Is Mike Bloomberg un-American?
Not by our lights, of course. But we wonder what Sens. Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer must think, now that our former mayor has announced he will be spending $50 million from his fortune to help elect senators and congressmen who share his belief in gun control.
We wonder because only a few weeks ago, Reid took to the Senate floor to denounce Charles and David Koch for using their money to fund ads attacking ObamaCare and calling for smaller government. Reid denounced the Kochs as “un-American,” and when asked by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough whether he agreed, Schumer responded, “In running those ads, yes.”
As a result, instead of defending ObamaCare or any other aspect of the administration’s agenda, the Democrats have put attacks on these “oil billionaires” at the heart of their 2014 campaign. As Reid said on the Senate floor, “This is about two very wealthy brothers who intend to buy their own Congress — a Congress beholden to their money and bound to enact their radical philosophy. ”
Here’s our question: What’s the difference between the Koch brothers using their money to advance their political views and Bloomberg’s use of his money to advance his? Isn’t Bloomberg trying to “buy” the Congress he wants by funding his Everytown for Gun Safety initiative?
The truth is, there is no difference.
As the Supreme Court continues to remind us, it’s called free speech. And we fail to see why either the Koch brothers or Mike Bloomberg should be condemned for exercising their First Amendment rights.