Is Bloomberg Flip-Flopping on Occupy Wall St. Protests?
- Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:00pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has at times seemed to sit on both sides of the fence in regards to his stance on the “Occupy Wall Street” protests that began in New York’s Zuccotti Park, and have since spread to cities across the United States.
On September 30, Mayor Bloomberg seemed to show no love for the protesters, saying in a radio interview that they are “protesting against people who make $40-50,000 a year and are struggling to make ends meet. That’s the bottom line.” On October 3, The Blaze reported on the Mayor’s continued concerns about the OWS movement, expressed in his weekly radio address:
“’What they’re trying to do is take away the jobs of people working in the city, take away the tax base that we have,”’Bloomberg said. ‘We’re not going to have money to pay our municipal employees or anything else.”
However on Monday, some perceived Mayor Bloomberg was softening his stance towards the protesters, when he said they could stay indefinitely in Zuccotti Park, provided they abide by the law. Wall Street Journal reports:
“’The bottom line is – people want to express themselves. And as long as they obey the laws, we’ll allow them to,’ said Bloomberg as he prepared to march in the Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue. ‘If they break the laws, then, we’re going to do what we’re supposed to do: enforce the laws.’”
Not exactly a free pass, but definitely a change in tone.
On Tuesday, the Mayor of the world’s financial capital came back at the protesters who attack many of those whom he represents, as the New York Post reports:
“‘I don’t appreciate the bashing of all the hard working people who live and work here and pay the taxes that support our city,’ said Bloomberg, during a press conference in a Bronx library.
‘The city depends on Wall Street. Let’s not forget, those taxes pay our teachers, pay our police officers, pay our firefighters. Those taxes we get from the profits companies and the incomes, they go to pay for this library.’”
The Mayor prides himself as a defender of free speech and it’s unequivocal importance to the city.
“This is the place where you can protest,” Mayor Bloomberg said last week, calling New York the “most tolerant, open city in the world.”
Mayor Bloomberg used his free speech Tuesday, to say what he thought of OWS’s tactics, such as marching in front of the homes of some of the city’s wealthiest bankers:
“Jamie Dimon is one of the great bankers,” said Bloomberg. ‘He’s brought more business to this city than any banker in (the) modern day. To go and picket him, I don’t know what that achieves. Jamie Dimon is an honorable person, working very hard, paying his taxes.’
Bloomberg also questioned why the protestors were picking on wealthy bankers and other corporate titans.
‘There are a lot of people who make a lot of money,’ he noted. ‘You have actors and athletes and you have business people making a lot of money.”
The protesters have occupied Zuccotti Park since September 17, and have already cost city taxpayers millions.
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Windsong
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 9:14pmWell, Mr. Bloomberg, you are about to find out what New York will become…when Wall Street firms relocate to other states, Broadway becomes too dangerous to attend a musical, and police and firemen begin relocating to states where their ‘officials’ won’t ask them to stand by quietly in the stench while the law breakers take drugs, have sex and deffacate on their vehicles.
Report Post »As a patriotic American, Mr. Bloomberg, I can only say that I will not visit your city again. New York is becoming America’s Afghanistan, thanks to you, Sir.
It’s dangerous, dysfuntional and filthy. You finally ‘nudged’ hard enough that you destroyed the one thing New York has always had…a good name. Cass Sunstein will be proud when he realizes that his hard work has paid off. Of course, Cass never has looked ahead. His only thought has been to choke Americans until they no longer have rights. What he didn’t realize is that he will be left with a drug infested, entitled group of individuals who no longer consider either of you useful any more.
Oh, that’s right! I forgot that both Mr. Bloomberg and Cass will have the warm arms of the United Nations surrounding them. Huh.
Yes, the day will come when you will both pray for the Americans to swoop in and save you from a fate you never dreamed of. I fear you will both be on your own. I’ll be safe and warm with the rest of the Americans you so detest, praying for both of you.
R2
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 6:08pmFollow the money. Where is the money coming from for the OT and clean up of this mess??
And can you imagine what that place smells like?? With them crapping and ******* all over the place and leaving their garbage all over. And lets not forget the rats that must be there eating the food they leave around.
I no longer live in NY (thank God) But I can imagine all the law suits they will have over rat bites.
Report Post »SpeaknUp
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 6:07pmAmerica has a warped view of the constitutional concept of freedom of speech. That amendment was added to protect a person’s right to political speech without retribution from the federal government. It protects the people’s right to lawfully assemble – there is no “right” to set up camps in public places for the purpose of disrupting the lives and activities of others. Protesting the activities of private entities is not a “political” activity and is not protected under the free speech clause.
This group of “occupiers” has no agenda but to disrupt the livelihood of others. They should be disbanded and sent home–the sooner the better.
Report Post »inferno
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 3:41pmDoes Bloomberg flip -flop ? Like a dying fish !
Report Post »otmonger
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 12:21pmObama says jump. Bloomberg says how high!!!!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 9:08amThe old inmates are running this Insane Asylum: they are the Top people, they are the Protestors, and they are the Media! It is a Nightmare!
Report Post »VotersOfNY
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 8:45amHe did the same thing when he through out TWO elections where the people voted for two term limits so he could run again to make a few BILLION more in his private businesses.
You do know that’s the only reason he did it, right?
Report Post »Dallasbill
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 8:35amWhen are the Hard working, tax paying people of New York who have bussiness and homes in NY going to get fed-up with these dirtbags? It’s time for people with some common sense to throw these bums,and dirtbags out of your business and properties and take back the parks that they have destroyed. Stop asking for government handouts and get a job or at least take a bath you stink.
Report Post »DanielBurke
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 7:46amI knew protestors protesting in front of some of Bloomberg’s friends houses would bring out his hypocrisy – and it did.
Report Post »Talmid of Yeshua
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 4:42amOf course Bloomberg is flip-flopping. He’s a liberal. That’s what liberals do.
A point I want to make:
Liberals call the Tea Party racist, violent, terrorists, etc….
… Then same liberals, who support the Occupy Wall Street commies say that, hey, the Occupy people are just like the Tea Party: Proud Americans using their freedom of speech.
So.. liberals, if the Tea Party is racist, violent and terrorists, and the Occupy people are just like the Tea Party, I guess that makes the Occupy people racist, violent terrorists…
… and these same liberal democrats who said this about the Tea Party, have said they support the Occupy people…
… So that only leads to one conclusion:
The liberal democrats in Congress who support the Occupy people, and have made these contradictory statements, are supporters of racist, violent terrorists.
Report Post »ejbonk
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 2:30amThe Mayor needs to get off his ass,and send in tear gas,water cannons and the national guard and clear these jerks out. Arrest as many as you can,send them to Rikers Island overnight to be someones bitch and start bail hearing in the late morning with mean judges,and high bail.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 2:22amSomething doesn’t smell good in NYC. I wasn’t talking about the protestors. At least not this time. Maybe someone nudged him in their direction & he is running scared and cover his progressive butt. The way they flip flop is just they way they are.
Report Post »Free2speakRN
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 4:32amThey are fish out of water.
Report Post »uptickusa
Posted on October 12, 2011 at 12:16amWhat about selling drugs-defecating/urinating in public
Report Post »squeaker
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:43pmwho cares
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:32pmSome of the idiots here in Colorado feel that pitching tents is their rightful duty in a park that has an ordinance that no over night camping is allowed. They feel their civil rights are being violated because the police have told them to remove the tents each night and they can set them back up in the morning.
Report Post »Of course, they haven’t so the police say they will issue tickets with fines and if that does not deter them, they will start arresting them.
kansas hawks 3
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:26pmAs long as they obey the law??? What about all the pot and other drugs?? Well that is New York so I guess people shouldn’t expect much more than what they voted for ……
Report Post »Dalady
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:25pmBloomboy has to placate these useful idiots lest they march on him. He endorsed them as long as they aren’t breaking the law. They ARE breaking laws as are many of these “occupants’ around our great country. The police are waiting it out knowing these fools will go home soon. Unfortunately their handlers will keep them whipped up and they will be back.
Report Post »chazmo
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:20pm“’The bottom line is – people want to express themselves. And as long as they obey the laws, we’ll allow them to,’ said Bloomberg as he prepared to march in the Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue. ‘If they break the laws, then, we’re going to do what we’re supposed to do: enforce the laws.’”
coming from the same guy that won’t enforce immigration laws.. puuuuuhleeaase
Report Post »TucsonTerpFan
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 10:55pm“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,“ unless that ”wind” is Mayor Bloomberg!
He’s a man who holds onto his principles…at least for a day or two…or an hour or two…give or take a few minutes!
Report Post »Profx72
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 10:35pmGuess what happens when Protesters disrupt business in New York? You DISRUPT the business OF New York! The “Occupy Stupidity” crowd needs to get a life and get a point. The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend, and these “Youthful Idiots” complaining that they can‘t get a job are proving exactly WHY they can’t get a job. I wouldn’t hire a single one of them! If you don’t understand how business works or why it works, you probably aren’t going to be very productive for whoever hires you, and, these days, they can easily find someone who WILL work and WORK WELL! Maybe instead of smoking dope and taking “Underwater Basket Weaving” or “Beat Poetry of the Serengeti,” they should have studied business or science…you know: something PRODUCTIVE! IDIOTS!!!
Report Post »http://www.maverickvoice.com