Sunday, February 06, 2005
Bloomberg To Gays: Drop Dead, Then Vote For Me
Well, it didn't take long for Mayor Bloomberg to make me look a bit naive, did it?
Turns out, he really didn't have to kowtow to either his liberal-ish constituency or his Republican overlords. He has taken a definitive stand, announcing his staunch support of both camps.
There. He is against it and will appeal the ruling.
Let's hear his justification:
Whaaaa???
So he claimed publicly for the first time that he is pro-gay marriage, shortly after announcing that he has effectively sent it to die in Albany (Court of Appeals: 4 Pataki conservatives, 3 Cuomo liberals, one big nail in the coffin).
In a sense, he's done what I predicted by proving himself no real supporter of equal rights, but he's managed to do it in a way that ought to piss off everyone involved -- I commend the mayor for his ability to turn a potential wedge issue into an astounding political fuckup.
Next up for Mayor Bloomberg: He will announce his strong support of the Harvey Milk School, the public school serving at-risk GLBT students, then withhold its funding.
Yes, ho ho, that would be a funny and purely hypothetical example of political opportunism, wouldn't it...
Requisite link to story illustrating that precise hypocrisy here.
Oy. |
Turns out, he really didn't have to kowtow to either his liberal-ish constituency or his Republican overlords. He has taken a definitive stand, announcing his staunch support of both camps.
A day after a judge in Manhattan issued the first New York State court ruling in support of gay marriage, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said New York City would appeal the decision, effectively closing the door on such marriages until the issue is decided by a higher court.
There. He is against it and will appeal the ruling.
Let's hear his justification:
"I think people have the right to love, to live with and to marry whoever they want, regardless of their sexual orientation," the mayor said as hundreds of guests stood and cheered.
Whaaaa???
So he claimed publicly for the first time that he is pro-gay marriage, shortly after announcing that he has effectively sent it to die in Albany (Court of Appeals: 4 Pataki conservatives, 3 Cuomo liberals, one big nail in the coffin).
In a sense, he's done what I predicted by proving himself no real supporter of equal rights, but he's managed to do it in a way that ought to piss off everyone involved -- I commend the mayor for his ability to turn a potential wedge issue into an astounding political fuckup.
Next up for Mayor Bloomberg: He will announce his strong support of the Harvey Milk School, the public school serving at-risk GLBT students, then withhold its funding.
Yes, ho ho, that would be a funny and purely hypothetical example of political opportunism, wouldn't it...
Requisite link to story illustrating that precise hypocrisy here.
When the school first opened, Mayor Bloomberg told reporters, "I think everybody feels its a good idea because some of the kids who are gays and lesbians have been constantly harassed and beaten in other schools. It lets them get an education without having to worry."
But today, the mayors office does not return calls about the school. Another ominous sign of cooling passions within City Hall for the Harvey Milk High School are recent reports that it failed to get promised funding increases to expand from 100 to 170 students. Spokespersons for the school deny that funds were withheld, and say that the decision not to expand was made by the school itself, which feared overcrowding -- a nonsensical claim, given that the $3.2 million renovation and expansion was expressly predicated on planning for an ultimate enrollment of 170 kids.
Oy. |
