布隆伯格是美国总统的最佳人选

Consider one of the greatest businesses in the world after decades of mismanagement. Growth is tepid, at best, and has been fuelled largely by debt. The organisation’s systems and infrastructure are outdated. International competitors have taken advantage of its weak position and stolen market share. A proxy contest is looming. The chief executive is about to step down, and the board and shareholders are faced with a decision about leadership. Who should they appoint? What qualities should they seek?

想象一家经历了数十年管理不善的世界最伟大企业之一。其增长充其量是不温不火，而且主要靠债务推动。这个组织的系统和基础设施已经过时。国际竞争对手利用其弱势地位夺取市场份额。一场代理权争夺战正在临近。首席执行官即将下台，董事会和股东面临有关领导者的选择。他们应该任命谁？他们应该在领导者身上寻求什么样的特质？

A turnround requires a leader with exemplary character, intelligence and independence, with a demonstrated record of success. It needs someone who can recruit extraordinary people, who understands the details yet knows how to delegate, negotiate and compromise. In short, a leader who commands respect from employees, the board and the shareholders.

制造转机，需要一位具有模范品格、智慧和独立性，拥有久经验证的成功履历的领导者。需要一个能够招募出色的员工、既理解细节又懂得授权、谈判和妥协的人。简言之，需要一位赢得员工、董事会和股东尊重的领导者。

After 9/11, New York needed such a leader. When Michael Bloomberg was sworn in as mayor on January 1 2002, the city was burning — literally. Our economy had crashed and public finances were shot. New Yorkers were scared and depressed.

“9/11”事件后，纽约需要这样一位领导者。迈克尔布隆伯格(Michael Bloomberg)2002年1月1日宣誓就职纽约市长时，这座城市正在“起火”。我们的经济崩溃了，公共财政遭到重击。纽约人惊惶而沮丧。

But in only a few years, Mr Bloomberg created tens of thousands of jobs, converted a $6bn deficit into a multibillion-dollar surplus and made New York one of the safest cities in the world. He promoted development, improved public education, enhanced our infrastructure, cleaned up our parks, reduced the city’s carbon footprint and greatly contributed to the health of its citizens.

但在短短几年里，布隆伯格创造了数万个工作岗位，把60亿美元的财政赤字转化为数十亿美元的财政盈余，将纽约打造为世界上最安全的城市之一。他推动开发项目、改善公共教育、增强我们的基础设施、清理我们的公园、减少城市碳足迹，还为纽约市民的健康作出了很大贡献。

He did not do it alone. He did it by recruiting top talent to city government, working with other politicians and motivating the existing workforce and inspiring our citizens to do their part.

他不是独自一人做到这些的。他做到这一点，依靠的是为市政府招募顶尖人才，和其他政治人士合作，激励现有的员工队伍，并鼓舞市民作出自己的贡献。

Today America is burning. Our government is wasteful and dysfunctional. Our national debt exceeds our gross domestic product. Our bridges, roads, airports and tunnels are crumbling. Our school system fails to educate our children. Our middle class is shrinking. Our tax code drives our most profitable businesses to relocate to foreign jurisdictions. Our immigration laws force talented young scientists and entrepreneurs to competitor nations. Our incomprehensible regulations fail to protect us from fraud, crime, pollution and abuse of power, while stunting growth and impairing our global competitiveness. Our international standing has deteriorated. Our enemies no longer take our pronouncements seriously and our military supremacy is threatened. The American dream is fading.

今天的美国也在“起火”。我们的政府浪费而混乱。我们的国家债务超过了国内生产总值(GDP)。我们的桥梁、道路、机场和隧道日益陈旧。我们的学校系统没能教育好我们的孩子。我们的中产阶层正在萎缩。我们的税法迫使我们最能盈利的企业迁移到海外的司法管辖区。我们的移民法律迫使有才华的年轻科学家和企业家前往竞争国家。我们那些不可理喻的法规既阻碍增长，损害我们的全球竞争力，又未能保护我们免受欺诈、犯罪、污染和滥用权力的伤害。我们的国际声望已经恶化。我们的敌人不再认真对待我们的声明，我们的军事优势正受到威胁。美国梦正在褪色。

Yet there is hope. The key is finding the right leader. And that leader is Mr Bloomberg, who told the Financial Times this week that he is considering joining the race for the White House. His character is unimpeachable and he is an extraordinary entrepreneur and philanthropist. He has great judgment and is beholden to no one. He has a proven business record, having created $40bn of value building one of the most successful media and information technology companies in the world.

然而，希望还是有的。关键是找到合适的领导人。那位领导人就是布隆伯格，最近他告诉英国《金融时报》，他正在考虑参与白宫角逐。他的品行无可指摘，是一位非凡的企业家和慈善家。他的判断力极好，而且不依靠任何人的恩惠。他拥有无可辩驳的商业记录，打造了全世界最成功的媒体和信息科技公司之一，创造了400亿美元的价值。

After a 12-year stint as mayor of New York, he has a demonstrated record in government too. He is a globalist, having immersed himself in foreign policy and used effective philanthropy to address international problems. Because he is pragmatic and non-ideological, he gets along with everyone. And he is prepared to make tough decisions based on the facts, without regard for his re-election prospects or obligations to a party and big-money donors.

在担任纽约市长12年后，他在政务方面也拥有了有目共睹的记录。他是一位全球主义者。他曾深入研究外交政策，运用有效的慈善工作应对国际问题。因为他是一个务实和非意识形态的人，他和所有人都合得来。他敢于以事实为依据，作出艰难的决策，不考虑自己的连任前景，也不考虑对其所在党派和拿出大笔资金的捐赠人的义务。

If Mr Bloomberg were to run for president, he would do so as an independent. Some commentators say history shows that independents or third-party candidates cannot win. But today, according to one poll, 43 per cent of Americans identify as independents, which is a record. And never before has an independent presidential candidate with Mr Bloomberg’s achievements and financial resources run.

如果布隆伯格要竞选总统，他会以独立身份参选。一些评论人士表示，历史经验表明，独立或第三方党派候选人无法胜出。但根据一份民意调查，今天有43%的美国人自认为是独立派人士，这是一项纪录。而且此前也从未有一位像布隆伯格这样取得巨大成就、拥有雄厚财力的独立总统候选人参选。

Significantly, Mr Bloomberg would not need a plurality of votes to win the presidency. If no single candidate receives an overall majority in the electoral college, the 12th Amendment to the US constitution allows the House of Representatives to choose the president from among the three candidates who received the most electoral votes.

值得注意的是，要赢得总统选举，布隆伯格并不需要获得多数选票。如果没有一个候选人在选举人团中获得总体多数，美国宪法第12条修正案允许众议院从获得最多选举人团选票的前三位候选人中选择总统。

If the top three are, say, Mr Bloomberg, Donald Trump or Ted Cruz for the Republicans, and Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders for the Democrats, then Congress, which is under Republican control, would surely choose Mr Bloomberg rather than destroy the party by selecting Mr Trump or Mr Cruz.

比如，如果前三名是布隆伯格、共和党的唐纳德礠朗普(Donald Trump)或特德克鲁兹(Ted Cruz)、民主党的希拉里克林顿(Hillary Clinton)或伯尼儠德斯(Bernie Sanders)，那么，在共和党控制下的国会必然会选择布隆伯格，而非选择特朗普或者克鲁兹从而毁灭共和党。

It is time to put the fires out and restore the United States to greatness. Mr Bloomberg is the right choice.

是时候扑灭火焰，让美国再次伟大起来了。布隆伯格是正确的选择。