Norman Siegel Confronts Tsar Bloomberg on Term Limits
And now back to the term limits battle. Yes, that's right Tsar Bloomberg and your trained Surrender Monkeys (Christine Quinn, Dominc Recchia, David Yassky and the rest of the Bloomberg 29), we aren't forgetting your disrespect of the voters of NYC.
Norman Siegel got to confront Tsar Bloomberg at City Hall:
Norman 's statement at City Hall on Monday, November 3rd, prior to the Mayor's signing of the bill extending term limits.
Mr. Mayor, where I grew up in Brooklyn we were taught that whenever we were critical of someone we were to tell them why we disagreed with them face to face. So, this morning I will respectfully do exactly that.
I love New York City. I also love the principles and values associated with a democratic society. By extending term limits by legislative fiat on October 23, 2008, you and the City Council Speaker along with 28 other members of the City Council trampled on those precious principles. I and other New Yorkers will not be silent in opposition to your undoing the People’s will.
It did not have to be this way. You could have and should have raised the issue of extending term limits through a public referendum. But you chose not to do that. I believe you made a huge mistake in judgment. You exhibited a disrespect for the will of the people of this great city.
You still have an opportunity to reevaluate your approach by not signing the legislation before you and supporting a public referendum on this issue.
The question of whether the New York City Council can override two public referenda on term limits is an open legal one under the First and Fourteenth amendments of the United States Constitution, the New York City Charter and New York’s Municipal Home Rule Law. The Council’s vote on October 23 will not go unchallenged.
Mr. Mayor, I know you care about your legacy. Your recent actions and what I fear you are about to do today by extending term limits by legislative enactment will tarnish that legacy. History does not treat people who go back on their word kindly. Again, it does not have to be this way. There is an alternative. It’s a public referendum. It’s the People’s will. It’s called democracy.
And Youtube footage of the NYC Coalition To Preserve Term Limits Press Conference:
Bookmark/Search this post with:
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
Bloomberg Putsch | election 2009 | Term Limits | Norman Siegel
Siegel
Submitted by mole333 on 13 December 2008 - 10:05am.
Well, I think the firefighters and 9/11 widows and anti-Republican demonstrators who all have been helped by Norm Siegel might disagree with your characterization of him as a "professional scold." I guess you could say his lawsuit against Bloomberg's termlimits coup could fall into that category, but perhaps we NEED that right about now. Most of his work, though, has indeed been advocacy for real people in need, not merely "scolding." That's why I support Norm Siegel. Can he pull away from the pack? Well he clearly would need to do better than his past runs. I know he realizes that. And I hope he can succeed. But give the guy credit. "Professional scold" is way underestimating his 30 years of advocacy for civil liberties.
Gioia is a weasel who I don't trust. De Blasio has usually been a shill for developers, though aside from that I have always kind of liked him. And I think even de Blasio himself would admit he has a streak of opportunism in him. If Green runs, there is a strong case to be made for him. I can't say I personally LIKE him, but he was a good Public Advocate and could be a good one again. So I put him second to Siegel in my list.
Someone new? Who? Personally I want a proven track record, not some nobody like we had for the past two terms. Majora Carter? She'd be good, but may not be well enough known citywide to make a good run of it. Who else? Who has a track record like Siegel or Green or Carter but isn't a shill for some big money interest and has citywide name recognition?
Public Advocate/Siegel/DeBlasio/Green/Gioia/Powell etc. etc
Unfortunately, Siegel is a professional scold. And, yeah, Gioia is a grand stand artist. De Blasio might have a large dollop of opportunism. Green might be someone trying to re-capture his former elective glory and as for Powell, well...he's the poster-candidate for dubious acheivements.
We need a fresh take on our problems, but where/who will this come from?
Right now, the field looks a little bleak -- but perhaps someone will emerge from the pack.
Or maybe we need to look for a new voice. Lord only knows, we beleaguered New Yorkers need some advocacy!
Any ideas?