There are areas where I agree with Michael Bloomberg and areas where I don’t. I support his goals in spending $50 million this year to curb gun violence, even though I don’t support a political system that let’s billionaires throw money around like this. However, quite apart from that, I’m startled at what a high opinion he has of himself.
Mr. Bloomberg was introspective as he spoke, and seemed both restless and wistful. When he sat down for the interview, it was a few days before his 50th college reunion. His mortality has started dawning on him, at 72. And he admitted he was a bit taken aback by how many of his former classmates had been appearing in the “in memoriam” pages of his school newsletter.
But if he senses that he may not have as much time left as he would like, he has little doubt about what would await him at a Judgment Day. Pointing to his work on gun safety, obesity and smoking cessation, he said with a grin: “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.”
I don’t believe that I’ll have to answer for myself when I die, but I do my best. Even so, by the high standard Jesus supposedly set, I’d surely fry. I don’t think my position would improve if I spent tens of millions of dollars on issues I think God should support.
