When I read that article in Broadsheet on his juvenile workplace environment where his employees act like it's third grade and they're at recess bullying the class geek and teasing the girls, that was it for Bloomberg.

What a sense of privilege -- to be open about enjoying marijuana and then support the WOD.

And Bloomberg can count. He knows how to count money. He should realize the WOD is a giant money-sucking hole in our economy.

In Calfornia now the prisoners are catching some deadly fungus in the Central Valley soil. The prisoners don't grow up breathing Valley dust, so they have zero immunity and they get very, very sick and it costs the state millions of dollars to send them to decent hospitals where they can be treated.

If we have a recession -- how in the hell are we going to afford to take care of all those prisoners?

It's really expensive when a prisoner gets sick.

You'd think someone with math ability like Bloomberg could do that math.

We have too many prisoners to take care of, and the WOD is to blame for that.

When we have a recession, and governments starts getting desperate for money, choices will have to be made.

In California it's already pretty bad. The prison budget is growing, growing, growing and the state budget is shrinking, shrinking, shrinking.

You'd think someone like Bloomberg would be able to do that math.

Arnold can do the math. The column adds up to this: we're going to have to start being a lot more lenient with nonviolent offenders.

Appeasement.

Or "date rape" -- take your pick.

We are trying to change the tones in the state capitals -- and turn them toward bitter nastiness and partisanship. Bipartisanship is another name for date rape. -Grover Norquist

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/bivens_outrage?pid=699

Where were the calls for bi-partisanship while the Republicans were selling the government to the highest bidders? When the Republican leadership chortled about freezing out their Democratic colleagues? When Republican were turning the Justice Department into an arm of their re-election apparatus?

These people don't want bi-partisanship. They want to validate the excesses and crimes of the Bush administration. Whether from a desire to end the acrimony that began with Kenneth Starr's witch-hunt or to continue the excesses and crimes, they are wrong.

Certainly, the nation has become more divided since the Republican hysterics tried to paint Bill Clinton as anything from a draft dodging traitor to a murderer. But that can't be laid at the feet of Democratic partisanhip. That was pure Republican venom.

The suggestion that Democrats are either responible for the divisivemess or complicit in it because of their reactions to Bush's unprecedented incompetence and criminality is ridiculous. Democrats have been, as has been noted here and elsewhere, overly accomodating in addressing the acts that would have resulted in the successful impeachment of a Democratic president.

And the premise that the Democratic presidential candidates are not addressing the real issues facing the nation is absurd. While the Republican field, and their lapdog pundits, are trying to scapegoat immigrants for the economic difficulties that are facing middle class America, the Democrats are rightfully citing the tax andspending policies of the Republican controlled government.

While the Republicans are trying to prove their toughness by threatening to continue policies of torture and unprovoked invaion., the Democrats are talking about restoring America's honor.

While America cries out for Universal Health Care, Republicans talk about protecting insurers and the value of choice for those who have none.

If Bloomberg and company want to see a less divided nation they should support the Democrats and insist on changes. Otherwise, they only ensure that the nation will continue to slide into the type of state that so many Americans died fighting against. A nation that spies on its own, tortures and holds political prisoners without charge.

to try to paint Bloomberg as a Neocon based on his past statements, beliefs, and associations, because some of our Democratic candidates (and many of our Congressional Dems) could be splattered with that same paint. I don't believe he's much of a Neocon, anyway. The Weekly Standard trashed him as soon as he publicly tinkered with running:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/602vjbrc.asp

That should be an indicator of how much he is NOT trusted by Kristol and his ilk. I also didn't see any mention of Hagel, Bloomberg's most likely running mate and biggest champion, in your article--you know, the guy who called out both Lebanon AND Israel for their back-and-forth in 2006, and declared that the "sickening slaughter on both sides must end". The guy who wants the Iraq occupation to end and took a strong stand for diplomacy with Iran. That guy. If he loved and supported Neocons, why didn't he support Rudy or his old friend McCain? In fact, why didn't he just keep his "maverick" mouth shut all this time and just let the GOP have its way in the Middle East, unopposed (at least in rhetoric) except by the most principled few Democrats? There may be plenty of good reasons to oppose Bloomberg's candidacy, but until he actually comes forward with a Neocon-tainted foreign policy vision, this isn't where I'd try to hit him. He must be a threat, though, because Digby, The Nation and the rest of the lefty blogosphere are up in arms.

If this happens, could we just stop pretending and start calling America a fascist state? This isn't just W.'s doing, folks. That what FDR called "organized money" is actually scared of corporate shills like HRC and Obama says all you need to know about their intentions.

Might be a good time for a primer on fascism.

Bloomberg is just a tit-for-tat threat to the religious right that if they get Huckabee in, the seculars will go with a third party. What goes around comes around.

that's why we have Halliburton building more and more prisons since GW has been in office-and why GW is making EO saying anyone who protests the war could be called "enemy combattant".

It's also why GW and Texas put to death more prisoners on death row than any other states.

It's why more and more sexual abuse is going on in boys homes like in Texas and Ala. with a wink and a nod from GOP USA and judges.

While GW was Gov., with Gonzo as his AG-he spent exactly 20 minutes reviewing a death-row prisoners appeal (turned down-DNA wrongfully convicted).

That seems to be the epitome of GOP/GW policy-just lock em up-out of sight-out of mind on anyone that can rat you out.

Look at the new "leak" policies of prosecuting anyone who leaks-even though it is also a law that all govt. employees are honor-bound to report illegal activity in govt.

Gov. Seigelman comes to mind in a BIG way here.