Smug Bastard Cabal

Instapundit has a good posting up on Mayor Bloomberg's recent showing in the polls. I absolutely agree with him. Bloomberg isn't a weak politician; he's just a putz. I sent Reynolds the following in an e-mail

Mr. Reynolds,

I absolutely agree with your post regarding Mayor Bloomberg. Whatsmore, I think also agree that it is a huge mistake to fault his unpopularity to a lack of political acumen. The guy has gotten a very large part of his political agenda enacted. The problem, as you astutely point out, is what that agenda is. The smoking ban is bad enough (although its widely flouted, even by the police), but add on top of that a major tax hike, cuts in the police and fire departments (despite his using the threat of cutbacks to wring more money from Albany), and a visible increase in things like vandalism and public sanitation, as well as the Mayor's vehement opposition to a cut in state tax rates. Its not a bad politician - its a bad leader. A lot of people (including myself), supported Bloomberg's candidacy because we thought he'd take some of the edge off of Giuliani's legacy. Instead, what we found that we got was a mayor who, if anything heightened the authoritarian streak of the Giuliani era, while pretty much eroding that legacy's accomplishments.
Bill Dalasio
New York

I'll be shocked if Bloomberg gets a second term.