This afternoon I got a phone call from Uber, the $40 billion for hire car
company trying to take over the world (it operates in 57 countries) by paying
drivers peanuts. I must disclose here that I have an Uber app on my phone and I have used the service six or
seven times in the past year or so.
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio is sponsoring legislation to regulate the for hire car industry. That sounds reasonable to
me, given Uber’s bad labor track record of racing drivers to the pay
scale bottom and flooding an already crowded city with cars, but it didn’t get
to be a big company by playing nice.
Uber has hired David Plouffe, a former Obama campaign aide as a lobbyist.
Plouffe is trying to get King Rat Al Sharpton on board to fight the mayor.
This is all fairly standard corruption but today I came home to hear this
robocall on my answering machine.
“Hi. It’s Molly from Uber and we need your help. Uber ended the days when you
couldn’t get a ride during rush hour or in bad weather. Now mayor de Blasio is
trying to bring the bad old days back because his billionaire taxi donors are
telling him to.
But why on earth would your Council Member ever consider voting for something
like this? They should stand up for you, not take orders from the mayor.
You Council Member is still undecided on this issue and we need your voice.
Please call and tell them to vote against mayor de Blasio’s anti-Uber bill.
Because you and all New Yorkers deserve reliable transportation.
Paid for by Uber 212 257-1745.”
There are now more Uber cars on the streets than the yellow taxis which
provide a living wage. I will tell my City Council Member to back the mayor’s
legislation. I will also tell Uber not to call me again. Any business
that hires Al Sharpton is inherently corrupt and will get no support from me.
Then again, de Blasio thought that Sharpton was working for him. There really is no honor among thieves.
Margaret Kimberley
