I am so over Michael Bloomberg

The mayor is already throwing part of his $20 billion net worth at our airwaves to soften up the terrain and prepare for another crushing electoral victory next year en route to an illegitimate third term. Last year he rammed through City Council an override of the two-term limit that had been confirmed twice in plebsicites by the city’s electorate—but who cares about all that when you’re a big guy like Mike?

Bloomberg even intimidated the terminally pugnacious Queens Congressman Anthony Wiener who thought he was all set to become mayor and now is biding his time. Drab Bill Thompson who occupies the even drabber comptroller’s office is the only likely opponent, and the whole campaign promises to be as stimulating as winter in the Upper Peninsula.That’s a shame because I can think of plenty of ways to go after Bloomberg if the local pols weren’t so afraid of him. For starters, how about recalling for the electorate that Bloomberg was very recently best buddies with one George W. Bush and lent Bush still-traumatized New York City as a backdrop so he could build his 2004 ‘re’-election campaign on lingering GWOT fervor? I’d love to see some hard-hitting campaign ads showing the two of them feeling each other up at the Republican spectacle in Madison Square Garden and a few asides about the heavy-handed mass arrests that took place there on Bloomberg’s orders.

Then there’s his money, which we’re not supposed to notice. Bloomberg plays on New Yorkers’ cynicism about politics and corruption by appearing above it all—how can you bribe someone who pays for his $80 million campaign out of his own pocket?

Thompson or someone else could put it another way: Should we be ruled by the rich? Who needs elections? Why not have them buy the offices outright and be done with it? In these populist times there should be some room for reflection on the implications of voluntarily giving this absurdly overstuffed plutocrat even more power by voting for him.

In addition, Bloomberg’s namesake financial company is now being sued by former female employees for systematic sex discrimination, including retaliation against anyone who dared get pregnant. That opens up some juicy opportunities since Bloomberg has been caught fibbing about how much ongoing contact he has with the management of the firm. Court documents have plenty to say about corporate culture at Bloomberg L.P.—imagine TV ads denouncing him for building his fortune on abuse of women.

All this is fantasy, however, because I can’t believe his election opponent will dare. Bloomberg is part of the permanent insider camp and can be a vindictive piece of work, too. Thompson will probably play along and have a few laughs getting trammeled, then ascend to some sinecure and continue to dine with the grandees. Meanwhile, we’re stuck with the rule of the 20-billion-dollar man.