A politician who can’t be reelected, due to term limits, is often referred to as a ”lame duck.”
According to Wikipedia on-line, the phrase was originally coined in the 18th century at the London Stock Exchange, referring to stockbrokers who defaulted on debts, and then later employed to also describe one’s leaving elected office.
I thought of the description today, however, in reference to New York City’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, with one minor adjustment. Because I think, as ducks go, lately he’s been sounding more like “Daffy.”
Appearing on "Piers Morgan Tonight," he talked about banning sales of certain types of guns and ammunition, saying "I don't understand why the police officers across this country don't stand up collectively and say we're going to go on strike. We're not going to protect you unless you, the public, through your legislature, do what's required to keep us safe."
Now, I assume that even the mayor knows that the police are prohibited from striking by law, and was likely just trying to make his point. Nonetheless, this is the second time in just a few days where he’s raised issues that may make good sound bites, but don’t come anywhere near solving the issues.
In his case for banning super-sized bottles of soda, for example, I think the prohibition has nothing to do with folks losing weight, whereas weight loss only occurs when people themselves decide to diet. And until they do, no bans of any kind of caloric intake is going to matter because they’ll simply find another source of gluttonous satisfaction.
And, similarly, as had been said by many others before myself. Guns don’t shoot people, people do. Consequently, it isn’t the guns that are the problem, regardless of type or power, it’s those that use them illegally that need to be stopped. However, that would require some effort, intelligence and thought, which is why taking weapons away from everyone is the easy and preferable way out for incompetent politicians.
So, as I sit here and review my preceding thoughts, I think a much better way to likely please a major segment of law-abiding and responsible people would be a ban on Bloomberg’s public speaking.
That’s it for today folks.
Adios
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