Politics & Government

The Prodigal Tweeter Returns: Weiner Back Online

The former congressman tweeted a 64-point city improvement plan Monday. Can you say "Mayor Weiner?"

This article was written by Matthew Hampton.

After months of speculation about his plans for 2013, former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner is finally starting to put his cards on the table.

The former Queens congressman tweeted a 21-page PDF Monday afternoon, titled "Keys to the City: 64 Ideas to Keep New York the Capital of the Middle Class." The link came from a new Twitter handle, @anthonyweiner.

Weiner's more infamous social media profile, @repweiner, referenced his congressional office, which obviously no longer applies. The new Twitter handle has only been used twice but already had nearly 5,000 followers at 6:30 p.m. Monday night.

The feed's description also included a link to a website, www.keystothecity.org. The PDF Weiner tweeted reads like a re-introduction — and the basis of a campaign platform.

It includes anecdotes about Weiner's youth in Brooklyn, and a call to lawmakers to help ease the burdens of living in New York City for middle class residents.

"At the same time that our cost of living continues to climb," Weiner wrote, "an economic slowdown is limiting growth and opportunity. Trapped in this tightening vice, the middle class needs our policymakers to face the challenges head on and discuss practical ideas to move our city forward."

It also includes ideas for how to make the city more welcoming to middle class families, including a citywide single-payer health care system and issuing Kindle readers to city high school students.

The pair of tweets and the PDF set off a fury of media activity, with some outlets calling it a sure sign that Weiner had his eyes on the 2013 mayoral race.


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