Changes

Bloomberg dropped his Republican Party affiliation on June 19, 2007, stating "I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our city."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080107202541/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11203856 |title=Bloomberg Drops GOP, Fuels Talk of Presidential Bid |work=[[NPR]] |date=June 20, 2007 }}</ref>  Bloomberg is traditionally known as a fiscal [[conservative]] with social liberal tendencies. He was frequently mentioned as a possible independent candidate for the [[2008 Presidential Election]].

Bloomberg dropped his Republican Party affiliation on June 19, 2007, stating "I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our city."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080107202541/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11203856 |title=Bloomberg Drops GOP, Fuels Talk of Presidential Bid |work=[[NPR]] |date=June 20, 2007 }}</ref>  Bloomberg is traditionally known as a fiscal [[conservative]] with social liberal tendencies. He was frequently mentioned as a possible independent candidate for the [[2008 Presidential Election]].

Bloomberg re-registered as a Democrat in 2018.<ref>Wise, Justin (October 10, 2018). [https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/410697-bloomberg-re-registers-as-democrat Bloomberg re-registers as Democrat]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved October 10, 2018.</ref> He has defended China's authoritarian, communist dictatorship.<ref>Adams, Becket (September 27, 2019). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/michael-bloomberg-apologist-for-tyranny Michael Bloomberg, apologist for tyranny]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved September 28, 2019.</ref> Bloomberg announced he would run for U.S. President on November 24, 2019.<ref>Multiple references:

Bloomberg re-registered as a Democrat in 2018.<ref>Wise, Justin (October 10, 2018). [https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/410697-bloomberg-re-registers-as-democrat Bloomberg re-registers as Democrat]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved October 10, 2018.</ref> He has defended China's authoritarian, communist dictatorship.<ref>Adams, Becket (September 27, 2019). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/michael-bloomberg-apologist-for-tyranny Michael Bloomberg, apologist for tyranny]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved September 28, 2019.</ref> Bloomberg announced he would run for U.S. president on November 24, 2019.<ref>Multiple references:

*Miller, S.A.; McLaughlin, Seth (November 24, 2019). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/24/michael-bloomberg-launches-2020-bid/ Michael Bloomberg launches 2020 bid: 'I'm running for president to defeat Donald Trump']. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved November 24, 2019.

*Miller, S.A.; McLaughlin, Seth (November 24, 2019). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/24/michael-bloomberg-launches-2020-bid/ Michael Bloomberg launches 2020 bid: 'I'm running for president to defeat Donald Trump']. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved November 24, 2019.

*Adelmann, Bob (November 25, 2019). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/34131-bloomberg-officially-announces-his-candidacy-for-president Bloomberg Officially Announces His Candidacy for President]. ''The New American''. Retrieved November 25, 2019.</ref> Despite the U.S. admitted about 1 million legal immigrants annually, Bloomberg called for even larger immigration levels.<ref>Multiple references:

*Adelmann, Bob (November 25, 2019). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/34131-bloomberg-officially-announces-his-candidacy-for-president Bloomberg Officially Announces His Candidacy for President]. ''The New American''. Retrieved November 25, 2019.</ref> Despite the U.S. admitted about 1 million legal immigrants annually, Bloomberg called for even larger immigration levels.<ref>Multiple references:

Bloomberg called tax increases on the poor a "good thing" as it would help the government effectively make health decisions for them.<ref>Bleau, Hannah (November 27, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/11/27/bloomberg-flashback-tax-hikes-on-poor-good-because-they-cannot-afford-things-that-will-kill-them/ Bloomberg Flashback: Tax Hikes on Poor ‘Good’ Because They Cannot Afford Things that Will Kill Them]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 27, 2019.</ref><ref>Miller, S.A.; Scarborough, Rowan (November 29, 2019). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/29/mike-bloomberg-touts-taxing-poor-do-you-want-pande/ Bloomberg touts taxing the poor: 'Do you want to pander to those people?'] ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved November 29, 2019.</ref>

Bloomberg called tax increases on the poor a "good thing" as it would help the government effectively make health decisions for them.<ref>Bleau, Hannah (November 27, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/11/27/bloomberg-flashback-tax-hikes-on-poor-good-because-they-cannot-afford-things-that-will-kill-them/ Bloomberg Flashback: Tax Hikes on Poor ‘Good’ Because They Cannot Afford Things that Will Kill Them]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 27, 2019.</ref><ref>Miller, S.A.; Scarborough, Rowan (November 29, 2019). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/29/mike-bloomberg-touts-taxing-poor-do-you-want-pande/ Bloomberg touts taxing the poor: 'Do you want to pander to those people?'] ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved November 29, 2019.</ref>

Though Bloomberg suggested that he might run for President in 2008, he never did.

Though Bloomberg suggested that he might run for president in 2008, he never did.

==2020 Presidential Election==

==2020 Presidential Election==

This all may be a moot point. Democrats will only win the White House, or the Senate, when they can properly protect voters of color from suppression and give those voters reasons to choose them. That seems like too tall a task for a party hanging its hopes on the likes of Bloomberg. If defeating Trump really is his goal, then his cause is likely lost."<ref>https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/mike-bloomberg-democratic-primary-black-voters-911665/</ref>}}

This all may be a moot point. Democrats will only win the White House, or the Senate, when they can properly protect voters of color from suppression and give those voters reasons to choose them. That seems like too tall a task for a party hanging its hopes on the likes of Bloomberg. If defeating Trump really is his goal, then his cause is likely lost."<ref>https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/mike-bloomberg-democratic-primary-black-voters-911665/</ref>}}

Bloomberg’s support for the scheme, which targeted black and Latino males as young as 13, making their routine harassment and humiliation “just a fact of life in New York”.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/17/nyregion/bloomberg-stop-and-frisk-new-york.html New York Times, 11/17/19]</ref>

Bloomberg's support for the scheme, which targeted black and Latino males as young as 13, making their routine harassment and humiliation “just a fact of life in New York”.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/17/nyregion/bloomberg-stop-and-frisk-new-york.html New York Times, 11/17/19]</ref>

[[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] criticized Bloomberg's entrance into the field,<ref>https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1227977298596462592</ref>

[[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] criticized Bloomberg's entrance into the field,<ref>https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1227977298596462592</ref>

===Elitism===

===Elitism===

“As Bloomberg’s New York Prospered, Inequality Flourished Too” (''New York Times'', 11/9/19) is corporate media’s ambivalent way of acknowledging that Bloomberg’s tenure benefited the few at the expense of the many, with the “growth and prosperity” the ''Times'' illustrated with the controversial Atlantic Yards/Barclay Center in Brooklyn accompanied by increases in rents, gentrification and [[homelessness''.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/09/upshot/bloomberg-new-york-prosperity-inequality.html</ref>

“As Bloomberg’s New York Prospered, Inequality Flourished Too” (''New York Times'', 11/9/19) is corporate media's ambivalent way of acknowledging that Bloomberg's tenure benefited the few at the expense of the many, with the “growth and prosperity” the ''Times'' illustrated with the controversial Atlantic Yards/Barclay Center in Brooklyn accompanied by increases in rents, gentrification and homelessness.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/09/upshot/bloomberg-new-york-prosperity-inequality.html</ref>

===Transgender toilets===

===Transgender toilets===

===Putin stooge===

===Putin stooge===

Bloomberg backed Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]]'s aggression and [[Ukrainian crisis|invasion of the Crimea]].<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2020/02/11/michael-bloomberg-2015-justifies-russia-crimea</ref>  ''[[Washington Post]]'' columnist Josh Rogin highlighted Bloomberg’s comments from an appearance at the Aspen Institute. Bloomberg compared Russia’s move to annex Crimea to the United States [[colonialism]] in [[California]] in 1848.<ref>https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/1227267729524215810</ref>

Bloomberg backed Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]]'s aggression and [[Ukrainian crisis|invasion of the Crimea]].<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2020/02/11/michael-bloomberg-2015-justifies-russia-crimea</ref>  ''[[Washington Post]]'' columnist Josh Rogin highlighted Bloomberg's comments from an appearance at the Aspen Institute. Bloomberg compared Russia's move to annex Crimea to the United States [[colonialism]] in [[California]] in 1848.<ref>https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/1227267729524215810</ref>

===Weinstein bailout===

===Weinstein bailout===

===CityTime scandal===

===CityTime scandal===

The CityTime scandal, which federal Judge George Daniels called “the largest city corruption scandal in decades,” was a 2011 debacle in which digitizing the city’s payroll system resulted in ballooning costs and the conviction of three contractors for bilking the city. Unions had rallied against the system, but Bloomberg, who oversaw and championed the overhaul, pressed on.

The CityTime scandal, which federal Judge George Daniels called “the largest city corruption scandal in decades,” was a 2011 debacle in which digitizing the city's payroll system resulted in ballooning costs and the conviction of three contractors for bilking the city. Unions had rallied against the system, but Bloomberg, who oversaw and championed the overhaul, pressed on.

As long-time city reporter Bob Hennelly noted on WNYC (6/29/11), even though Bloomberg never faced prosecution in the mess, this was his responsibility.

As long-time city reporter Bob Hennelly noted on WNYC (6/29/11), even though Bloomberg never faced prosecution in the mess, this was his responsibility.