Bloomberg's Challenge

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York is not running for President this year, disappointing the many people that wanted him to bring his technical mastery of government to the national stage (not to mention his billions of dollars to finance an independent campaign).

In bowing out, he wonders why the remaining candidates don't level with the American people, and goes on to say what he wants to see from our next president.

Watching the 2008 presidential campaign, you sometimes get the feeling that the candidates — smart, all of them — must know better. They must know we can’t fix our economy and create jobs by isolating America from global trade. They must know that we can’t fix our immigration problems with border security alone. They must know that we can’t fix our schools without holding teachers, principals and parents accountable for results. They must know that fighting global warming is not a costless challenge. And they must know that we can’t keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals unless we crack down on the black market for them.

The vast majority of Americans know that all of this is true, but — politics being what it is — the candidates seem afraid to level with them.

I for one hope that the American people demand an honest appraisal of the challenges (financial, military, and climatic) that the country must face.