Gun-ban billionaire Michael Bloomberg announced Monday the creation of a $200 million American Cities Initiative that will offer financial incentives to U.S. mayors who advocate for issues including gun control and immigration. The former New York City mayor unveiled his program at the United States Conference of Mayors in Miami Beach.
With Congress unwilling to pass gun-control measures, Bloomberg has increasingly turned to the state level. His Everytown For Gun Safety has attempted to follow the same state-by-state blueprint that helped legalize gay marriage, and they’ve spent millions on state ballot initiatives. This latest proposal is intended as an end-run around the Trump administration, as Bloomberg openly admits. He’s quoted in The New York Times as saying that cities must increasingly “replace Washington and, in some cases, state governments.”
As part of the American Cities Initiative, mayors are asked to submit proposals for a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $100,000 to $5 million. Which begs the question: Can you put a price on our Constitutional rights?
