We Have Won the Victory Over Ourselves. We Love Big Bloomberg.
Second terms are traditionally the time for hubristic chaos. Domestic spying! Intern blowjobs! Chris Ofili and New York's bus-ad campaign and criminalizing jaywalking! But Mike Bloomberg — rational, pragmatist, focused, technocratic Mike Blooming — he'd never turn into a fascist (or more of a fascist, as smokers might point out), would he?
Um, actually, he would. Said the News this weekend:
On his weekly WABC-AM radio show yesterday, Bloomberg voiced support for placing devices atop taxis and private vehicles that would light up when motorists exceed the speed limit, making speeders easy prey for cops. He mentioned seeing such alarms in Singapore.
"We all want the laws enforced. And when we have technology [that] can let us enforce the law and save us money in doing so, what's the argument against that?" Bloomberg mused.
Oh, no. No argument at all, Mike. And let us tell you how excited we'll be for the special light on our pocket that goes off when we're carrying, um, something into the bar bathroom. Or the light on our coat that'll go off when we're crossing against the light.
Also, the big siren that will go off whenever people with sub-six-figure incomes come into Manhattan? That'll be doubleplus fantastic.