I think it is a mistake to focus simply on the Mayor's race and ignore the damage to democracy that will come from allowing the City Council to run for another term as well. Bloomberg is doing this with their cooperation. For Councilmembers to run for a third term after passing their own extension is reprehensible. Even if they do not vote for it, members that run again for a third term should be voted out of office.

Harpers Weekly cartoonist Thomas Nast warned against "Caesarism" in the 19th century. Nast was totally against a third term for President Ulysses S. Grant. Unfortunately, we no longer have a paper like Harpers Weekly with the integrity to fight "Caesarism" anymore.

This got a link from Liz Benjamin's blog today.

I think that you are seriously underestimating this proposal. Many City Councilmembers have been working towards this for over a year. Sure, you will have some members that will be coy and some that will vote against it, but all you need is the majority. If only thirty members vote for it, and over twenty vote against it, the measure will still pass, and this fact gives many Councilmembers in reform districts, or districts where this will be unpopular, the ability to protect their asses. Right now, the Councilmembers are using Bloomberg almost as a Trojan Horse, hiding within his popularity to seek their own spoils while the public sleeps. The best way to defeat this is to put pressure on our Councilmembers by letting them know that if they vote for this, OR, if they run again, they will face a primary election in the Democratic primary.

Well..if nobody has heard yet, Councilman Domenic "Dumb" Recchia has just endorsed Brooklyn Borough President "Party Hearty" Marty Markowitz for a third term. I guess the rumors were correct. Recchia couldn't make it the Congressional Race ,his colleague Councilman Mike McMahon & his friend Vito Lopez threw him under the bus (he deserved it by the way) so he'll sell his soul just so he can keep his council seat. Mayor Mike bought his vote on Congestion Pricing & other policies ( he got an extra million or so from Mayor Mike), so I guess Mr. Recchia can be bought again for his vote in the Council to extend term limits. What a guy. WHAT A REAL BUM! I think it's about time we send Mr. Recchia a message, No Third Term, NO Way, NO Recchia!

First of all, Chris Quinn's statement last December leaves her no wiggle room; if she reneges on it, she's toast. That means she must use every power she has to prevent a bill from coming to a vote.

Five members, (Barron, Comrie, de Blasio, Oddo and Vallone) have plans to run for Borough President (although Comrie has expressed second thoughts). In addition to Quinn, six other members (Avella, Gioia, Katz, Liu, Weprin, Yassky) are planning to run for citywide office -- and don't be surprised to see Felder back in that mix.

If, as expected, Scott Stringer runs for Public Advocate, look for as many as three (Brewer, Jackson, Lappin) to run for Manhattan BP.

Addabbo and Gennaro are running for state Senate, and McMahon is running for Congress. If they win, their replacements won't dare vote for it (it will be a campaign issue in a special election), and if they lose then voting for it will look so much like sour grapes that their future political careers are finished too.

At least three (Dickens, Garodnick, Gonzalez) have been mentioned as a possible Speaker next term, so you can bet they are at least thinking about it; they don't want to give that possibility away.

That's 22 who, while they cannot necessarily be counted on as definite "no" votes (although some of them are on record), would have to be leaning that way because they don't want to mess up their own plans. Add four more from among the 29 -- and if we can't find four who are, at the very least, afraid of losing their jobs if they vote to extend term limits we're in bigger trouble than the current financial mess -- and there's a majority.

Sure, Ron Lauder and Marty Markowitz support it. Lauder loves Bloomberg, and Markowitz wants to be Brooklyn BP forever. Big deal. Show me someone without a personal interest who supports this. Then add the basic fact that it's a hideous repudiation of democracy.

I said it before, and I have no reason to change my mind: This has no chance of happening.

Liz Benjamin reports that Michaelus Bloombergus refused the crown -- just like someone from history.

Who is going to toast her? You? She will go back on what she said, just like Bloomberg did, simple as that. As for those candidates looking for higher office, that was before all of this came down from up high. Now they have to rethink everything, and some of them, the ones that really didn't stand a chance running for higher office, will be much happier running for the safe re-election to their City Council seat. The candidate running for another office that have a good chance of winning, McMahon, Gennaro, will do what they are told and vote for this. I hate to say it, but you are being very, very naive about all of this.

Last month, Bill Thompson spoke out against extending term limits via legislation.

Today, after Mayor Bloomberg's announcement, the following statement appeared on Thompson's Facebook page (and probably elsewhere): “I am extremely disappointed in Mayor Bloomberg’s announcement. I have always taken the Mayor at his word, particularly when he said on multiple occasions that altering term limits through a council vote would be disgraceful. Let me be clear: today’s announcement constitutes an attempt to suspend democracy. We should not undermine the will of the voters.”