Thompson Announced his run for Mayor (again) in 2013

[SobroGuy]

I agree that back then Unions were necessary and did alot to improve working conditions etc. However TODAY it has become an out of control power hungry animal that is exactly like what it was initially intended to counter. They are now part of the problem, NOT the solution. And Thomspson, as does every other mindless Stepford Democrat, will pander to this group, not becuase it is good for the city, but because of votes and access to their money. Which is why Dems have not been at the helm for 5 terms now...very sad.

[DAS]

Originally Posted by SobroGuy

I agree that back then Unions were necessary and did alot to improve working conditions etc. However TODAY it has become an out of control power hungry animal that is exactly like what it was initially intended to counter. They are now part of the problem, NOT the solution. And Thomspson, as does every other mindless Stepford Democrat, will pander to this group, not becuase it is good for the city, but because of votes and access to their money. Which is why Dems have not been at the helm for 5 terms now...very sad.

You are lumping Thompson and all Democrats together which could be right or wrong. IMO people vote for the best candidate especially in local politics. Many registered Democrats voted for both Giuliani, and Bloomberg. People will consider many issues. Cutting the Unions throats maybe one of them.

Many people work in the private sector when they are young and strong and able to work many hours, and don't require much health coverage, and are not thinking about their retirement. So they work 10-15 years hard and make big bucks. But as they age they need to slow down and they can't keep up that pace, so they may switch to a civil service job in their field for better medical coverage, and retirement benefits.

Some people are also not born in the socio-economic classes that will allow them to make big bucks in the private sector. They know that they will work many long hours and not receive the same pay and benefits as their more well connected colleagues. So good paying Union Jobs are more desirable.

Others like NYPD and NYFD take on the hard jobs with pay that doesn't correlate with the requirements of the job, to get a better retirement later on.

These are some of the reasons that the public will never vote to cut the unions throats. Only a wealthy, connected business person would think this way.

[SobroGuy]

I don't lump Thompson in with Dems, he does that himself. But yes NYC residents vote for the better candidate. The question should be asked though: Why in the epicenter of Democratic territory would NYC choose not to elect a Democratic Mayor for 5 consecutive terms? They voted in a Repub for 2 terms, and an "independent" (who went against the term limits) for 3 terms! And much credit and praise have gone to both of them and they have moved the city forward in a way that hasn't been done in the prior 30 years. It's very telling about how bad Dems are in NYC.

Regarding the Unions, I don't think we should "cut any throats" I think we should rein them in, as they wield too much power at the expense of the health and economy of NYC and its residents.

[victorfox]

If elected, Thompson will be another David Dinkins... incompetent and clueless liberal major. He will undo any progress Gulliani and Bloomberg have achieved. We'll be going backwards instead of forward. I just hope we have a good charismatic, conservative republican mayor candidate pop up between now and 2013.

[SobroGuy]

I don't think a Repub is the answer, I would prefer an independent that isn't at the mercy of their party or any other group for that matter.

[FrmlyBklyn]

- this is not an anti-union bashing post. The next mayor will have to be both charismatic and reasonable - there are many issues facing this city and I'll use a saying someone once told me "learn from the past and you"ll master the future". We all know what has happened these past thirty years - if you want to go back to the 70's then vote in the Dems, just remember what Ford said to us back then when the city ran out of money.

[Viralmd]

The topic is Thompson running for mayor. Please keep this thread ON topic. Off topic posts will be deleted.

[Fred314X]

Originally Posted by victorfox

If elected, Thompson will be another David Dinkins... incompetent and clueless liberal major. He will undo any progress Gulliani and Bloomberg have achieved. We'll be going backwards instead of forward. I just hope we have a good charismatic, conservative republican mayor candidate pop up between now and 2013.

...The key word in your posting being the first one. "If" elected. By and large, I think you may be right about a Thompson administration. But he's not likely to be elected given another, better choice. (I, personally, hope that John Liu does decide to run).

As far as your hopes for a "charismatic, conservative republican," I think you must have some other city in mind. You couldn't really be talking about New York, could you?