The New York Times has the files of the NYPD surveillance of groups planning protests at the 2004 Republican convention. It appears they were “monitoring” virtually every group. WitnessVideo has a searchable version.
The Bloomberg administration allowed this probably illegal spying on antiwar groups to happen, and also made every attempt to block protests in Central Park, even though it’s a public venue
Now this multi-billionaire says he may spend a billion of his own money in an independent run for president. Whose class interests do you think he represents? Not ours, I’m guessing, even as his plans for the greening of NYC appear good ones indeed.
I don’t think Bloomberg would make a swell president, but it would be great to see him run, if only to challenge the two-party hegemony. Unfortunately, no other third party candidate would have the war chest to challenge the well-funded Democrats and Republicans.
If war chests determine the outcome, I’m afraid we’re stuck with Hillary, who has the biggest chest of this year’s candidates. (Perhaps that was poor phrasing…)
Bloomberg’s one billion is more than what Hillary has.
Maybe he’s got a chance, then. Though I can already hear the Dems chanting, “Make your vote count– don’t waste it on an independent.” I don’t know whether he’d make a good president– maybe no worse than Hillary– but it might be worth it just to break the Democratic-Republican Party’s lock on power.