Politico's Mike Allen reports today on former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's shifting electoral focus, writing:
So as the former New York mayor turned activist for gun control, healthier food choices, education reform, and other issues makes his spending plans for the next two years, he plans to weight his contributions more toward ballot measures, governor and school-board candidates, and away from House and Senate races, which have become glutted with outside money.
“You can keep hitting your head against a wall, or you can go elsewhere,” Bloomberg said in a statement to POLITICO. “Change is really possible at the state and local level.”
The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government, are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will, for the most part, be connected. The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State.
Politico goes on to note:
His political advisers are already scouting states where his big checks could help promote soda taxes and background checks for handgun purchasers.
Will we see left-leaning activists protesting Bloomberg's efforts and saying he is attempting to buy our political system with his deep pockets? We're not holding our breath.
But if Michael Bloomberg follows through on his intention to pour time, money, and energy into pushing a Big Government agenda in the states, the ride won't be without serious turbulence, as our state and local activists will see him there.
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