Michael Bloomberg Quotes
To some extent, it is [that] everybody is resistant to change. Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find anybody that was opposed to the smoking ban … All of Western Europe followed New York City. Many of the states around here did. Every major city, including in the tobacco-growing states in the United States, did. Brazil is smoke-free. Mexico City is smoke-free. All of France, Italy, Spain, England—they’re all smoke-free. It takes a while. Leadership is about doing what you think is right and then building a constituency behind it. It is not doing a poll and following from the back. If you want to criticize the political process—and it’s probably true throughout history, and certainly not just in the United States—I think it’s fair to say, in business or in government, an awful lot of leaders follow the polls.
The mayor had asked his health commissioner what the city could do most to improve the health of its citizens, to which the health commissioner—like amost all public health experts—responded “Cut down the smoking.” Without checking with any other politicians or advisors, Bloomberg just began his now famous campaign for a smake free city. He was criticized, castigated, and sued by local bars and restaurants and national tobacco business. But New York became the first Smoke Free city and others all started emulating New York. This saved more lives than all the rest of the public health programs taken together.
Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City (Republican and Democrat), Interview, “Brave Thinkers”, The Atlantic, November 2012
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Bloomberg was the first public official in the world to push for and pass a law banning smoking in all offices, hotels, restaurants, and other public places despite huge opposition funded by the tobacco companies and many of the business and restaurant owners. Despite the fact that it would literally save thousands of lives a year, a ban was feared by politicians as it might harm business, tourism and their own political positions. However, after New York banned smoking, other cities started to do the same, not only in America but all over the world. This saved millions of lives. One courageous man, a single politician, changed much of the world, and saved many more lives than most doctors will.
He and his Prime Minister, John Majors, had become so unpopular, that they were forced to resign by their own Conservative Party and never had to be voted out of office.
See {585430} for a classic example of this principle.
Coming to politics after a very successful career in business, Bloomberg lacked many of the typical politician’s skills, but was a superb manager of the city.
He did not originate this line. A French Politician did -- {608886}
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner and co-founder of Bloomberg L.P. He was the Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president of the United States.
