"Progressivism isn't about progress. It's about progressive rationalization of increasingly stupid ideas"...W. Heisenberg
Over a year ago, I wrote that sometimes my own prescience even surprises me on occasion.
After Bill de Blasio was elected NY City's Mayor with only a 25% turnout, I warned readers that he would plunge the city into progressive hell. I also referred to his election as yet another petri dish for progressive policies. All one had to do was sit back and watch the bacteria grow. As a former resident of NYC myself, I was well aware of what happened to the City when it was run by progressive mayors. In short, the Big Apple was rotten to the core with murders exceeding 2000 per year. After Republican leadership, murder rates plunged to about 400 per year in a city with a population of just over 8 million. In addition, felonies dropped by 90,000 a year.
The petri dish is now covered with bacteria since he was elected mayor. During his most recent absence from the City (after a swing to the Left Coast where he said he noticed a "hunger" for political revolution---which, no doubt, brought back memories of his past when he mused with great glee about the Marxist Sandinistas in Nicaragua in addition to making his wedding vows in Cuba), he missed 13 shootings, 5 murders, and one NYPD police officer attacked by a lunatic with a hammer. While many New Yorkers keep scratching their head and asking: Where is Waldo?---his behavior and management should surprise no one. It was relatively easy to predict. Allow me to present some of the red flags that appeared before he was mayor and after he became mayor:
Over a year ago, I wrote that sometimes my own prescience even surprises me on occasion.
After Bill de Blasio was elected NY City's Mayor with only a 25% turnout, I warned readers that he would plunge the city into progressive hell. I also referred to his election as yet another petri dish for progressive policies. All one had to do was sit back and watch the bacteria grow. As a former resident of NYC myself, I was well aware of what happened to the City when it was run by progressive mayors. In short, the Big Apple was rotten to the core with murders exceeding 2000 per year. After Republican leadership, murder rates plunged to about 400 per year in a city with a population of just over 8 million. In addition, felonies dropped by 90,000 a year.
The petri dish is now covered with bacteria since he was elected mayor. During his most recent absence from the City (after a swing to the Left Coast where he said he noticed a "hunger" for political revolution---which, no doubt, brought back memories of his past when he mused with great glee about the Marxist Sandinistas in Nicaragua in addition to making his wedding vows in Cuba), he missed 13 shootings, 5 murders, and one NYPD police officer attacked by a lunatic with a hammer. While many New Yorkers keep scratching their head and asking: Where is Waldo?---his behavior and management should surprise no one. It was relatively easy to predict. Allow me to present some of the red flags that appeared before he was mayor and after he became mayor:
- His conspicuous hostility toward the NYPD. If you recall, many NYPD officers turned their backs to de Blasio at a funeral of an officer slain in the line of duty.
- He actually admitted to counseling his own son on being fearful of police.
- One of de Blasio's top advisers was living with a felon (homicide) who regularly made anti-police rants on his FB page. She was subsequently suspended after pressure from the local media outlets. Perhaps she'll get her old job back: as an aid to Al Sharpton.
- One of his campaign aids Tweeted "F*ck the police." I believe she is still employed with the city and working on community issues.
- He---like Mr. Obama---consulted with the race-baiting, dialing-for-dollars thug Al Sharpton on countless occasions. At one townhall meeting, de Blasio actually invited Sharpton to sit on the dais with him and the NYPD police commissioner. It appeared Sharpie Sharpton was conducting the meeting.
- He attended Al Sharpton's 60th birthday bash last October. It was also attended by NY State's Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Keep in mind, Sharpton still has tax (state and federal) liabilities exceeding $4M.(NY Times)
- His recently elected City Council Speaker never met a terrorist she didn't like. She lobbied for the release of five Cuban spies convicted of spying against the U.S. She also lobbied for the release of a former FALN leader (Puerto Rican terrorist group). She supported two bills that gave illegal aliens with felony records sanctuary in the city.
Folks, you can place all of this and more in your: Can't Make This Sh!t Up File.
As Nicole Gelinas pointed out correctly in the NY Post, Bill de Blasio is lucky in one respect. He governs a city with tons of money. That's been the secret of its success. For example, Chicago, a city governed by another progressive mayor, Rahm Emanuel and former WH Chief of Staff, is having difficulty overcoming its many problems. And that's largely because it's not as rich as NY City.
Hey, but it's not all bad news. There are rumors that Bill de Blasio is considering entering the 2016 presidential race against Hillary Clinton. The pants-suit vs. the empty suit---yep Democrats---that's your ticket.
