Sign the BoroughVoter.com petition asking elected officials to abide by the term limits voted on by the voters. The link is www.boroughvoter.com/?cat=55

The petition text is as follows:

We the undersigned ask all affected Staten Island elected officials to abide by the Term Limits law voted on by the voters of New York City in 1993 and 1996. Without a voter-approved referendum, we ask all Staten Island elected officials affected by the recent Term Limit extension to not abide by the City Council's vote. If it is true that elected officials represent their respective constituencies, then the unanimous vote by Staten Island City Councilmen against this measure should speak loud and clear on the behalf of all Staten Islanders.

Therefore, we ask all affected Staten Island elected officials to abide by the term limits voted on by the voters in 1993 and again in 1996.

Just came across a Facebook site dedicated to defeating Tsar Bloomberg and the Bloomberg 29 (his trained surrender monkeys). So far it is just a sattement of purpose and a list of possible challengers to the 29 City Council members who voted to overturn the will of the people on term limits.

Here is their statement of purpose:

On October 23, 2008 the New York City Council passed Mayor Bloomberg's proposal that extended term limits from 2 terms to 3 terms for the Mayor, City Council, and other city officials without a voter referendum even though New Yorkers voted in 1993 and 1996 to keep term limits at 2 terms. The final vote was 29 YES and 22 NO.

According to a Quinnipiac poll, 89% of New Yorkers believe that the issue of term limits should be decided by voters in a referendum, not by an act by the City Council.

This was not an issue about whether you supported term limits or not. This was not an issue about whether you believed Mayor Bloomberg was a good mayor or not. This was an issue about whether the New York City Council had the right to overturn the will of the people.

Well, having just highlighted the anger people feel about the Bloomberg Putsch in my "Tsar Bloomberg and his Trained Surrender Monkeys" piece, I think it might be good to discuss the heroes of this fight and their actions to stop Bloomberg and the City Council from screwing the voters. A lawsuit has been filed.

From the Norm Siegel for Public Advocate website:

On Monday, November 10th, Norman, along with Randy Mastro and other attorneys of The law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, filed a federal lawsuit challenging the extension of term limits from 2 to 3 terms without a public referendum. Below is Norman’s statement regarding that lawsuit:

Today, we filed an important civil rights lawsuit regarding the extension of term limits from 2 to 3 terms.

The lawsuit is filed on behalf of 26 Plaintiffs, including voters, elected officials, citizens who aspire to be elected officials and good government groups.

Mayor (Tsar) Bloomberg and his Trained Surrender Monkeys

(Bloomberg photo from WCBSTV; Quinn photo from The Chief-Leader; Yassky photo from Streetsblog; Dom Recchia photo from Daily News)

And now back to the term limits battle. Yes, that's right Tsar Bloomberg and your trained Surrender Monkeys (Christine Quinn, Dominc Recchia, David Yassky and the rest of the Bloomberg 29), we aren't forgetting your disrespect of the voters of NYC.

Norman Siegel got to confront Tsar Bloomberg at City Hall:

Norman 's statement at City Hall on Monday, November 3rd, prior to the Mayor's signing of the bill extending term limits.

Mr. Mayor, where I grew up in Brooklyn we were taught that whenever we were critical of someone we were to tell them why we disagreed with them face to face. So, this morning I will respectfully do exactly that.

I love New York City. I also love the principles and values associated with a democratic society. By extending term limits by legislative fiat on October 23, 2008, you and the City Council Speaker along with 28 other members of the City Council trampled on those precious principles. I and other New Yorkers will not be silent in opposition to your undoing the People’s will.

Now that the City Council has surrendered to Tsar Bloomberg and Director of the Gendarmes Christine Quinn on term limits, the legal challenge to their attack on the voters takes center stage. And that is where Norm Siegel comes in. A civil rights lawyer defending New Yorkers for decades, Norm Siegel is lending his expertise to the legal battle against the Bloomberg Putsch.

From Norm's website:

“We’re all gearing up for a herculean fight,” said Norman Siegel, a civil liberties lawyer. Last week, he and 16 other lawyers and academics met at a law firm in downtown Manhattan to brainstorm, debate and define the best legal strategy to fight the term limits change.

Rest assured, Norman and the people of New York City won’t let the Council’s vote be the last word on this issue.

Yet again New Yorkers can count on Norm Siegel to fight for them. For those who want to meet Norm, there are two house parties coming up where you can have a chance to hear him and ask him questions:

Harlem House Party

After much criticism from all sides, David Yassky has issued a statement regarding his opposition turned support of the Bloomberg Putsch. He had responded personally to my original criticism of his vote, but this is his official statement for public consumption. I promised to post his opinion when we discussed my open letter, so here it is:

I am sure you know by now that the City Council voted last week to approve Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to lengthen the term limit for City officeholders from eight years to 12 years.

I want you to know that after a great deal of thought, I chose to support the Mayor's proposal. This was the most difficult decision I have faced in the City Council – more than congestion pricing, the garbage plan, or the post-9/11 tax increase – and I want to explain why I believe it was the right choice.

As the markets continues to collapse despite Bloomberg's power play, more and more is coming out about how and why the City Council decided to declare votes of the people unimportant by reversing popular referenda on term limits. Much attention both here and in the New York Times has been focused on the illogical and hypocritical excuses made by Councilman David Yassky who first came out against the Bloomberg Putsch, then offered a reasonable referendum that he admits he KNEW would fail, then voted the exact opposite of his originial stated position.

David Yassky convinced himself to flip flop on the Bloomberg Putsch.

But it seems others were outright threatened by the Bloomberg/Quinn mafia until they gave in. Not only have Bloomberg and Quinn disregarded the CLEAR will of the people (expressed in not one, but TWO referenda and in numerous polls since), they used disgustingly thuggish tactics to do so.

According to the NY Post: (the NY Times covered it in a much wimpier way)

Here is the tally:

Defenders of your vote: (voted no on the Bloomberg Putsch)

Tony Avella
James Gennaro
Joseph Addabbo
Letitia James
Charles Barron
Bill de Blasio
John Liu
Mathieu Eugene
Michael McMahon
Eric Gioia
Rosie Mendez
Vincent Gentile
Gail Brewer
Anthony Como
Vincent Ignizio
Hiram Monserrate
Daniel Garodnick
James Oddo
Annabel Palma
David Weprin
Jessica Lappin
Melissa Mark-Viverito

Ass-Kissing Surrender Monkeys Who Overturned YOUR Vote to Please Tsar Bloomberg:

Christine Quinn (Madame Ass Kisser)
Domenic Recchia (Vito Lopez Puppet and Noach Dear Democrat)
David Yassky
Peter Vallone, Jr
Kendall Stewart
Simcha Felder
Al Vann
Darlene Mealy (flip flopped)
Maria del Carmen Arroyo
Maria Baez
Lew Fidler
Leroy Comrie
Inez Dickens
Helen Foster
Erik Martin Dilan
Alan Gerson
G. Oliver Koppell
Miguel Martinez
Michael Nelson
Diana Reyna
Joel Rivera
James Sanders
Larry Seabrook
Helen Sears
Tom White
James Vacca (flip flopped)
Sara Gonzalez
Robert Jackson
Melinda Katz

Think I have everyone.

My letter to my City Councilman regarding term limits:

So, Mr. Yassky, I assume you are now going to advocate for another term limited executive to have his term extended due to the economic situation. Can I quote you as supporting a third term for Bush as well? He also presided over the current economic collapse. I am sure he would also claim to need another four years to correct the current problems. So I assume you support a third Bush Term as well?

I have always been against term limits (look at my past blogging and you will see this is accurate), but this whole fiasco has taught me why they are important. I now support them. You, Mr. Yassky, and your colleagues have now taught me why term limits just might be a good idea.