| name | Michael Bloomberg / Bloomberg Philanthropies |
|---|---|
| state | pre-struct/alpha |
| class | billionaire |
| category | Wayne Wheeler |
| funding | near impossible to summarize |
| association | WHO/TFI, FCTC, CtFK |
| bloomberg ties | ehm |
| motivation | sunken cost fallacy |
| science aversion | 🟥🟥🟥🟥🟧 |
Mike is the primary funder of US and international anti-harm-reduction FUD. He radicalized from tobacco prevention to nicotine puritanism after his tenure as NY mayor, where he originally pioneered nonsmokers protection. He became easy pray for CTFK, after waning consequence recognition.
The emphasis is on PR campaigns, and slanted study grants (BSoPH, Bath). Albeit GRO interference (Philippines) should not be discounted. His subversion of WHO policies is on an entirely different level however.
Best summary of his activities is probably:
SNW:Michael_Bloomberg
Quick recap
- In/outdoor nonsmokers protection, NY lead the way to adoption throughout the world. Measurabily reducing prevalence and deaths.
- But also caused the worlds largest black market. (Half of NY smokers now outta reach for PH interventions.)
- With his racist and ideological policies, Bloomberg got Eric Garner killed. (→possible rubicon)
- Origin involvement with CTFK...??? (I'd guess ~2013)
- Overtake of WHO/TFI and FCTC secretary, abdicating scientific discourse and honesty...
160M anti-vaping grants / public rationale, usage
- US billionaire pledges $160M to fight vaping (→ coinciding with EVALI)
- Bloomberg’s millions funded an effective campaign against vaping. Could it do more harm than good?
- Michael Bloomberg's anti-vaping crusade is objectively pro-tobacco
- Anti-vaping group cancels plans to pay moms to tweet for vaping bans
Eschewing scientific discourse
Has since cemented his aversion to smoking reduction:
- Michael Bloomberg loves data. Except when he doesn't.
- Why do opponents of vaping want to suppress or dismiss science?
- What's behind Michael Bloomberg's vaping-phobia?
Quotes
Better let them die, whilst our insatiable research thirst is unsatisfied:
"Wait until you do the research. If it's no problem, no harm, no foul."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-bloomberg-to-spend-160-million-on-anti-vaping-campaign/
Kin liability:
"Protect Kids: Fight Flavored E-Cigarettes," include banning all flavored e-cigarettes—and stopping Juul https://www.bloomberg.org/press/bloomberg-philanthropies-launches-new-160-million-program-end-youth-e-cigarette-epidemic/
Shadowy funding network
It stands to reason that not even Mike himself fully understands all the backchannels necessary for "influencing" around the world. Just the eagle view here:
Global state of THR 2020: chapter 5
Seemingly the network is sometimes utilized even for media reporting outside of Bloomberg Media’s reach, with obfuscatory clauses like:
The Contractor shall not make any statement or otherwise imply to donors, investors, media or the general public that the Foundation directly funds its activities.
Conspiracy theories
For lack of an understandable rationale, there's always farfetched musings on what is actually moving Bloomberg.
- Michael Bloomberg Invests in Vaping Company ! Somewhat unlikely that MB even knew about this; just one more thing to be blissfully unaware of.
- Pharma/cancer treatment investments are more probable. But are an organizational incentive at best, not a personal motivator.
- Myriad of other allegations floating abound. Myers having levy over him is feasible. But the simpler explanation (occam's razor) being just easy to coax.
Motivation guessing
Most likely a mix of sunken cost fallacy (MPOWER: millions on dminishing returns), and being a personal anecdote (former smoker, quit the hard way, common post-quit-rationalization on detesting cigarette taste → explains thrive for flavour bans).
Attachments:
- gsthr2020_pg105-1.png [download] added by mario on 2021-09-26 00:29:29. [details]
