Bloomberg Blasts Both Parties

June 28, 2007 — -- NEW YORK — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who became an independent last week, showed his non-partisan colors Wednesday by criticizing both political parties.Bloomberg, who left the GOP and is asked almost daily about running for president, said Wednesday that neither the Republican nor Democratic Party "stands for anything."

"There isn't any philosophy" for either party, he said after a speech on improving public schools.

Bloomberg has repeatedly expressed frustration with Congress, saying lawmakers favor partisanship over progress and have failed to deal with immigration, health care or education.

"Party discipline requires you to make decisions based on what's good for the party rather than what the merits are of the piece of legislation before you," he said.

He became a Republican in 2000 to run for mayor. Though his positions on abortion rights and immigration (he favors both) are not in tune with the GOP's, switching parties allowed him to avoid a crowded Democratic primary. Wednesday, he was asked where he disagrees with the Democrats.

"I don't think I disagree with what any national party stands for, because I don't think that either national party stands for anything," he said.

Party platforms exist only "to give (the media) something to write about in the middle of a boring convention," he said.

Bloomberg persuaded the GOP to hold its 2004 convention here but got no takers for 2008.

Democrats offer "a real vision for the future," Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda said. Since Democrats gained control this year, Congress has passed an increase in the minimum wage and an energy bill and imposed new ethics rules, he said.

Republican Party spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt would not comment.

Bloomberg attributed interest in him as a presidential candidate to "people's dissatisfaction with gridlock and the way this country is going." He has said he won't run.