Bloomberg: The Representative of all that is Wrong

At first, Bloomberg was quite vocal against Occupy Wall Street. But, he found a place in his heart to allow the continued "occupation" of Zuccotti Park. Kudos, Mr. B. for that small gift of charity. It is after all, the least you could do.Your constant ticket war on small businesses; including taxis, restaurants, pedestrians, smokers, and the like is still the biggest bone of contention that I have. You are the reason that small business cannot thrive here. Yes, you.

 Frankly, I don't give a damn that you take the subway. I don't give a damn that you only get paid a dollar. You haven't looked out for small business. You haven't looked out for the average Joe or Jane. And, BTW- I seriously have issue with your third term election!

You represent all that is wrong right now in our government. "Big Money" is the only thing that has gotten you into politics, keeps you entrenched in politics,and "Big Money" has corrupted the entire process as is evident from the current financial situation in this country. I cannot wait for you to be out. I count the days. Not only have you ruined my taste for owning a small business in this city; I am fairly certain that you have ruined the dreams of many more New Yorkers.

You represent all that is wrong.

How can small businesses be protected against the "machine"?

When I began my small business, my thoughts were of bringing the arts to Brooklyn. I never imagined the legal fights that I would go through, or the political nature of the neighborhoods in New York. I am ashamed to say, that this broke me. And that I will never again have the stomach to pursue that interest ever again.
Perhaps this is a New York issue, but I doubt it. Small businesses, especially those that promote live performance have been under siege and in this economy it makes no sense to me. I employed from 3-5 people every day for four years. Why can't someone in politics or an advocacy group protect those of us who want to have a venue with live music or poetry slams?  What has happened to New York where there is no room for live art? No matter that we have sound proofed.
 It makes me incredibly sad that the New York I grew up with, is no longer. That everyone feels that they can complain about the most inconsequential things. Like the lady who was connected with the DEP, who didn't like me personally, and pulled strings so that they were on our ass for everything. We got a fine for an acoustic guitarist playing on a Tuesday. It was absolutely insane.
 I can only speak about New York, but I would be interested in knowing if others have had the same experience. Have you noticed that live music venues, just don't exist anymore unless they are franchised? What does this mean for music in the city? Why is there no protection for musicians, artists, poets and other performers? It's a thought worth pondering.