Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who beat former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, has big plans if he becomes mayor of New York City.
He promises to make the city more affordable and he’s willing to further bankrupt the city to make it happen.
Mamdani represents the extreme wing of a political philosophy as old as those Ginsu knives commercials: Say whatever you must say to get the sale and worry about consequences later.
In Mamdani’s case, he’s exploiting the most powerful word in advertising—free—and the second most powerful– new. Mamdani is the new guy in town who will give you what you want—for free!
When that cliché pitch is delivered with verve and charisma, it looks enticing. If someone who looks cool offers you free things, who can say no?
Among other freebies, Mamdani has promised to immediately freeze rent prices for more than 2 million New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized apartments, implement free public transit, create a network of city-owned grocery stores that are “focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit” and institute free universal childcare for children from ages 6 weeks to 5 years.
He has also pledged to champion a law to raise the minimum wage in New York City to $30 an hour by 2030.
What’s not to like?
Meanwhile, he hasn’t asked anything of voters, except for their votes.
In return for all the freebies he’s promising New Yorkers, Mamdani hasn’t offered any ideas for how they can give back to their city– like helping to clean up neighborhoods, volunteering for the needy, joining civic groups, and so on.
The only ones who will be asked to do anything are, you guessed it, rich folks.
Mamdani hopes to generate an extra $10 billion in city revenue to fund his freebies by raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% wealthiest New Yorkers. If that chases more businesses and taxes away, well, he’ll worry about that later.
In short, Mamdani is funding the oldest sales trick in the book with the oldest political trick. I’ll give you freebies and the rich will pay for it.
Not very complicated.
It’s amusing to hear influential Democrats talk about Mamdani as a potential party savior.
Dan Pfeiffer, a former top aide to President Barack Obama, said on X that Democrats “have a lot to learn” from Mamdani.
“What’s happening in NYC is a blaringly loud message to those in the Dem establishment who still cling to old politics, recite focus-grouped talking points, and are too afraid to say what needs to be said,” he said.
Indeed, Mamdani is not afraid to say what needs to be said…in order to suck people in. Sit back, people, as I spread my free socialist angel dust throughout the town.
Democrats, who have become the party of the college-educated elite, will need a lot more than blatant pandering to win back the working class and other groups whose trust they have lost. More than anything, what needs to be said from Democrats is an honest and public self-appraisal that recognizes how they betrayed their base and how they can get them back.
As far as the Jewish community goes, focusing so much on Mamdani’s anti-Israel views backfired. Yes, those views must be exposed and condemned, but it doesn’t help Jews to look like we only care about ourselves.
Jews must think bigger. We should want what’s best for New York and what’s best for California and what’s best for America, because in the long run, that is also what’s best for the Jews.
Jews must think bigger. We should want what’s best for New York and what’s best for California and what’s best for America, because in the long run, that is also what’s best for the Jews.
What New York City needs from its public servants is not charisma but candor.
It needs leaders who have the courage to utter difficult truths like the fact that politicians cannot fix all our problems and cities don’t have unlimited resources. Voters need not be patronized or treated like needy kids. They’ll respect you a lot more if you ask them to step up and do their share.
With their city in such decline, New Yorkers can’t settle for another snake oil salesman who promises the moon but will inevitably fall back down to earth, charisma and all.
