lets sell the election to fucking Bloomberg

Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York’s mayors since 1942, hosted billionaire Michael Bloomberg for three terms. The first of these terms began after Bloomberg, then the Republican candidate for mayor, spent an incredible $74 million to get himself elected in 2001. He spent, in effect, $99 for every vote he received.

Let’s do the math. Donald Trump won the White House with just under 63 million votes. We can safely assume that Bloomberg would need at least that 63 million. At $100 a vote, a victory in November 2020 would run Bloomberg $6.3 billion. Bloomberg is currently sitting on a personal fortune worth $52 billion. He could easily afford to invest $6.3 billion in a presidential campaign — or even less on a primary.

    -- Sam Pizzigati

Caller: Mayor Mike Bloomberg wants to avoid raising taxes…

 Young: Why should I give a crap?

 Caller: Sir, do you strongly approve, somewhat approve…

Young: Let me ask you a question…It’s your turn to answer my question. Do you know how much Mayor Mike Bloomberg is worth?

Caller: No, I don’t.

Young: I’ve seen different estimates, but it’s probably about $18 billion. You can put on your survey that I strongly disapprove of that.

Caller: The statement is this, sir: Mayor Mike Bloomberg wants to avoid raising taxes on the middle class by taking control of the city union pension plans from the state legislature.

Young: Didn’t I already answer that?

Caller: No, sir.

Young: Strongly disapprove. $18 billion. You know what Mayor Mike could do with that all that money in his wallet? Mayor Bloomberg could cover the entire budget gap all by himself, and still have $14 billion to live on. How bad could his life be with a mere $14 billion to spend? Would his daughter have to give up even one of her dressage ponies?

Caller: If we could just continue, sir. 

Young: I mean, what’s the point of having the 23rd richest guy in the world as mayor if he doesn’t help us out? … I want you to type this opinion into your computer: Mayor Mike should cover the budget gap with $4 billion of his own money, and then he should take the other $14 billion and give it to people who have no pension at all, and then he should jump off the George Washington Bridge, and then I won’t spit on his grave. How’s that for an opinion?

    -- Charles Young, 2014