NYC Mayor Bloomberg: Romney, Obama ‘economic plans are not real’

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg fired strong criticisms at both President Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney, charging them with presenting economic plans that were “not real."

In an interview published Sunday with The New York Times, the mayor, who has been courted by both candidates, still refused to endorse either and said neither had provided the right answers on economic policy.

"Their economic plans are not real. I think that’s clear," said Bloomberg.

“If you listen to what they say, they never get explicit,” he added.

The mayor said that while he was impressed with Romney's business experience, he questioned how that would translate in the Oval Office.

“I do think that Romney’s business experience would be valuable, but I don’t know that running Bain Capital gives you the experience to run the country,” he said of the GOP nominee.

The mayor also shared concerns about the president’s push to raise taxes on the wealthy. 

“This business of ‘Well, they can afford it; they should pay their fair share?’ Who are you to say ‘Somebody else’s fair share?,’” he added. 

But Bloomberg criticized Romney for ruling out new tax revenues as part of any budget deal. 

“You cannot balance the budget without raising revenue and cutting expenses,” said Bloomberg. 

Bloomberg’s critical comments come as the billionaire media tycoon is making a push to use his own fortune to boost centrist candidates in House and Senate races around the country.

Bloomberg announced last week that he was forming a super-PAC and would spend at least $10 million to back candidates, regardless of party, who support many of his policy priorities, including gun control, education reform and support for same-sex marriage rights.

"I’ve always believed in the need for more independent leadership, and this new effort will support candidates and causes that will help protect Americans from the scourge of gun violence, improve our schools and advance our freedoms,” he said in a statement.

The mayor has already spent heavily, with the Center for Responsive Politics marking him as the 10th-highest contributor to outside spending groups. 

Bloomberg, who was first elected to the mayor’s office as a Republican, switched his party registration to independent. While he endorsed President George W. Bush in 2004, he declined to endorse either Obama or then-GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in 2008.

In the interview with the New York Times, the mayor said he was “more in sync” with President Obama on social issues, but expressed disappointment that the administration had not done more on that score. 

“I will say that I don’t see as much action as I would like, and it’s nice to be on the side that I think you should be on, but unless you do something, so what,” said Bloomberg.

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