Brooklyn, NY – Mayor Bloomberg is running for reelection as the only man who can save the city, but a roomful of worried New Yorkers at a Brooklyn forum weren’t convinced.
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They were homeowners worried about losing their homes, taxpayers who can’t pay their taxes and hardworking people who can’t find work.
But, when they asked the mayor for help, he cracked jokes, talked golf and offered vague platitudes.
In response to complaints about the Housing Authority not providing a plumber, Sylvia Whiteside, president of the residents association at the Bay View Houses, was told:
“Two things: One, we will try to fix that,” Bloomberg replied. “And then I’m going to tell you my plumber joke. I have a great plumber joke.”
The joke was about a guy who needed his car fixed and was offered an appointment three years in the future. “Morning or afternoon?” he replies. After all, he tells the mechanic, he has a plumber coming that day.
The joke drew polite laughter from the 200 people crammed into Temple Shaare Emeth for the Friends United Block Association meeting, but Bloomberg’s aides admitted afterward his carefree attitude seemed out of touch.
At another point, he asked how many in the audience were golfers, drawing quizzical stares.
“Less jokes, more compassion would be much better,” one of his advisers said.
The overwhelmingly minority crowd repeatedly asked how they could pay their rising taxes and water bills, save their homes from foreclosure or find a job.
Bloomberg tossed many questions to his administration without asking for more details.
A man whose father had had two heart attacks and couldn’t pay his mortgage was referred to a commissioner who suggested job retraining. A woman whose husband had lost his job and couldn’t pay the mortgage was referred to the city’s foreclosure-prevention clinic.
Less than nine months before the election, some New Yorkers thought Bloomberg had crossed the line from tough talking to tone-deaf.
“I don’t think he was really serious,” said senior citizen Dorothy Meade, who said she voted for Bloomberg four years ago. “I did. And I won’t do it again.”
that’s why i like mike…..he’s a riot….vote for mike
That was an old joke about life in the USSR. A guy goes to buy a car and they tell him he can have it in 10 years. The buyer asks the salesman, morning or afternoon. The salesman says what’s the difference? The buyer says I have a plumber coming on that day. He’s showing up in the morning.
Look, I don’t like Bloomberg’s politics. But at least he had the beitzim to point out that raising taxes on the rich will make things worse in the City (responding to Quinn’s goal of soaking the rich more).
Stop looking to government. Only the markets can fix this mess. Trying to intervene will make things worse. The government wanted people who can’t afford homes to have them. Banks were compelled to do it (no, I’m not apologizing for them). Let the markets figure it out. People who should have been renters and not homeowners should go back to renting. Those who rented and saved should be able to buy things now that it’s cheaper.
Here’s what I’m doing… write to your credit card companies. Ask why did your rates go up when you have never been late? Remind them of where the Fed funds rate is and that we, the taxpayers, bailed them out. The other day I was in a Citibank branch paying my bill. The woman behind the counter asked me about my interest rate. I said funny you should ask, it went up 6 points and I have never been late in the 16 years I have been card member. I’m so happy that interest rates are so low and I, and the other stupid taxpayers, bailed your bank out. You could hear a pin drop in the branch after I said this.
The other day Rush advocated that you call up your mortgage company and tell them that Barack Obama said you will lower my rate and rescue me. They may hang up on you, but who knows? These banks are scared.
We the people will fix this before Lord Obama does.
Again he shows he does not have feelings for the middle class NYers time for Change we need a new mayor
have never liked him and his arrogance. the day he leaves office will be a good day for new yorkers.
You may hate him and I don’t like the arrogant prig – but we need a Fiscal Conservative to run against him and many Conservatives to run in the City Council because they keep taxing business out of the city – and Jobs are leaving with the crazy real estate taxes on commercial and residential and over regulation nanny state etc.
Problem is those who run against him are further left than he.
here u go this guy doesn’t get it he doesn’t understand the average hard working person again because he was never in that situation
ah now finally your all venting against the selfish mayor but all he needs to do is visit israel before elections and he will win back all of your votes
Get rid of this bloomberg. He’s only here to make jokes.
Is this the only man that can save the city??? Save it from where?? He is pushing it down the drain with all his taxes
Cutting expenses is the way to go. Although even that is a double edged sword, being that cutting expenses means taking $$$ from people who got them and in the end they will not afford to make there payments.
So guys there is no easy fix to this mess. Stop blaming the polticians, all they do is try to cover the existing budget, no money? They have to cover it from somewhere.
And what exactly did the guy expect bloomberg to do with the guy that had 2 heart attacks? Bail him out? On who’s chesbon? Is it really his problem? He’s not homeless, if he’s disabled let him make use of disability insurance. People today have become a dependant bunch, we sort of think we have a right to everything and expect the other guy to pay for your problems. If you need $$$$ for yourself go to work. You lost your job? Go work for less. Till people will not realize this we will not get out of this mess.
A person with 2 heart attacks there is a lot a city can do, its not as black and white Does the city has money or not there is a lot of gray era,
all it takes is a Mayer Who is in touch with the average new Yorker what Mayor Bloomberg is not
i still dont get y the local jewish politician tell us to vote for him may b thay have no problem paying there morgtg
can someone please explain me bloomberg plumbing joke, i really dont understand it. thanx
“They were homeowners worried about losing their homes, taxpayers who can’t pay their taxes and hardworking people who can’t find work.”
NEWSFLASH! Nobody’s losing their homes! Banks are taking back homes they, the banks own, from deadbeats who won’t meet their contractual obligation