want people to have guns. We get it. But we’re talking about the National Guard here. Has this guy completely lost his mind?
This is a time when leaders up and down the east coast are loudly singing the praises of the National Guard for their rapid deployment and efficient rescue, recovery and security work. It’s also a time when people out on Staten Island are hanging on by a thread, with looting and violence being a serious threat on top of the hurricane’s destruction. Who in their right mind even suggests that Guardsmen carrying their weapons is an issue at a time like this? I understand wanting to express your support of and confidence in the police department and the firefighters, but even some of the finest first responders in the nation are completely swamped by the magnitude of this disaster. They could use the help and the Guard stands ready to provide it.
It’s already become pretty obvious that Bloomberg’s goal is to become the counterweight to the NRA in America, so these tendencies shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. But between this and trying to go ahead with the marathon while they were still pulling bodies out of the rubble in his city, this entire tragic episode seems to have served as a spotlight on exactly how bad this guy’s management of the city has been. Hey, Mr. Mayor! Next time you’re mulling over your next idiotic decision, please try to keep the following image in mind.
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Without reading the whole thing..There’s Mob and Unions involved..
Get right outta town!!!!
BigWyo on May 1, 2013 at 8:47 PM
Really?
REALLY?
This is what paying off politicians and commissioners can do? Keep me from using my cell phone to hail a cab?
What next, are you going to regulate the size of the soda I can …. wait..
Defenestratus on May 1, 2013 at 8:50 PM
The government is like the mob, they want there cut.
newportmike on May 1, 2013 at 8:51 PM
Wonder how much he got paid for that.
Midas on May 1, 2013 at 8:53 PM
She.
Probably looks like he.
Midas on May 1, 2013 at 8:53 PM
The problem here is that Obamaphones are not smartphones. If successful only poor people will be out there hailing cabs the old-fashioned way.
In the meantime, we just got a Capital Bikeshare station down the block. Talk about a company that found a niche market.
Happy Nomad on May 1, 2013 at 8:57 PM
Rather puts the lie to that “New York is Open for Business” ad campaign, no?
Zumkopf on May 1, 2013 at 9:05 PM
So, just out of curiosity, what happens to those of us who don’t have a smart phone?
parke on May 1, 2013 at 9:07 PM
That ad cracks me up whenever I see it. Trying to attract new business and people to a state with commies in charge, an anti-business mentality, and oppressive taxation. Lots of luck with that.
Happy Nomad on May 1, 2013 at 9:10 PM
The New York City medallion taxi system has been an elite club designed to prevent free market competition for over half a century. It’s set up to limit the number of cabs that serve the city — hence driving up the price of the medallions to astronomical levels — and to basically only serve areas from the Battery to 96th Street on the East Side of Manhattan and up to Columbia University on the West Side (just try to find a cab that will pick up/drop off in the city anyplace outside that area except for JFK and LaGuardia).
Of course they’re going to fight tooth and nail against Uber cab, until they can figure out a way that only the medallion cabs can benefit from Uber cab. As long as they see a chance of someone else profiting, the medallion owners are going to try and tie it up in court.
jon1979 on May 1, 2013 at 9:12 PM
Whats next,
E-Hooker!!
(sarc)
canopfor on May 1, 2013 at 9:13 PM
You will have to adapt or die! ;0
I didn’t think I’d use all the stuff on a smartphone. I was wrong. And I really don’t see them as a fad that is going to fade away.
Happy Nomad on May 1, 2013 at 9:15 PM
Hard to believe there isn’t already an app for that.
Happy Nomad on May 1, 2013 at 9:16 PM
Yea, let’s bitch about how all those liberal startup companies can’t instantly push over the established order- and the pretend that Obama’s in the way because you don’t understand the free enterprise landscape.
To most in silicon valley, Obama is the biggest supporter of startups to ever reach the White House. His passage of the JOBS Act fulfilled a wish list from entrepreneurs and his support of more visas for highly skilled immigrant professionals is seen as critical to the continued growth of the digital economy.
bayam on May 1, 2013 at 9:17 PM
Yea, let’s complain about how all those liberal startup companies can’t instantly push over the established order- and the pretend that Obama’s in the way because you don’t understand the free enterprise landscape.
To most in silicon valley, Obama is the biggest supporter of startups to ever reach the White House. His passage of the JOBS Act fulfilled a wish list from entrepreneurs and his support of more visas for highly skilled immigrant professionals is seen as critical to the continued growth of the digital economy.
bayam on May 1, 2013 at 9:18 PM
I do business every day in NYC. Corruption and unionism (but I repeat myself) are the norm as it always is with democrat/socialist government controlled states. I personally don’t see why companies still do business there.
I wish this company luck with trying to break into that market but I doubt they will be able to function without making deals with the mob and government (darn I repeated myself again), to pay protection essentially.
Wine_N_Dine on May 1, 2013 at 9:23 PM
All this technical innovation is killing traditional jobs at an almost blinding rate, with a seemingly endless stream of new job openings at high tech startups as well as established internet companies. Software is transforming the world.
On the flip side of this coin, many older workers don’t have the aptitude to become software developers and are finding their economic prospects quickly diminishing. Between tech innovation and globalization, it’s a truly brutal world for many people, and there should be more job training and other programs to support people now locked out of the job market due to no fault of their own.
bayam on May 1, 2013 at 9:24 PM
First, they came for the smokers….
massrighty on May 1, 2013 at 9:27 PM
Let’s have jackasses like this deciding our healthcare for us.
Bishop on May 1, 2013 at 9:28 PM
Cabbing 2.0
–bayam
tom daschle concerned on May 1, 2013 at 9:28 PM
In New York the Supreme Court is not an appellate court
tmitsss on May 1, 2013 at 9:32 PM
I am a highly enthusiastic user of Uber here in Boston, and I’ve used it in NYC, DC, Chicago and San Francisco. It is a terrific business model – the drivers love it and as a customer, I can attest it’s first rate. The friction in these cities (Boston and Cambridge included) is due to the local authority that controls hackney licenses. They hate it. They should — it’s a dependable, first-class service at only slightly higher rates than conventional cabs. . Call a regular cab company and be told it will be there in 10 minutes… call back in 30 when it hasn’t arrived to find out from the dispatcher that the driver picked up another passenger instead and they’ll send another cab along… do I feel sorry for cab drivers or the cab companies? Not one bit — they suck… and it’s their very “suckiness” that made Uber’s success possible. Tough darts, fellas…
dpduq on May 1, 2013 at 9:32 PM
All this technical innovation is killing traditional jobs at an almost blinding rate, with a seemingly endless stream of new job openings at high tech startups as well as established internet companies. Software is transforming the world.
On the flip side of this coin, many older workers don’t have the aptitude to become software developers and are finding their economic prospects quickly diminishing. Between tech innovation and globalization, it’s a truly brutal world for many people, and there should be more job training and other programs to support people now locked out of the job market due to no fault of their own.
bayam on May 1, 2013 at 9:24 PM
massrighty on May 1, 2013 at 9:35 PM
Solyndra is an outstanding example of the killer job the rat-eared coward is doing with startups. The problem, of course, is the bastard is picking winners and losers and not letting the free market work (which you imply).
Happy Nomad on May 1, 2013 at 9:36 PM
Proof? Or, just your usual argument by assertion?
Who are these “most?”
massrighty on May 1, 2013 at 9:39 PM
Digital Economy 2.0
–bayam
LMFAO!
tom daschle concerned on May 1, 2013 at 9:45 PM
Companies like Uber represent competition in a heavily regulated industry where a NYC medallion costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Alternative business models cheapens the value of those medallions and the status quo doesn’t like it. But you are right, where there is heavy regulation you have massive bureaucracy that is change averse. And you have corruption.
Years ago I worked for a company who had a new business model for provided transportation services to Medicaid clients with special needs. Old model- Client calls and arranges for transportation directly. New model- Client calls a number and the company arranges for transportation resulting in better efficiency and cost control (the providers in the old system were corrupt beyond belief). Well, the transportation companies didn’t like it and launched a covert war complete with an article in the paper about how the company was going to kill people. It was dirty and about as unfair as you can imagine. But you don’t make friends when you break rice bowls.
Happy Nomad on May 1, 2013 at 9:47 PM
I don’t know about the program you mentioned but the Startup America Partnership bu President Obama got him the love of Google, Intel and I don’t know who else. You do have a point but Silicon Valley is hardly monolithic.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/01/startup_america_partnership/
An engineer I have as a consultant in the area, has less use for Mr. Obama than your average Sarah Palin supporter on these threads. He promised me that I would NEVER do anything with the WH or earn grants, etc. — Why? I’m apparently not corrupt or Democrat enough!
When I asked him to use his political expertise to help me out, he said he wouldn’t “soil” himself.
IlikedAUH2O on May 1, 2013 at 10:13 PM
On these cab calls, do the drivers get to size up the fares?
IlikedAUH2O on May 1, 2013 at 10:13 PM
To be fair to the taxi drivers, many of them drop as much as a cool million to purchase a taxi medallion that allows them to operate their service. NYC baited and switched on them by promising restrictions on the number of taxis in the city and then allowing Uber to set up shop.
[I personally believe that the system should be scrapped and that free markets should dictate how many taxis there are in NYC. I just think it's a little bit unfair for someone to purchase a business license and then see their competitor get it for free.]
blammm on May 1, 2013 at 10:16 PM
E-Hooker!!
(sarc)
canopfor on May 1, 2013 at 9:13 PM
Hard to believe there isn’t already an app for that.
Happy Nomad on May 1, 2013 at 9:16 PM
Happy Nomad:
Lol,tru dat:)
canopfor on May 1, 2013 at 10:50 PM
Yeah, and to those startups along the Keystone pipeline, he’s the Anti-Christ.
itsspideyman on May 2, 2013 at 9:37 AM
What? You can’t get Craigslist on your smartphone? Who knew?
;)
GWB on May 2, 2013 at 10:28 AM
I have used Uber many times in DC and Denver and it is life changing. You dial up the app and see a map of cars near your location. Request a black car and you get a message showing the driver’s photo, license plate number and distance away. Then the driver calls you and tells you how many minutes before he arrives. At destination, you simply get out of the car and the fare plus tip (you designate how much percent tip on your Uber web site page) is billed to your credit card. Then you get a map of the ride, with distance, time traveled and fare. A few minutes you get a chance to rate the driver up to 5 stars (like ebay’s feedback). Most of the drivers own their own limo and the fares are very reasonable with a $15 minimum. I’m sure there is some sort of discrimination against Obamaphones, but at least all the cars are black.
Jocundus on May 2, 2013 at 8:49 PM