For far too long, this great country has been under the assumption that only a Democrat or Republican can win a Presidential Election. Well I know that’s false, but most people settle on the “what can I do about it attitude”. One of the greatest Presidents that this country ever had was Theodore Roosevelt, and he was neither a Democrat nor a Republican, he was a Populist. There would be nothing more refreshing in this divided country of ours than to see the flaw in bipartisan politics revealed. People should focus less on the party that the candidate is running under and more on the issues at hand. Therein lies the inherent problem with our country.

The United States needs a leader and a visionary, not just another politician. Unfortunately, attorneys make up the majority of politicians. They are motivated by monetary gain, as well as fame, and for the most part lack the vision to take this country in the right direction. These politicians are great for finding loopholes and getting what they want, but the Presidency is about doing what is right and doing it in the best interest for an entire country.

As I look at the 2008 Presidential Election, I find myself seemingly unhappy with what the Democratic and Republican Parties have to offer. Actually, for the last eight years, I have found myself trying to wade through the constant political smog and choose the lesser of two evils for President. Although this has been a common motif in current elections and politics, this should not be the case.

As a top-notch Mayor of New York City and a self-made multi-billionaire, Mayor Bloomberg would be a great Presidential candidate for the U.S. in this upcoming election. He hasn’t been in politics for long, but that only reveals that he has had less time to get corrupted. As a man that doesn’t need handouts or ‘favors’, he doesn’t sway on his political issues just to gain support.  Because he is worth $5.3 billion, Bloomberg could easily finance his own campaign without worrying about pleasing or upsetting lobbyists.  He wasn’t given this money, nor was it handed down to him through inheritance.  He made it the ‘hardworking American way’.

In a day and age where the power of a country lies with its economy, I think it would be better to get a former CEO of a multi-billion dollar company to lead this country into favorable years than to elect just another ‘run of the mill’ politician. After all, he is used to steering an organization towards providence and he has the resume to back it up.

As the Mayor of New York City, Mr. Bloomberg has done great things. Bloomberg has managed to decrease crime rates, and has also managed to take the $5 billion deficit and turn it into a $4 billion surplus. On top of all this, he improved the unemployment rate, as well as improving the education system. It is of no surprise to me that Michael Bloomberg is doing so well in office and has great numbers to prove it; he is after all a former CEO that knows how to get results, not just talk about them.

Over the last year or so, right around the time when Bloomberg cut off ties with the Republican Party, there have been rumors that he would make a run for office in 2008. For the longest time, and even still to this day, he claims he has no interest in running for President. However, on February 4th, Doug Schoen, a member of Bloomberg’s inner circle, gave hints to the Associated Press that Bloomberg may still run.

The country needs a change, and it might as well start with neither a Democrat nor a Republican, but an Independent. When this happens, we, the U.S., can refocus our energy on improving our economy, infrastructure, and international relations.