Anger towards Obama, Cuomo, Bloomberg in Irish Rockaways - President’s visit may trigger a hostile reception for governor, mayor too

Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo will accompany President Obama on his tour of ravaged areas in New York on Thursday.

Expect a hostile reception especially in the Irish Rockaways, the people that New York forgot, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Talking to people there the sense of betrayal is very real. “We feel utterly betrayed by the government” said one Rockaway Irish resident to me today.

The anger will not be aimed specifically at the president but for the two polls with him.

The Irish communities in Rockaway and Breezy Point have been devastated by this tragedy and the

Mayor and governor have not impressed them in this crisis.

Both came out talking a big game but failed to deliver. The result is widespread homelessness, no heat or light and people going hungry in New York.

The two pols did hold a lot of self-congratulatory press conferences though, deferring to each other as the disaster management geniuses they really seemed to believe they were.

Yet it took Bloomberg well over a week to figure out what Governor Christie in New Jersey quickly figured out. The gas shortage would lead to long lines and alternate day filling up was the smart move.

Then there was Bloomberg’s ridiculous decision to go ahead with the New York City marathon when the city was still grieving and bleeding from Sandy.

Cuomo was throwing threats at the Long Island Power Company telling them to shape up. When they didn’t he – well he huffed and puffed and did nothing.

As The New York Post noted:
“Now Cuomo’s searching out the guilty parties — but he would do well to look in the mirror before he travels too far down that road.”

Turns out Cuomo has ignored filling vacancies on LIPA’s board and refused to act after Newsday reported that LIA was in dire condition and totally unprepared for a hurricane.

The impact of all that will be clear to President Obama when he visits and sees the continuing tragedy unfold.

If the two men with him hang back and give him the spotlight it may not be political modesty, rather self-survival.

Why a brain dead immigration policy is harming America -- New York Mayor calls for more and smarter immigration, not less

Mayor Mike Bloomberg addresses a crowd on the topic of immigration

Occasionally a politician speaks truth to power, and New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg did so on Tuesday.

He pointed out that in 1991, 18 percent of Canada’s and America’s immigrants were rated as highly skilled.

Then he stated that in 2011, Canada’s percentage had soared to 67 percent, while the United States was falling further behind, at 13 percent.

What an obvious idea Canada had, bring in the best and brightest and watch your economy thrive—it certainly has compared to the US.

He also stated that the only solution for destroyed inner city areas, such as in Detroit, was to import thousands of immigrants to bring back the vitality and energy.

“I would argue the federal government should go one step further. They should deliberately force some places that don’t want immigrants to take them, because that’s the only solution for these big, hollowed-out cities where industry has left and is never going to come back unless you get some people to move there,” he stated.

He knows because New York would be just as dead without the immigrant neighborhoods and workforce that ensure the city continues to thrive.

America has moved so far from its immigrant roots to the point that now there is a widespread effort to prevent immigration rather than encourage it.

Thus, even much needed software engineers, and highly skilled workers, are being refused entry and turning elsewhere.

President Obama is no hero as Bloomberg pointed out; he has deported more immigrants than any president before him and done nothing on immigration reform.

Bloomberg also suggested that federal government allow states to set their own immigration policies.

Seeing as right-wingers are essentially doing that in Arizona and Alabama anyway, I agree with him.

Canada has done this successfully, allowing each state to set its own immigration policy and adapt to its needs.

Let them come to New York, where the vibrant city with its hundreds of ethnic neighborhoods, bottom level crime rate, and decent employment show the way.

Well-done Mayor Mike for speaking truth to power. No doubt the tight asses who want to close off America will soon be on your case talking the usual rubbish.