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| Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani |
I was thrilled this week when New York Democratic assemblyman Zohran Mamdani shocked his party's centrist-do-nothing establishment and won the Democratic primary to run as mayor in New York City this fall. This Guardian article by Moira Donegan describes well how Mamdani's immense skills and message won the day over a party establishment foolishly deadset against him.
The centrist-do-nothing establishment, which has long dominated the New York Democratic Party, almost turned the deeply blue state red in the last couple of elections due to its incompetence and corruption. They tried it again this year, so wedded to their bad instincts and lust for easy power, by endorsing the thoroughly discredited former New York governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor of NYC. Cuomo, of course, resigned as governor a few years ago in disgrace over multiple sexual harassment allegations, and was generally seen as a centre-right friend of big business.
Name recognition and the old 'inevitability factor' was supposed to sweep Cuomo into the mayor's office this year so he could accomplish...not sure what he hoped to accomplish, to be honest. Centrist-do-nothings usually simply want to seize office in order to make sure nothing else is done with it to upset their powerful status quo or solve any major crises so that tax and regulation levels remain comfortable for the establishment and wealthy. Sure they say progressive things on the campaign trail, and then they do nothing for the people once in office.
This Democratic Party approach in the U.S. has led to defeat and enabled fascism with the second victory by Donald Trump last November.
In a country so broken and corrupt, with its democracy in tatters and its government unable to deliver basic life improvements for its citizens like universal health care, affordable housing, jobs and growth, voters have sadly turned to the strongman liar psychopath now sitting in the White House.
Establishment Democrats seem to be the dumbest political strategists on the planet. They resemble establishment "centrists" or "progressives" the world over: always hostile to anything resembling non-market solutions, creativity or outside the box thinking that actually works.
These establishment folks are just about hanging on to their own power and acting as gutless as possible. Their answer to the Trump threat has been to abandon progressive ideals and even occasionally pretend to embrace some of the hate, thinking a lighter version of Trump is exactly what voters will want in 2028.
California Governor Gavin Newsom whose recent move throwing trans people under the MAGA bus is a shining example of a Democratic establishment schmuck embracing hate because he thinks it'll make him more popular.
Those centre-right Democrats couldn't be more wrong. When voters are ready to throw MAGA out, they won't be looking for something similar. They'll be looking for its antidote. The candidate who most authentically embodies that antidote to Trump will be the next Democratic President. If the Democrats again pick a centrist-gutless-do-nothing as their candidate in 2028, voters will reject them again and we'll have President Vance or, universe help us, Dictator Trump.
I've been waiting for a left-wing American Democrat like Mamdani to come around for some time. We haven't had up until now a so-called 'democratic socialist' candidate this talented at communicating his basic messages, which have resonated strongly with the base of NYC Democrats.
When a candidate, whether they be a socialist, or a business Liberal, shows superb charisma and an incredible ability to communicate and connect with ordinary, struggling voters' concerns, it's up to us on the moderate-progressive left to recognize it.
When someone shows us they know how to answer the tough questions, allay fears, inspire confidence and unite voters, we should embrace such candidates, not shun them.
Mamdani was smeared in this race with lies about his positions on Israel, which showed how low his opponents would go to stop him. A billionaire-backed Super PAC ran ads that even darkened his beard to make him look more sinister, clearly Islamophobic. Mamdani was fearless in his own defence and seemed to get more popular after those negative ads were released against him. Voters, at least in New York City, aren't that stupid.
The old ways of selecting safe, uninspiring Biden-esque or Clinton-esque Democrats have clearly failed. Donald Trump came back and crushed this version of the Democratic Party.
How? Because those do-nothing centrists did nothing to make the lives of ordinary Americans much better. If some policies were passed here and there that were supposed to benefit those voters, it matters not because most voters weren't aware of the policies or how they'd benefit from them. Biden ended up being the worst Democrat for governing in the modern era thanks to his old, bygone approach to politics. He expected his good deeds would be communicated honestly and widely via the mainstream media to all voters who had no other options but to watch the nightly news on ABC, NBC, or CBS. Nope, in fact about half of voters were getting their information from Fox News and the right-wing fantasy blogosphere.
America is a broken country, the gap between its rich and its poor and middle class is widening, its place in the world is sinking under its crazy Trump leadership, its health care system remains horrendous, its education system a joke, its gun violence out of control, the list goes on.
The policies espoused by so-called Democratic socialists like Mamdani include universal child care, rent control, free or more accessible city buses. Yes, left wing policies designed to provide real benefit to those struggling out there. These policies could work as Mamdani is promising a modest tax increase on the richest of New York City to pay for them. That sort of tax increase might not work so well in most major cities, but the elites of New York literally have nowhere else to ascend, so fleeing the best city in the world due to a 2% tax increase seems unlikely for most. The rich will barely notice it, but they will notice when more New Yorkers, able to afford their rents and the cost of living, boost the economy and unite the city in new ways. For once, Democrats have a mayoral candidate in New York willing to fight for working people's needs, not just the wealthy and privileged. That benefits everybody, not just working people, Mamdani has convincingly argued.
I am fundamentally a pragmatic progressive. I will occasionally support moderate, centre-right Liberals when it makes sense, as it did this past year in Canada with Mark Carney. Carney captured the zeitgeist with a few genius lines about standing up to the American bully and defending Canada's sovereignty. It was an existential moment he met, and progressives, centrists and some conservatives lined up behind him as the clear choice to lead Canada.
This doesn't mean that blue Liberalism is the only way to go. It only means it's working in Canada for now. It could also be working even better, were Carney to listen to some good, progressive advice like this.
But a moderate, centre-right approach I think won't necessarily work well in the U.S. right now. What will work? Someone authentically capable of convincing struggling, working class and middle class Americans that Democrats understand their pain and will be fighting - FIGHTING - to make their lives better at every turn.
Mamdani achieved that and is on his way to becoming New York mayor and a new Democratic star. America needs this kind of progressive change.
So-called centrist-do-nothings tired of losing to fascist Republicans had better get smart and learn to love the Zohran Mamdanis of their party.
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