Tag: zohran-mamdani

SOCIALISM IN AMERICA

In the wake of Comrade Zoh’s election as mayor of NYC socialists around the country are optimistic that an inexorable trend to the left is developing. They cite the 2025 election of socialist Katie Wilson as mayor of Seattle (whose policies and beliefs are closely aligned with those of Mamdani), Mikie Sherrill as governor of NJ, Abigail Spanberger as governor of VA, and the approval of CA’s redistricting plan, which is expected to yield several additional Dem seats in the House of Representatives. They are anticipating that this trend will carry forward to the 2026 off-year elections and beyond.

I say, “slow your roll.” While there is no denying the significance of Zoh’s election I would suggest that Dems should be cognizant of the fact that NJ and VA are traditionally blue states, so in essence they have merely “held serve” in those two elections. Additionally, the CA redistricting was expected, and it merely balances out the Rep gains from the redistricting in TX.

That said, in my view the socialist wing of the Dem Party, though a minority in terms of numbers, has taken control of the Party. With few exceptions, such as PA Senator John Fetterman, moderate Dems have become reluctant to speak out lest they face a primary challenge the next time they are up for re-election. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has become a “dead man walking.” As a result, the de facto leaders of the Dem Party are left wingers, such as Bernie Sanders, AOC and Jasmine Crockett. They and their supporters are dragging the Party so far to the left of the mainstream that it will be difficult for it to win the 2028 Presidential Election, but that is the subject of another blog on another day.

Although no one would characterize the US as a “socialist country” in fairness I would be remiss if I failed to denote that the US economy does contain certain elements of socialism, such as social security, Medicare, Medicaid and unemployment insurance. These programs are not perfect, but they are well-established and have served us well. Regardless the US is overwhelmingly a capitalist, free enterprise country.

There has been much speculation of the impact of Zoh’s program prospectively. As I have discussed in recent blogs the conventional wisdom is that, though alluring, most of them are impractical, illegal, and exaggerated, and they won’t work. Already his ill-conceived, ill-advised scheme to have social workers respond to 911 calls has been exposed.

Many people have denoted various examples of socialism’s failure in other countries. Of course, advocates of the program dispute this. However, we have empirical evidence of its failure right here in the US.

Portland, Oregon has a strong socialist history dating back to the early 20th century. Currently, according to articles published in the NY Times and elsewhere the city is run by officials affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, which have majority control of the city council. Their current mantra is that the city has been “run by the rich” for too long, and their aim is to “rectify” that. I assert that their programs mirror those proposed by Mamdani, and their failures present a precursor for NYC under Mamdani.

As we know, the keystones of Mamdani’s campaign is free stuff, such as free buses, frozen rents, defunding the police, and levying higher taxes on businesses and wealthy individuals to pay for it all. The masses drank the Kool-Aide and elected him. So, what will happen next? How will his socialist “utopia” be enacted? What will the results be?

Well, we don’t have to speculate. All we have to do is look at the city of Portland, which as I said has been operating under socialism for many years. According to the NY Post Portland has devolved into the “poster child of urban decay, a smoldering mess of crime, with businesses fleeing and [rampant] homeliness.” It has “defunded and defanged” the police considerably. Large corporations such as Intel have drastically reduced their number of employees. Unemployment is up to 5%. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the US Bancorp Tower, which was formerly one of the most prestigious addresses in the city is now characterized by a 60% rate of vacancies and is infested with vagrants living in the hallways and abandoned offices who “start fires in the stairwells,” take drugs and defecate whenever and wherever they want.

Those people remaining are fed up. In lieu of “equity” and “social justice” they are just interested in providing for their families. According to a recent survey by Public Opinion Strategies 67% of respondents described Portland’s economy as “pretty seriously on the wrong track.” The term “buyers’ remorse” comes to mind.

Conclusion

The horrendous situation in Portland is yet another reminder that socialism does not work. It never has and never will. It may sound good and look good, but eventually the blemishes appear. We don’t have to speculate. Portland is providing empirical evidence. Eventually a socialist government runs out of other people’s money. This is what the people of NYC voted for, and this is what they can expect.

Mamdani has not even been sworn into office, yet policemen, businesses and wealthy taxpayers are leaving. According to Police Pension Fund data 245 police left the force in October, a 35% increase from October 2024. Thanks to the internet one can conduct business remotely. There are a plethora of business-friendly and tax-friendly states to which they can relocate such as Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. Financial firms such as Goldman Sachs have been relocating to South Florida to such an extent that Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward counties have been dubbed “Wall Street South.” This trend will only accelerate as time goes on.

The socialist Dems and their supporters should take heed, but they won’t. In the short term they may win some local elections, but eventually the “chickens will come home to roost.”

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LIFE UNDER COMRADE ZOH

So, all you Mamdani voters got your wish. He won, but my message is to be careful what you wish for. You drank the Kool-Aide, but in my opinion, you got suckered. You fell for the mirage of free stuff. You fell for the promise of free buses and subways, rent controlled apartments, government-operated grocery stores and the like.

Consequently, you have elected an inexperienced, antisemitic communist who has continually associated with known terrorists and has exhibited a deep disdain for America, its way of life and its system of government. All of this has been well-documented by Zoh’s own words and actions.

Many of his supporters view him as a panacea for their economic and social problems. Many of them are frustrated by their failure to get a good job, afford a home, and support a family. They choose to blame the system not themselves. Maybe they didn’t go to college or learn a trade. Or maybe they went to college but earned a worthless degree in Asian studies, liberal arts or humanities, etc., rather than one such as accounting, finance, engineering or the medical field that would translate into gainful employment and a career. They not only want what other people have without working for it, they feel entitled to it. They are not cognizant of or choose to ignore the historical failures of socialism/communism. They don’t realize that America does not owe them success; it owes them the opportunity to succeed. Success comes from the individual’s ingenuity, ambition and work ethic.

Zoh is charismatic and articulate, but he is a phony. He tells people what they want to hear, but I assert that he is not the solution to their problems. The solution has to come from within. Such is the basis of America’s free enterprise system.

Astute people know there is no such thing as free stuff. Somehow, somewhere, someone has to pay for it. Don’t expect Zoh to deliver on most of his promises, which I discussed in a previous blog. Some of them are illegal; some are just not practical; others will require the approval of NYS or the Feds. Governor Hochul will probably cooperate to an extent, because she is afraid of the radical left, but she cannot afford to be “all in” as she is facing a tough election campaign next year. President Trump, whom Zoh arrogantly and foolishly has antagonized in an effort to act tough for his base, will likely provide only the bare minimum of money and other assistance.

Where will Zoh get the billions of dollars necessary to implement his policies? He has told us he will raise taxes on businesses and rich individuals to the tune of $8 billion according to the NY Post. This may sound good to the masses, but it is deeply flawed. For one thing, it will cause an exodus from NYC and possibly NYS. This has already begun, and now that he has actually been elected it will increase, perhaps considerably.

In the internet age it is no longer necessary to be located physically in NYC to do business there. Many financial institutions have already relocated much of their business activities to other more tax-friendly states, such as Texas and Florida. Additionally, wealthy people can easily relocate, and those who choose to stay have the wherewithal to transfer their wealth elsewhere. To quote the late Margaret Thatcher, “the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

Zoh does not have the foggiest notion of how to administer a city of eight million people. He lacks the requisite experience and knowledge. You, I, and millions of others would be better qualified. His ill-advised policies will adversely affect every aspect of life politically, economically and socially.

His antipathy toward the police and leniency toward criminals have been extensively documented. He has characterized the police as “racist,” and “wicked” and has advocated cutting their funding and curtailing their authority. The exodus of cops has already begun. We have already seen the results of lax law enforcement in other cities such as Chicago and Minneapolis. As I have written in other blogs his administration has the potential to ruin a once-great city that to many is the very symbol of the USA.

As I have written in previous blogs Comrade Zoh is NOT a socialist as he and the media like to portray him. He is an antisemitic communist who hates America and all that it stands for. What is the difference?

Socialism and communism are both economic systems focused on shared ownership of the means of production, but they differ as to the role of the government and the extent of private ownership. Briefly, socialism is characterized by a mixed economy with private property existing alongside public ownership. On the other hand, communism features a stateless, classless society where all property is communally owned, and resources are distributed based on need (“from each according to his ability, to each according to his need”). Historically, communist states have been ruled by autocratic governments that have subjugated the citizenry, eliminated private property and individual liberties and controlled all aspects of life politically, economically and socially. 

Historically, socialist states have developed through the democratic process, whereas communist states have developed as a result of violence. For example, much of Western Europe is socialist; China and Soviet Russia of the Cold War Era are and were communist. These systems have failed everywhere they have been tried. The most recent examples are Cuba and Venezuela.

Conclusion

Lefties everywhere are hailing Zoh’s election as a clear mandate and a portent of the rising tide of socialism. Some of them such as Bernie Sanders and AOC are predicting that this trend will continue through the 2026 and 2028 elections. On the other hand, most moderates and conservatives maintain Zoh’s mayoralty will be an abject failure for all the reasons I have cited and will demonstrate once again that socialism/communism will not work. Who is correct? We’ll see, but for the sake of our way of life and the future of our children and grandchildren I strongly hope it is the latter.

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CAN COMRADE ZOH BE STOPPED?

We are less than three months from election day on November 4, and all indications are that NYC is on the precipice of self-destruction. And what’s more NYS and the country may be dragged down as well.

On that date Comrade Zoh will likely be elected mayor of NYC. Zoh’s extreme views, which I have detailed in previous blogs are unrealistic, unworkable and, in a few cases, illegal. They will drive people and businesses away to relocate in other states with lower taxes, lower crime and “friendlier” lifestyles. This trend has already commenced, and if Zoh becomes mayor it will only accelerate.

As we all know, Comrade Zoh won the Dem primary for mayor decisively, which in NYC, where Dems hold a 6:1 edge in registration over GOPers, is tantamount to election. How did he manage to win? I have discussed this in previous blogs in detail, and I don’t see the need to regurgitate it all here, but, in summary, in my view there were four main reasons.

  1. Zoh is a charismatic figure and a compelling speaker reminiscent of another rabble-rouser in Germany in the 1930s.
  2. His campaign was well-organized and well-funded by outside leftist groups.
  3. He has been and still is being portrayed as a socialist, whereas in reality his own statements identify him as a communist in the Soviet mold. Voters were unaware of or indifferent to his communist policies and as well as his virulent antisemitism.
  4. His primary opponents, Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams, are unpopular and each is carrying significant political “baggage.”

As I write this, Comrade Zoh has a decisive lead in the polls. For instance, according to Politico he has the support of 35% of registered voters, followed by Cuomo with 25%, Curtis Sliwa with 14%, Adams at 11% and attorney Jim Walden with 1%. The remainder were undecided. Even more inexplicably, a recently published Haaritz, US News survey disclosed that Zoh has a 17% lead among Jewish voters.

The more we find out about Comrade Zoh the worse it gets. The NY Post has reported that he is closely aligned with Mahmoud Khalil, the former Columbia University “student” and known terrorist who was one of the leaders of the pro-Palestinian/ pro-Hamas/anti-Israel/antisemitic protests over the last few years. The US has ample grounds to deport him and has been trying to do so but so far, it has not succeeded.

Conclusion

Zoh has received strong support from far-left Dems such as AOC and Bernie Sanders as well as the left-leaning media and various left-leaning PACs both domestic and foreign. Most moderate Dems, including Senate Minority Leader (Up)Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have declined to endorse him, but inexplicably have failed to speak out against him. In my opinion, this is due to a lack of courage. They are afraid of the small but vocal far left wing of the Dem Party. They will probably be primaried anyway in 2026, so for the sake of the Party they might as well do what’s right. Speak their minds.

At this point, I don’t see how Zoh can be stopped. In my opinion, this election will be a watershed moment not only for NYC and NYS but also for the Dems and America as a whole. Dems will have to run on his record in 2026 and beyond. They will pay for their cowardice.

Moreover, the impact of a communist mayor in NYC, the largest and most prestigious city in the country, will be enormous and far-reaching. Everybody likes free stuff. The problem is that free stuff is not really free; somewhere, somehow, somebody has to pay for it. It’s been proven time and again that communist/socialist policies do not work. Never have; never will. In the words of the late Margaret Thatcher, “[t]he problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

The financial, political, economic and social ramifications of Conrade Zoh’s election will be incalculable. We may be sowing the seeds of our own destruction.

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MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI

Mayor Zohran Mamdani. That is a phrase that should terrify all Americans. Not just those who live in NYC; all Americans. And yet, there is a good chance it will come to pass. He is the democrat nominee for mayor in a very heavily-democrat city. Currently, 65% of registered voters in NYC identify as Dems, whereas only 11% identify as GOP with the remainder identifying as independent.

As of now there is no viable opponent who has a realistic chance to beat him in the election. He is the clear frontrunner in a field of flawed candidates. According to a recent poll published in the NY Post he is favored by 35% of the voters compared to 25% for Cuomo, 14% for Sliwa and 11% for Adams. In my opinion, Sliwa, being a Republican, has no chance to win. Cuomo and Adams have many detractors and much baggage. In order to have a chance of defeating Mamdani one of them will have to drop out. As of now, neither has shown an inclination to do so.

Some of my readers have told me my blogs are too verbose; they prefer brevity. Well, how’s this for brevity. Zohran Mamdani is a raging antisemitic communist and an existential threat to our democracy who should not be allowed anywhere near Gracie Mansion.

Zo has become the darling of the far left. They and their allies in the media have been portraying him as a “socialist.” In my opinion, that is too benign a characterization that is intended to make him more acceptable to voters. Based on his own past statements I consider him to be a communist. More on that below.

What is the difference? Both ideologies advocate for social ownership and control of the means of production, but they differ in their approaches and ultimate goals.  Generally, socialism results in a more gradual transition, often through democratic means, while communism’s approach is a more radical, even revolutionary, transformation to a stateless, classless society. Think Sweden versus Soviet Russia.  

Zo is a glib, charismatic speaker who captivates his audience. He has tapped into a dissatisfied and disaffected populace. He knows what they want, and he promises he will get it for them. He promises free stuff but is vague on details such as how his policies will work and who will pay for them. Probably, he does not have the foggiest conception of the answers to those troublesome details. As we all know, nothing is really free. Somehow, somewhere, somebody has to pay for it. As they say in Texas, “he is all hat, no cattle.”

Below please find a list of Zo’s qualifications and experience that qualify him to govern the largest city in America with all its diversity and problems:

1.

2.

3.

Hey, you say, it’s blank. You left something out. No, I didn’t. Zo has no qualifications or experience that would qualify him to be mayor. None.

Many of the policies he has been advocating could have been written by Karl Marx. They are straight out of the Soviet playbook. They sound outlandish, superficial, and unrealistic to any sane person. Some are likely illegal. Furthermore, based on much empirical evidence we know they are doomed to fail. There is a plethora of examples of this, but the best ones are the Soviet Union, Cuba and Venezuela.

Some examples of them, which I have gleaned from published reports and his own words in interviews, are as follows:

  1. Seize all private property. He doesn’t like it that a few people have accumulated so much, and the many others have little or nothing. I take this to include homes, money and everything else. He would “guarantee each person housing.”
  2. Defund the police. Require some of their duties to be handled by social workers. Picture a social worker handling a domestic violence situation, which police acknowledge is the most dangerous situation. “Sir, tell me why you beat your wife? What are your feelings? Did your father beat you? Did your mom lock you in a closet? Yeah, right.
  3. He has “questioned the purpose of prisons and jails,” which does not augur well for dealing with crime.
  4. Zohran would immediately freeze the rent for all stabilized tenants and use every available resource to build the housing New Yorkers need and bring down rents.
  5. He wants to enhance NYC’s sanctuary city apparatus by eliminating ICE from of all NYC facilities and ending any cooperation with the agency, increasing legal support for migrants, and protecting all their personal data. He would make NYC an LGBTQIA+ sanctuary city. 
  6. He advocates free bus service and raising the minimum wage to $30.
  7. He advocates making all schools “green” and the curricula for K-12 being controlled by the state.
  8. He would create a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low and not making a profit. This would be the death knell of small privately owned businesses who would be unable to compete.
  9. These are bad enough, but his worst is his unabashed, blatant antisemitism. He has consistently refused to condemn the concept of a global intifada against Jews. Note, NYC has the highest Jewish population of any city other than Tel Aviv, 1.3 million. Many of them lean liberal and traditionally vote Democrat. Would they support an antisemitic communist? Maybe, especially if they were unaware of his real policies and beliefs. As I have written in previous blogs many US Jews take their safety and security for granted, which history has demonstrated over and over again is misguided.
  10. He plans to raise the money for these grandiose policies by increasing the corporate tax rate to 11.5% and imposing additional taxes on the wealthy. He does not believe there should be any billionaires anyway. The math doesn’t work, but Zoh is not concerned with that troublesome detail.

Conclusion

Everyone likes “free stuff,” but there is no such thing. As we have all seen, the problem with socialism/communism is that it is a corrupt, dictatorial type of government, and sooner or later you run out of “other people’s money.” The super-rich will find ways to avoid paying the increased taxes. In addition, those with the means to flee do so. This has already begun in NYC and will certainly accelerate if Zo were to be elected. All that will be left is a hollowed out middle and working class and those without the means to leave.

As I said above, Mamdani’s policies are outlandish, unrealistic, and will not work. Mamdani is a glib, charismatic speaker, however, and he has managed to gaslight a sizeable portion of the electorate. He has received strong support from the far left, such as “Uncle Bernie” and the “Squad.” Much of his financial support is being provided by out-of-state far left organizations and perhaps even foreign entities. They want him to succeed so as to provide a duly elected communist beachhead in the US.

So-called moderate Dems are afraid to criticize him. Most of them will not even characterize him as a “communist,” although clearly, he is. Same with the media.

Once again, (Up)Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, has swallowed his tongue. He is Jewish and represents NY, yet he has refused to speak out. In my view, he has no integrity, no courage. I consider him to be a coward and a disgrace to the Jewish people. President Trump has labeled him the “Palestinian Senator.” No wonder he sports an approval rating of under 20%. Politically, he is a “dead man walking.”

One final note. To those who know their history Mamdani is reminiscent of another glib, charismatic rabble-rouser who gaslighted a desperate, disaffected populace, an Austrian with the family name Schicklgruber. We all know him as Adolph Hitler.

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