I would like to call out what I believe is a common prejudice in people who believe themselves to be open-minded. That prejudice is against those who have succeeded financially.

Discounting those who have worked hard and achieved, among many things, financial success is shooting ourselves in the foot.

Specifically, I’m referring to people who feel that Michael Bloomberg is someone they couldn’t vote for because he has too much money, which implies that all rich people are heartless and can’t understand people who are middle class.

It obviously depends on where that wealthy person started. If you inherit your wealth, then, yes, that statement may be true.

Michael Bloomberg did not inherit his wealth. His wealth is a reflection of keen insight, hard work, early adoption of new technologies and an empathy for understanding what people wanted, which creates a winning business model as well as a life model, because his view is how to create value to others by valuing them.

I think Mike Bloomberg’s motivation is based on seeing others content, which creates his own contentment.

This is in contradistinction to some other wealthy politicians, who are motivated by self-aggrandizement and personal wealth.

My hopes are that the open-minded will look at the source of a candidate’s motivation and the candidate’s roots, and not just the candidate’s wealth.

Michael Delahunt

South Portland

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