Shameless
Despite a surprisingly narrow victory in yesterday’s election, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been declared Mayor-For-Life by the New York City Council.
In a hurried vote held behind closed doors earlier this morning, the Council voted to repeal the term limits law and appointed Mr. Bloomberg as the permanent mayor. Mayoral elections were scrapped beginning 2013.
“Mayor Bloomberg has shown an uncanny ability to manage this great city and maintain its reputation as one of the safest and best places to live and work,” said Alan J. Gerson, a senior member of Council, in a statement released after the morning vote.
“Further, Mayor Bloomberg has outspent his opponents by several multiples and few people are ready to take on his venerable political machine. The Council has decided to stop wasting taxpayer money on mayoral elections and to appoint Mr. Bloomberg as our Mayor-For-Life. Hail the Dear Leader!”
“As I stated last night, we’ve spent the last eight years defying conventional wisdom in managing this city. The City Council’s vote has shown once again that we can and will think outside the box to ensure the best outcomes for the people of this great city,” the mayor told a sparse crowd of supporters at the Sheraton New York Hotel in Midtown Manhattan at a press conference at 10 a.m. this morning.
Support for the move has been sparse and muted. Stav Brinbaum, 37, a Web producer from Brooklyn, described the move as “unfortunate, even though he’s doing a good job.”
Democratic operatives in New York seem to have been energized by the vote. “Bloomberg cannot continue forcing his will down our throats,” said Representative Anthony D. Weiner, a Queens Democrat. “We vow to fight this tooth and nail.”
