Republican convention is no bargain for city

[realFedUp]

(how much this is costing New Yorkers in dollars isn't clear yet...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/columnists/ny-vpmcc233939794aug23,0,32244.column?coll=ny-news-columnists

Republican convention is no bargain for city
Sheryl McCarthy

August 23, 2004

Run it by me one more time: Why is New York City hosting the Republican National Convention?

snip-
But, with the Republicans coming in a few days, it feels like a royal pain in the neck. Fearing terrorist attacks, the city has gone on a war footing, buying acoustic sound machines like the ones used to control crowds in Iraq and mechanical barriers strong enough to stop moving vehicles in their tracks. The police are conducting exercises in full riot gear more in keeping with Tiananmen Square than Madison Square Garden.

Meanwhile, the police and firefighters, in a snit over the status of their contract talks, are hinting at something less than full cooperation during the convention next week.

snip

Not a single New Yorker I've talked to is looking forward to this convention, with its closed midtown streets, traffic jams and commuter nightmares, as buses and trains are rerouted for security reasons. In a recent poll by a local TV station, 83 percent of the New Yorkers polled said they wished the convention wasn't being held here.

snip

The convention doesn't even look like it's going to be a good show. So far Arnold Schwarzenegger sounds like the most entertaining speaker in the lineup, along with Sen. John McCain. On the night President George W. Bush speaks, the theme will be "A Safer World and a More Hopeful America," which sounds remarkably like the Democrats' convention theme. Both themes are as dull as dishwater, and when the president repeats his well-worn slogan that his administration has made America and the world safer - which we know for a fact isn't true - he's going to tick a lot of New Yorkers off.

[napi21]

1. I heard on CNN about the possible police strike in NY.

In fact the comentator said something like, I wonder how Mayor Bloomberg is going to handle this? A similar thing happened before the Dem convention in Boston, and the City met the strikers half way.

Gee, I wonder if the pubs won't think they've made a mistake having this thing in NY?

[granolagirl]

2. not good

ugh, no cops in NYC with this going on! doesn't sound good...

[napi21]

4. I'm sure (somehow) they'll work something out.

The problem I see is that there's not very much time. In Boston, there were a few weeks to work it out. Sounds like a good deal for the NY police. I think they have the city & the pubs over a barrel.

[realFedUp]

3. Strategic move by police to strengthen their hand

I don't know the details of this but
if they are being asked to do a lot
more duty during the convention, their
union would want to know what the deal
is.

[realisticphish]

5. fearing terrorism my ass

this is for use purely against protestors. what the hell would cops with riot gear do against terrorists

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[tom_paine]

6. NYC is hosting the INC (Imperial National Convention) because

1) so that Bushevik Totalitarians can gawk and disdain the Free America weirdos they hate so much in NYC up close

2) so that the Imperial Family can disgarce and dishonor the NYC dead to use them as Campaign Fodder

Is that enough reason?

[realFedUp]

7. I thought it was for the Grey Line Tour....

:-)