Critical statement from Bloomberg, in his endorsement of Obama for president:<br><br>"Our
climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather we have
experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the
result of it, the risk that it might be – given this week's devastation –
should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action."<br>------------------------------------------------------------<br><br>First Bloombergs op-ed, then commentary from the UK Guardian:<br><br><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-01/a-vote-for-a-president-to-lead-on-climate-change.html">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-01/a-vote-for-a-president-to-lead-on-climate-change.html</a><br>
<br><h1>A Vote for a President to Lead on Climate Change</h1><div class="bview_story_meta">
<cite class="byline">By
Michael R. Bloomberg
</cite>
<cite class="byline story_time">
<span style="display:inline" class="datestamp">Nov 1, 2012 11:55 AM PT<br><br></span></cite>The devastation that <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/hurricane-sandy/">Hurricane Sandy</a> brought to <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/new-york/">New York</a>
City and much of the Northeast -- in lost lives, lost homes and lost
business -- brought the stakes of Tuesday’s presidential election into
sharp relief. <br><br><p>The floods and fires that swept through our city left a path of
destruction that will require years of recovery and rebuilding work. And
in the short term, our <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/subway-system/">subway system</a>
remains partially shut down, and many city residents and businesses
still have no power. In just 14 months, two hurricanes have forced us to
evacuate neighborhoods -- something our city government had never done
before. If this is a trend, it is simply not sustainable. </p><p>Our climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/new-york-city/">New York City</a>
and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk that
it might be -- given this week’s devastation -- should compel all
elected leaders to take immediate action. </p><p>Here in New York, our comprehensive sustainability plan -- <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/home/home.shtml" title="Open Web Site" rel="external">PlaNYC</a>
-- has helped allow us to cut our carbon footprint by 16 percent in
just five years, which is the equivalent of eliminating the carbon
footprint of a city twice the size of <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/seattle/">Seattle</a>. Through the <a href="http://www.c40cities.org/" title="Open Web Site" rel="external">C40</a>
Cities Climate Leadership Group -- a partnership among many of the
world’s largest cities -- local governments are taking action where
national governments are not. </p><h2>Leadership Needed </h2><p>But we can’t do it alone. We need leadership from the White House -- and over the past four years, President <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/barack-obama/">Barack Obama</a> has taken major steps to reduce our carbon consumption, including setting <a href="http://www.nhtsa.gov/fuel-economy" title="Open Web Site" rel="external">higher fuel-efficiency standards</a>
for cars and trucks. His administration also has adopted tighter
controls on mercury emissions, which will help to close the dirtiest
coal power plants (an effort I have supported through my philanthropy),
which are estimated to kill 13,000 Americans a year. <br></p>
</div><p>Mitt Romney, too, has a history of tackling <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/climate-change/">climate change</a>. As governor of <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/massachusetts/">Massachusetts</a>, he signed on to a regional cap- and-trade plan designed to reduce <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/carbon-emissions/">carbon emissions</a>
10 percent below 1990 levels. “The benefits (of that plan) will be
long- lasting and enormous -- benefits to our health, our economy, our
quality of life, our very landscape. These are actions we can and must
take now, if we are to have ‘no regrets’ when we transfer our temporary
stewardship of this Earth to the next generation,” he wrote at the time.
</p><p>He couldn’t have been more right. But since then, he has
reversed course, abandoning the very cap-and-trade program he once
supported. This issue is too important. We need determined leadership at
the national level to move the nation and the world forward. <br></p><p> believe <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/mitt-romney/">Mitt Romney</a> is a good and decent man, and he would bring valuable business experience to the <a href="http://www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org/exhibits/permanent-exhibits/oval-office" title="Open Web Site" rel="external">Oval Office</a>.
He understands that America was built on the promise of equal
opportunity, not equal results. In the past he has also taken sensible
positions on immigration, illegal guns, abortion rights and health care.
But he has reversed course on all of them, and is even running against
the health-care model he signed into law in Massachusetts. </p><p>If the
1994 or 2003 version of Mitt Romney were running for president, I may
well have voted for him because, like so many other independents, I have
found the past four years to be, in a word, disappointing. </p><p>In
2008, Obama ran as a pragmatic problem-solver and consensus-builder. But
as president, he devoted little time and effort to developing and
sustaining a coalition of centrists, which doomed hope for any real
progress on illegal guns, immigration, <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/tax-reform/">tax reform</a>, <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/job-creation/">job creation</a> and <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/deficit-reduction/">deficit reduction</a>.
And rather than uniting the country around a message of shared
sacrifice, he engaged in partisan attacks and has embraced a divisive
populist agenda focused more on redistributing income than creating it. </p><h2>Important Victories </h2><p>Nevertheless, the president has achieved some important victories on issues that will help define our future. His <a href="http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/index.html" title="Open Web Site" rel="external">Race to the Top</a>
education program -- much of which was opposed by the teachers’ unions,
a traditional Democratic Party constituency -- has helped drive badly
needed reform across the country, giving local districts leverage to
strengthen accountability in the classroom and expand <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/charter-schools/">charter schools</a>. His health-care law -- for all its flaws -- will provide insurance coverage to people who need it most and save lives. </p>
<p>When
I step into the voting booth, I think about the world I want to leave
my two daughters, and the values that are required to guide us there.
The two parties’ nominees for president offer different visions of where
they want to lead America. </p><p>One believes a woman’s right to
choose should be protected for future generations; one does not. That
difference, given the likelihood of <a href="http://www.thegreenpapers.com/Hx/SupremeCourt.html" title="Open Web Site" rel="external">Supreme Court</a> vacancies, weighs heavily on my decision. </p><p>One
recognizes marriage equality as consistent with America’s march of
freedom; one does not. I want our president to be on the right side of
history. </p><p>One sees <a href="http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/" title="Open Web Site" rel="external">climate change</a>
as an urgent problem that threatens our planet; one does not. I want
our president to place scientific evidence and risk management above
electoral politics. </p><p>Of course, neither candidate has specified
what hard decisions he will make to get our economy back on track while
also balancing the budget. But in the end, what matters most isn’t the
shape of any particular proposal; it’s the work that must be done to
bring members of Congress together to achieve bipartisan solutions. </p><p>Presidents <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/bill-clinton/">Bill Clinton</a> and <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/ronald-reagan/">Ronald Reagan</a>
both found success while their parties were out of power in Congress --
and President Obama can, too. If he listens to people on both sides of
the aisle, and builds the trust of moderates, he can fulfill the hope he
inspired four years ago and lead our country toward a better future for
my children and yours. And that’s why I will be voting for him. </p><p>(<a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/michael-r.-bloomberg/">Michael R. Bloomberg</a> is mayor of New York and founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News parent Bloomberg LP.) </p>
<p>To contact the Bloomberg View editorial board: <a href="mailto:view@bloomberg.net" title="Send E-mail">view@bloomberg.net</a>. </p> -------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/01/bloomberg-endorses-obama-climate-change">http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/01/bloomberg-endorses-obama-climate-change</a><br><h1>New York's Bloomberg endorses Obama to lead on climate change</h1>
New York mayor combines endorsement with attack on Romney for failures over climate change, women's rights and gun contro<br><br><ul class="article-attributes trackable-component b4"><li class="byline"><div class="contributor-full">
<span><span><a class="contributor" rel="author" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/ewenmacaskill">Ewen MacAskill</a></span></span> and <span><span><a class="contributor" rel="author" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/suzannegoldenberg">Suzanne Goldenberg</a></span></span> in Washington </div>
</li><li class="publication">
<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian">The Guardian</a>,
Thursday 1 November 2012
</li></ul><br><div id="article-body-blocks">
<p>The impact of the superstorm Sandy was felt directly on the presidential election on Thursday when the popular mayor of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/new-york" title="More from guardian.co.uk on New York">New York</a>, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/michaelbloomberg" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Michael Bloomberg">Michael Bloomberg</a>, threw his support behind <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/barack-obama" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a>, citing Republican challenger <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/mittromney" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Mitt Romney">Mitt Romney</a>'s failure to back <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/climate-change" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Climate change">climate change</a> measures.</p>
<p>Bloomberg
combined his endorsement of Obama with a devastating attack on Romney
for reversing his positions not only on climate change but on
immigration, guns, abortion rights and healthcare.</p><p>His endorsement
came as Obama received plaudits for his handling of the storm that has
devastated New Jersey and New York and also hit Connecticut and West
Virginia.</p><p>The mayor, writing about the damage caused to New York
by Sandy, praised Obama for having made some progress towards tackling
climate change. He noted that Romney, too, had supported climate change
moves in the past but has since backed away from them.</p><p>In a
powerful passage that can only hurt Romney, Bloomberg went on to write:
"I believe Mitt Romney is a good and decent man, and he would bring
valuable business experience to the Oval Office. He understands that
America was built on the promise of equal opportunity, not equal
results.</p><p>"In the past he has also taken sensible positions on
immigration, illegal guns, abortion rights and healthcare. But he has
reversed course on all of them, and is even running against the
healthcare model he signed into law in Massachusetts."</p><p>Obama said
he was honoured to have Bloomberg's endorsement. "I deeply respect him
for his leadership in business, philanthropy and government, and [I]
appreciate the extraordinary job he's doing right now, leading New York
City through these difficult days," the president said.</p><p>"Mayor
Bloomberg and I agree on the most important issues of our time – that
the key to a strong economy is investing in the skills and education of
our people, that immigration reform is essential to an open and dynamic
democracy, and that climate change is a threat to our children's future.</p><p>"Just as importantly, we agree that whether we are <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/democrats" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Democrats">Democrats</a>, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/republicans" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Republicans">Republicans</a>, or independents, there is only one way to solve these challenges and move forward as a nation – together."</p>
<p>Bloomberg's
support comes after New Jersey governor Chris Christie praised Obama
for his handling of Sandy. Although Christie is a Republican and a
prominent supporter of Romney, he went out of his way this week to
repeatedly praise Obama's leadership in responding to the crisis.</p><p>Bloomberg
is an independent who had originally been a Democrat before switching
to the Republicans in 2001. He won the mayorship as a Republican but
fell out with the party in 2007.</p><p>He considered running as an
independent in the 2008 White House election and commissioned polls in
all 50 states, dropping the idea after finding insufficient support.</p><p>In his op-ed, Bloomberg brings climate change, largely ignored by Obama and Romney during the campaign, back to the fore.</p><p>"The devastation that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/hurricane-sandy" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Hurricane Sandy">Hurricane Sandy</a>
brought to New York City and much of the north-east – in lost lives,
lost homes and lost business – brought the stakes of Tuesday's
presidential election into sharp relief," he wrote.</p><p>He added: "Our
climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather we have
experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the
result of it, the risk that it might be – given this week's devastation –
should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action."</p><p>Obama
had taken major steps to reduce carbon consumption and Romney too had a
history of tackling climate change but had reversed course.</p><p>He said he was disappointed with Obama on many issues, listing among them healthcare reform.</p><p>"When
I step into the voting booth, I think about the world I want to leave
my two daughters, and the values that are required to guide us there.
The two parties' nominees for president offer different visions of where
they want to lead America," he writes.</p><p>"One believes a woman's
right to choose should be protected for future generations; one does
not. That difference, given the likelihood of supreme court vacancies,
weighs heavily on my decision.</p><p>"One recognises marriage equality
as consistent with America's march of freedom; one does not. I want our
president to be on the right side of history."</p><p>He concluded:
"Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan both found success while
their parties were out of power in Congress – and President Obama can,
too. If he listens to people on both sides of the aisle, and builds the
trust of moderates, he can fulfil the hope he inspired four years ago
and lead our country toward a better future for my children and yours.
And that's why I will be voting for him."</p><p>The Economist, which has
a wide readership in the US, said in an editorial it had backed Obama
four years ago and was doing so again. It regretted that Romney was too
far removed from the centre.</p><p>"This newspaper yearns for the more
tolerant conservatism of Ronald Reagan, where 'small government' meant
keeping the state out of people's bedrooms as well as out of their
businesses. Mr Romney shows no sign of wanting to revive it," it says.</p><p>It
concludes: "For all his businesslike intentions, Mr Romney has an
economic plan that works only if you don't believe most of what he says.
That is not a convincing pitch for a chief executive. And for all his
shortcomings, Mr Obama has dragged America's economy back from the brink
of disaster, and has made a decent fist of foreign policy. So this
newspaper would stick with the devil it knows, and re-elect him."</p><p>Fellow
Republicans downplayed the significance of Bloomberg's endorsement.
"It's not surprising to me. Bloomberg is a very liberal political
figure," said George Pataki, the former Republican governor of New York.</p><p>Pataki also argued Romney would be "far better" than Obama in dealing with climate change.</p><p>Pataki
during his time as governor was one of the creators of a regional
carbon trading system – which is in partial collapse since Christie
pulled out last year. </p><p>He said of Romney's position: "I think he
is far better than Obama, who embraced the Markey-Waxman bill. That is
the fear when you allow people like Pelosi and Reid and Obama to draft
national legislation that is not so much aimed at climate change but at
expanding government power and government revenue. I think Romney would
be far better."</p>
</div>
<div id="related"><span class="trackable-component component-wrapper two-col"></span><span class="trackable-component component-wrapper six-col">------------------------------------------<br>Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett<br>
</span></div>