Bloomberg Quotes & Sayings

In our democracy, near equality is no equality. Government either treats everyone the same, or it doesn't. And right now it doesn't. — Michael Bloomberg

If Warren Buffett made his money from ordinary income rather than capital gains, his tax rate would be a lot higher than his secretary's. In fact a very small percentage of people in this country pay a big chunk of the taxes. — Michael Bloomberg

We all know that election reform takes time. That's because those who have benefited from the system are the ones who fight hardest to preserve it. So if we're going to succeed, we need an independent coalition of citizens who believe in reform, who believe that our election laws should treat every voter equally, who believe that low levels of competition and participation are not healthy for democracy. The Independence Party is helping to build that coalition and I am happy to join you in doing so. — Michael Bloomberg

If you can't prove it's not true then a certain number of people will glom on and say it is true. — Michael Bloomberg

Despite its potential, the federal government has restricted funding for creating new cell lines - putting the burden of any future research squarely on the shoulders of the private sector. Government's most basic responsibility, however, is the health and welfare of its people, so it has a duty to encourage appropriate scientific investigations that could possibly save the lives of millions. — Michael Bloomberg

The Washington Post speaking out against state legislation that he believed would let businesses deny services to gay, lesbian and transgender people. [Tim] Cook himself came out as gay in the pages of Bloomberg Businessweek. — Laura Sydell

Look, we live in a very dangerous world. We know there are people who want to take away our freedoms. New Yorkers probably know that as much if not more than anybody else after the terrible tragedy of 9/11. — Michael Bloomberg

I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It's not even close. — Michael Bloomberg

The estate taxes, on balance, are good. They get people to give money to charity, and they prevent these family dynasties which keep other people from having opportunities. It may be good for a family, but for society it's probably not good. And I've always been in favor of having an estate tax. — Michael Bloomberg

Yes, they broke the law, but we can't deport them. Let's get over this pointing fingers and do something about that, whether it - they have to pay a fine, learn to speak English, the history, you can do that. And then you have to give visas for the skills we need. — Michael Bloomberg

The one thing computers have done is let us make bigger mistakes. We have to be careful not to depend on our machines. — Michael Bloomberg

You know, I start with the assumption that -or with, with the belief that this president has to succeed. We all have an enormous amount of capital invested in his success. His success is the country's success. — Michael Bloomberg

You're going to see a million people here who have the courage to come and not let terrorists win, and that's exactly what we should all do. — Michael Bloomberg

Mayors are very different, because mayors can't be on both sides of every issue. Mayors have to take an explicit stance. Just go with your gut and say what you believe, and you'll be fine. If you're not fine, at least you'll like what you see in the mirror. — Michael Bloomberg

You're entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. — Michael Bloomberg

In a Bloomberg poll, 88% of respondents said that Wall Street bonuses should either be banned outright or taxed at 50%. Just 7% said they should remain an incentive. To put that 7% figure in perspective, 6% of Americans believe the moon landings were a hoax; 7% believe Elvis lives; 24% believe that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim; 41% believe in ESP; and 48% believe in creationism. Americans will believe anything, it seems-except the idea that incentivizing bankers at systemically important institutions to take big risks makes any sense at all. — Felix Salmon

The stock market's handling of new technology is kind of a joke. We have seen CNBC, CNNfn, Bloomberg, and the like turn into home-shopping networks for stocks. Fund managers and analysts go on TV and sell what's shiny and easy to sell. — Mark Cuban

I have my own army in the NYPD, which is the seventh biggest army in the world. — Michael Bloomberg

I have the best job I could possibly have. — Michael Bloomberg

I will say that walking down the street, getting on the subway, taking the elevator, if there's one or two people and they say, 'Great job, Mayor,' that is a real turn-on. I mean, anybody that wouldn't find that satisfying, rewarding, exciting, thrilling - I think they should see the doctor. — Michael Bloomberg

The public is upset. If they haven't lost their job, they know somebody that has. If they haven't lost their house, they know somebody that has. What do you do? When something's wrong, it's government's job to fix it, it must be government that's responsible for causing it. — Michael Bloomberg

Any friend of fossil is a friend of mine. We've got to do everything we can to get people out of their automobiles and into mass transit. — Michael Bloomberg

Clearly, Mayor Bloomberg did some things right. I think he did a very good job on public health. He did a very good job on environment. I think he was right to achieve mayoral control of education. I don't think he then applied it the right way. — Bill De Blasio

There's a fascinating statistic: One out of every four people in America has visited New York since 9/11. It is astounding. Now, I don't know how you count it; it's some people coming multiple times. — Michael Bloomberg

Unemployment in America today is too high. And part of the reason, unfortunately, is that many companies cannot fill the high-skilled jobs increasingly at risk of going overseas. — Michael Bloomberg

Progress is not inevitable. It's up to us to create it. — Michael Bloomberg

I've got the greatest job in the world. There's no other job in government where cause and effect is so tightly coupled where you can make a difference every day in so many different ways and in so many different people's lives. It's a great challenge. — Michael Bloomberg

There will be ups, there will be downs, there will be sideways. I can just tell you I have been hired, I have been fired, I have been lauded, I have been vilified. I've said some of the most brilliant things that just by accident appeared on my tongue, and I've said some of the dumbest things that you could imagine. But each day - even the day that I knew I was going to be fired - I looked forward to because I've always believed that tomorrow was going to be the best day of my life. — Michael Bloomberg

In some future America, there could be a plausible Michael Bloomberg path to the Democratic nomination. I would love to read a column by a smart person actually attempting to persuade me of this, using evidence. — Alex Pareene

America is the greatest country on Earth - and when people vote with their feet, they come here. — Michael Bloomberg

Ten years have passed since a perfect blue sky morning turned into the blackest of nights. Since then we've lived in sunshine and in shadow, and although we can never unsee what happened here, we can also see that children who lost their parents have grown into young adults, grandchildren have been born and good works and public service have taken root to honor those we loved and lost. — Michael Bloomberg

I have a bold plan to break from the Bloomberg years, and end the 'Tale of Two Cities' by providing real opportunity to all New Yorkers, no matter where they live. — Bill De Blasio

Well, we have to provide the world's best schools. We certainly don't have them, but that's our objective. — Michael Bloomberg

Five years have come, and five years have gone, and still we stand together as one. We come back to this place to remember the heartbreaking anniversary - and each person who died here - those known and unknown to us, whose absence is always with us. — Michael Bloomberg

Design does matter. And not necessarily in a way that people realize. A lot of what you do, people take for granted - that a park has always been here, that a bicycle lane has always been there, that the street is safe or clean ... — Michael Bloomberg

I spent most of my career operating businesses and fixing businesses, not staring at a Bloomberg screen. — Nelson Peltz

The public is mad, frustrated, but what the public wants is progress. — Michael Bloomberg

No matter what you may think about her politics or her record, Hillary Clinton understands that this is not reality television; this is reality. She understands the job of president. It involves finding solutions, not pointing fingers; and offering hope, not stoking fear. — Michael Bloomberg

The problem of dealing with the financial industry is that you can measure it with interest rates coming down. You can measure it with the quantity of loans, and that sort of thing. The problem is, that nobody wants to take the loans. Once the banks are willing to give it, that's only half the problem. — Michael Bloomberg

I was a Democrat before I was a Republican before I became an independent and I never changed my principles. — Michael Bloomberg

With 950 reporters and 79 bureaus, Bloomberg competes to break news with Dow Jones, Reuters and Bridge News along with newspaper Web sites, dozens of smaller Internet sites, and even gossipy chat rooms. — Alex Berenson

Don't be afraid to assert yourself, have confidence in your abilities and don't let the bastards get you down. — Michael Bloomberg

We're [New York] the world's second home, the place where every religion is practiced and every culture is celebrated. — Michael Bloomberg

The mistake that was made in the '70s is we stopped policing the streets, we stopped cleaning the streets, we stopped cleaning the graffiti off buildings, we stopped supporting our cultural institutions and building parks and schools and all those kinds of things. — Michael Bloomberg

I believe in Judaism, I was raised a Jew, I'm happy to be one - or proud to be one. — Michael Bloomberg

The truth of the matter is: you can create a great legacy, and inspire others, by giving it to philanthropic organizations. — Michael Bloomberg

Our climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it may be - given the devastation it is wreaking - should be enough to compel all elected leaders to take immediate action. — Michael Bloomberg

I would have beaten Bloomberg like a rented mule. — Anthony Weiner

I'm trying to change the culture in New York City; that's hard enough! — Michael Bloomberg

Ironically, it is exactly because we are a city that embraces freedom, that welcomes everyone and encourages their dreams, that New York remains on the front lines in the war on terror. — Michael Bloomberg

I know that many Irish-born New Yorkers are caught in the trap of our federal immigration policies. If we are going to continue to attract the best and the brightest - and Ireland has more than its fair share - we need to inject some common sense into our immigration laws, and I'm doing my best to make that case in Washington. — Michael Bloomberg

The NYPD with the unconditional support of Mayor Michael Bloomberg has stopped-and-frisked more black men than there are black men in New York City. Institutionalized racial discrimination in the United States is alive and well. — Chris Hayes

I'm not going to run for president. No way, no how. — Michael Bloomberg

And because no matter who you are, if you believe in yourself and your dream, New York will always be the place for you. — Michael Bloomberg

We can be certain that cities around the world will compete for the jobs that the next revival of the financial services industry will bring. — Michael Bloomberg

America is built around this premise that you can do it, and there are an awful lot of people who are unlikely to have done it who did. — Michael Bloomberg

If you want to know how to solve society's problems, you start out with better public education. — Michael Bloomberg

The politics of partisanship and the resulting inaction and excuses have paralyzed decision-making, primarily at the federal level, and the big issues of the day are not being addressed, leaving our future in jeopardy. — Michael Bloomberg

Our goal here in New York is to ensure that every child who graduates high school is ready to start a career or start college and to dramatically increase the number of students that graduate from college. — Michael Bloomberg

Government should not tell you what to do unless there's a compelling public purpose. — Michael Bloomberg

When you come in to court as a plaintiff or as a defendant, it is terribly important that you look up at the bench and feel that that person represents you and will understand you, that that person is reflective of our community and of our society. — Michael Bloomberg

Many of America's and New York's sons and daughters are around the world fighting for the freedoms that the Statue of Liberty stands for. — Michael Bloomberg

Getting the job done has been the basis for the success my company has achieved. — Michael Bloomberg

Bloomberg does not support the measure to silence the useless and maddening car alarm: he would rather impose himself on people than on mechanical devices. — Christopher Hitchens

We're paying more for the privilege of getting sick and dying early. Once again, it makes no sense. And once again, no one in Washington is talking about how to fix it. — Michael Bloomberg

I mean, you know, we don't live in a perfect world. — Michael Bloomberg

Stubborn isn't a word I would use to describe myself; pigheaded is more appropriate. — Michael Bloomberg

The press really is not doing its job of holding the candidates' feet to the fire. The tough questions are not what are you in favor of, but how are you going to get it through Congress? — Michael Bloomberg

When I came in, the city was on the edge of bankruptcy. I'm proud of what I did. I built the foundation that mayors after me built upon - particularly Bloomberg. But the foundation was essential because if it hadn't occurred, we would have been another Detroit. — Ed Koch

You will find that every successful entrepreneur has suffered many setbacks. These entrepreneurs just forget to mention these when they are doing interviews with the 'Wall Street Journal' or Bloomberg TV. — Vivek Wadhwa

Thirteen years ago, I found myself professionally in the same "dark wood" described by Dante in the introduction to The Inferno. For the — Bloomberg Press

Trees will improve property values, take pollutants out of the air, help with water runoff. — Michael Bloomberg

There is no point in me worrying about what Bloomberg or Badillo will do. — David Dinkins

I know something about how to build constituencies in an independent way. — Michael Bloomberg

What the Democrats have to understand is that while we do need to reform our regulation and we do need more restrictions, it is true that it is capitalism and free enterprise and companies that create jobs and wealth for every American. — Michael Bloomberg

I've probably saved more black lives as mayor of New York City than any mayor in New York City with the possible exception of Mike Bloomberg, who was there for 12 years. — Rudy Giuliani

If we don't get gun-control laws in this country, we are full of beans. To have the National Rifle Association rule the United States is pathetic. And I agree with Mayor Michael Bloomberg: It's time to put up or shut up about gun control for both parties. — Harvey Weinstein

The next day after I got fired, literally the next day, I started a new company. — Michael Bloomberg

If a hurricane strikes, we can blame the president for not being there; we can blame Congress and FEMA; we can blame the state governments; but in the end, it's the mayors and the local city governments that have to be prepared for emergencies and be prepared to act. — Michael Bloomberg

Business judgment is best developed through professional experience. The next best alternative is to be reading business articles. We recommend Bloomberg Businessweek and Economic Times/Business Standard, if time permits. — Sankalp Kelshikar

I am what I am and, you know, I'm a very lucky guy. — Michael Bloomberg

Mike Bloomberg may be a Republican these days. But he has been a Democrat for most of his adult life. — Randi Weingarten

When you go to Washington now, you can feel a sense of fear in the air - the fear to do anything, or say anything, that might affect the polls, or give the other side an advantage, or offend a special interest. — Michael Bloomberg

On Sept. 11, 2001, thousands of first responders heroically rushed to the scene and saved tens of thousands of lives. More than 400 of those first responders did not make it out alive. In rushing into those burning buildings, not one of them asked, 'What God do you pray to?' What beliefs do you hold?' — Michael Bloomberg

You can't sit there and worry about everything. — Michael Bloomberg

Most people won't have opportunity to do full-time service, but those lucky enough to have monetary wealth or some spare time really can make an enormous difference. As someone who's now in the public sector, and is seeing up-close-and-personal the real impact of what we do and what we give, I can tell you: every dollar and every volunteer help, in more ways than you can count. — Michael Bloomberg

I think if you look at people, whether in business or government, who haven't had any moral compass, who've just changed to say whatever they thought the popular thing was, in the end they're losers. — Michael Bloomberg

I think Bloomberg's broad vision of the environment in New York City is something I agree with. I broadly stand with his vision for how to deal with climate change and prepare for future weather events. — Bill De Blasio

What goes on in Europe concerns us greatly because, if Europe comes apart, the E.U. comes apart, then you're going to have enormous impact on America, that's a very big trading partner of ours, and people own securities around the world in this day and age. — Michael Bloomberg

We need our president to be successful because our futures are all tied to the success of America, which means America's government, which means, in essence, the president. — Michael Bloomberg

There is no accountability today ... no willingness to focus on big ideas. — Michael Bloomberg

This is the city of dreamers and time and again it's the place where the greatest dream of all, the American dream, has been tested and has triumphed. — Michael Bloomberg

China is investing in factories in Eastern Europe, not because their labor costs are lower, but because they want to be closer to their markets. — Michael Bloomberg

In business, when you fail at something, when something doesn't work, you say okay, we've learned that that's not a path to go down. — Michael Bloomberg

The cold harsh reality is that we have to balance the budget. — Michael Bloomberg

Basically, the UBR is a relic of an earlier vision for UDDI. The original vision for UDDI was as a standard that would help companies conduct business with each other in an automated fashion. The idea was that companies could publish how they wanted to interact, and other companies could find that information and use it to establish a relationship. — Michael Bloomberg

I don't think Michael Bloomberg would say that his greatest skill is delivering the speech. He would say he's more of a nuts-and-bolts mayor-picking up the trash, dealing with the school system. — Eliot Spitzer

The public wants elected officials who have character. The public wants elected officials who are willing to stand up and say things, even if they don't agree with them. — Michael Bloomberg

And I keep saying, whether you like the president or not, everybody has to pull together and help the president because, as the president goes, so goes the country, as the country goes, so goes your job, your ability to feed your family, your government. — Michael Bloomberg

Others may doubt us. They may criticize us. They may try to deny us what is rightfully ours. But they will fail. And I promise you, as long as I am mayor, I will never back away from fighting any opponent
or confronting any obstacle
that would prevent our people from achieving all of their dreams in Our New York. — Michael Bloomberg