Bloomberg Tells Michigan Graduates To Be Wary Of Partisan Politics

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has told graduates at the University of Michigan to be wary of partisan politics and intolerance.

Bloomberg delivered Saturday's spring commencement address at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Calling himself a political independent, Bloomberg told members of the graduating class that neither the Republican Party nor the Democratic Party has a monopoly on good ideas, and that each "demonizes the other unfairly and dishonestly" — more so now than in past years.

"In this year's presidential election, we've seen more demagoguery from both parties than I can remember in my lifetime," Bloomberg said, according to the text of his prepared speech. "Our country is facing serious and difficult challenges, but rather than offering realistic solutions, candidates in both parties are blaming our problems on easy targets. For Republicans, it's Mexicans here illegally and Muslims, and for Democrats, it's the wealthy and Wall Street."

He added: "The truth is: We cannot solve the problems we face by blaming anyone. We are all in this together, and we all must be part of the solution. America's power in the world comes not from the walls we build, but the doors we open, and it comes not from tearing down success, but building up opportunity."

According to the university, about 9,100 students were applying to graduate following the winter 2016 term.

The global economy, the current and future job market and careers also were part of Bloomberg's speech.

"For the first time in human history, the majority of people in the developed world are being asked to make a living with their minds, rather than their muscles," he said.

"Now, we have an economy based on information: acquire the knowledge, apply the analytics, use your creativity," Bloomberg added. "Hard to do, hard to learn, and even once you've mastered it, you'll have to start learning all over again, pretty much every day."

The most useful knowledge graduates will leave school with includes how to study, how to cooperate, how to listen carefully, how to think critically, and how to resolve conflicts through reason, he said.

"Those are the most important skills in the working world and it's why colleges have always exposed students to challenging and uncomfortable ideas," said Bloomberg, who also now serves the United Nations as its secretary-general's special envoy for cities and climate change.

He was to receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree Saturday from the University of Michigan.

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