You know, I keep running into otherwise intelligent, but perhaps ill-informed people who still equate democratic socialism with the old-timey socialism of a hundred years ago--basically a Marxist-Leninist focus on the government acquiring the means of production, heavy centralized planning, etc. You know, the stuff that's been proven not to work. When I point at Scandinavia, they insist that Scandinavian countries aren't socialist. I am so happy that Zohran might get the chance to illuminate the fact that modern socialism embraces entrepreneurship, inventiveness, etc., fosters it, even--but also insists that the wealthy support the people whose tax money supports them via infrastructure, environmental initiatives, national protection, etc. etc. I read that Mayor La Guardia also was a socialist, and NYC named its first airport after him in gratitude. Wonder why?
Yes! We have to build what socialism must be now, practical, energy-and-material conscious, aware of the interconnectedness of all, yet drawing in the creative, dynamic natural vitality of people eager to live full lives and contribute to the life in others.
I hope this is okay, but I just copied your post, Anand and sent it to Patty Murray and Emily Randall, my senator, and rep - with the message that I wish she would share this with her colleagues, in an effort to try and get through to the democrats in office at the moment. In reading the comments I see that you put this out on the Morning Joe, so maybe it will reach the wider congressional dem audience... but also maybe they could use some direct input from constituents.
I think this is a FABULOUS idea! Question -- maybe I'm clueless but when I go to my senator's page all I see is "leave a comment" -- no actual email address. I've called them and left comments before but is there a "secret" way to get an actual email for a US senator? I'm not sure that cutting and pasting Anand's article will "fit" in the comments section. Or maybe it will and that's what you did?
It's true, typically there isn't an actual email address listed, but perhaps you could just cut and paste "the link" to Anand's article. Because, you're correct, that generally the "leave a comment" area will have a restricted number of characters and the whole article wouldn't fit.
Dreaming like Courage, is contagious! Thank You New Yorkers for feeding me with meaning. I’ve been hungry and can imagine you on your stupes. Voting is emotional.
This is the best, most instructive and inspiring piece I’ve read in a very long time. A roadmap to get us out of this hellhole we’re in. Thank you Anand, for this brilliant analysis. Will establishment Dems take heed? We can only hope. Better yet, we can take action to convince them that this is the way forward.
I am still very much in the camp of Trump voters need to hold themselves accountable and being able to truly understand what they voted for & the consequences of that decision. They remember more money in their pockets from Trump so they took a gamble on the guy who incited January 6th? Really?? Now they are excited about Mamdani's policies. What if they don't work. What if they find out that the Mayor is not a magician. Will they then turn around and vote for Curtis Sliwa to take a gamble?
I think we will find ourselves back in the same spot if we can't get folks to be more informed & more engaged. It doesn't have to be condescending and maybe Mamdani can figure out away to do this. I think that is the way to keep voters.
I like Mamdani- I ranked him 2nd. (Brad was my #1. I loved them together on Colbert.)
I think Mamdani will incredibly good for our city. It's nice to have hope.
Nice job on delivering this same message on Morning Joe. You have such a smart, no-nonsense style. It’s encouraging to see Zohran do so well in NYC, and I agree that the Dems need to learn from this. Also agree that Clinton’s endorsement of Cuomo was a shameful moment for the Democratic Party. But do you think Zohran’s approach can translate to a national audience? Who leads that?
"But do you think Zohran’s approach can translate to a national audience? Who leads that?" Well, I would argue that Zohran is actually FOLLOWING Bernie Sanders' approach that he's used for decades--speak directly to the needs of the constituents and follow-up by effectively communicating policy solutions--and Zohran just proved to the corporate Dems that it can certainly work on a smaller scale. Recently, of course, Sanders and AOC have been out on their "fighting oligarchy" tour drawing crowds in the tens of thousands (during a non-election year). While I do realize Bernie's age will prevent him from "leading" the movement going forward, I can easily see people like AOC and other Sanders' disciples carrying the torch into the future.
Can’t agree more about the almost laughable desperation of the B Clinton endorsement. I was more disheartened to hear of a last-minute endorsement from our CT Gov Ned Lamont — himself once an insurgent Dem and not in the sexual abuser camp (as far as we know, God help us!).
This is where I think you completely nail it, Anand: "Anytime anything happens like this, the Democrats get scared. Nothing scarier than young people getting excited about something. Stop it now! So scary. A party that too often caves to donors is liable to be afraid of voters finding their voice and power and believing they can actually have nice things. But maybe, just maybe, Democrats should try to make people feel." Two things immediately come to mind here. One is that the corporate Dems ARE "scared" and very uncomfortable with this. Since few Dem politicians truly embrace genuine campaign finance reform they, of course, are beholden to their corporate mega donors. Sadly, we've seen this movie before--during the 2016 and 2020 Dem primary when Bernie Sanders refused super PACs, corporate money, etc. and successful ran his campaign on individual, small money donations (remember the "blue" map showing the most individual donations for Bernie?). Yet, instead of recognizing and supporting voter enthusiasm for Bernie Sanders, the corporate Dems chose to squash it. (This is similar to what Bill Clinton and the Dem establishment attempted to do to Zohran. Zohran had the momentum and party base, yet Clinton and the corp. Dems backed Cuomo.) Secondly, the Dems don't want "to make people feel" the hope of possibility, because they oppose (on behalf of their mega donors) the type of systemic change that excites the party's base. The corporate Dems will bring the rhetoric--think B. Clinton, Obama and even Biden (remember the "public option" he floated for healthcare?)--but do not have the backbone or will power to enact policy that would enable us to have nice things. When I see the small victories, such as Mamdani's win last night, I feel that same twinge of excitement. And then I remember the old guard mouth pieces for the corporate hacks--such as Neera Tanden and other former Hillary Clinton aides--on MSNBC drumming away with the false narrative that we can't have nice things, because, as we well know, it's not in the best interests of their corporate handlers.
So on point, Tina. In my comment, I gave the "generous" explanation for why Dems get scared, this is the not-so-generous (and 100% true for MANY of them) explanation - thanks for naming it.
Amen!!! This is exactly what my 27 year old daughter has been saying for years as she shakes her head in disgust at the corporate Dems and plugs her nose at the polls and votes against the greater evil GOP.
I can totally relate to your daughter's disgust. The very first vote I ever cast while in college was for Jesse Jackson in the Dem primary. His platform boasted "ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, universal healthcare, subsidized higher education, support for a Palestinian state, etc." Does this all sound familiar??" We are still fighting for these things. Even the few times the corporate Dems had total control of the House, Senate and Executive, they've failed to deliver--for average working families. It's frustrating and sad for us and political suicide for the party. Voters will drop out of the political process if they feel voting doesn't improve their lives. (Or, worse--they vote for someone like Trump.)
Oh so great Anand! I’m so glad to hear about Mamdani! I’ve been out of the loop and getting tired and frustrated generally, but your writing and way of thinking always brings me back. Thank you for this truly good and inspiring news. I really needed it. We need a Mamdani in our little California town! Thanks again!
It's really exciting, and many of us needed an infusion of hope in this terrible time- but the voters rolled the dice on this young man and his ideas, much like they rolled the dice on Trump as you say, and the question is going to be, can he/will he deliver? If the realities, whatever they may be, end up keeping him from delivering and making people feel their lives have not fundamentally changed for the better, then we're going to be back at square one, and maybe even square negative one (worse off than we were before). I think it's probable that the folks who put time into getting him elected will have to put time into supporting him while he's in office- continue to organize, go to public meetings, speak out, and do whatever it takes to help him move the needle. Aside from the problems identified in 'Abundance', I think voters tend to believe our work is done when we vote, and I think that's a problem too.
I don’t think the old guard establishment democrats are scared of anything except losing their cushy positions among the elite donors/corporate powerbrokers who bankroll them. I don’t want billionaire backed democrats that want to keep the economic status quo (dramatic income inequality) to learn how to make people feel when they campaign. That’s what gave us Reagan, the Clintons (don’t get me started on the many systemic changes they put in place that has widened the income gap to their favor), Cuomo, Buttigieg (Mckinsey trained billionaire backed), and on and on. Maybe Zohran did so well was his ideas, which are hugely different on principle than those of most democratic electeds,
While I truly fear his economic ideas won’t work I agree with your analysis of why he won the primary. Prices distort the purpose and magic of cities. Affordability matters
Rent control is not the answer. You have the haves and the have nots and it suppresses new supply Supply is the answer more units lower prices
City owned supermarkets? Crazy. Won’t work. Will put bodegas out of business
Yes. But the number of new builds in his plan is not enough. There needs to be more. You may consider Houston hell on earth and maybe it is but they build lots of houses and they are way more affordable
And something else I would love the mainstream Democratic party and associated pundits, consultants, and think-tankers to recognize: Mamdani beat Cuomo *despite* billionaires of both party persuasions (Bloomberg, Alice Walton, Ken Langone of Home Depot, etc.) donating to his Cuomo's super PAC. This was a victory for Mamdani and his incredible skills, platform, and organizers, but also for the public campaign finance system in NYC (which survived a super PAC onslaught). Is this the earthquake that jolts the DNC and those inside the machine to realize that if we have good candidates with good ideas who care about people and make the effort to connect with them, we don't need crypto billionaires, "good" billionaires, or any other monied interests to win elections?
You know, I keep running into otherwise intelligent, but perhaps ill-informed people who still equate democratic socialism with the old-timey socialism of a hundred years ago--basically a Marxist-Leninist focus on the government acquiring the means of production, heavy centralized planning, etc. You know, the stuff that's been proven not to work. When I point at Scandinavia, they insist that Scandinavian countries aren't socialist. I am so happy that Zohran might get the chance to illuminate the fact that modern socialism embraces entrepreneurship, inventiveness, etc., fosters it, even--but also insists that the wealthy support the people whose tax money supports them via infrastructure, environmental initiatives, national protection, etc. etc. I read that Mayor La Guardia also was a socialist, and NYC named its first airport after him in gratitude. Wonder why?
Yes! We have to build what socialism must be now, practical, energy-and-material conscious, aware of the interconnectedness of all, yet drawing in the creative, dynamic natural vitality of people eager to live full lives and contribute to the life in others.
A four letter word—hope. A city should cultivate aspirations, not a mausoleum of past exploits.
I hope this is okay, but I just copied your post, Anand and sent it to Patty Murray and Emily Randall, my senator, and rep - with the message that I wish she would share this with her colleagues, in an effort to try and get through to the democrats in office at the moment. In reading the comments I see that you put this out on the Morning Joe, so maybe it will reach the wider congressional dem audience... but also maybe they could use some direct input from constituents.
Thank you for suggesting this!! I will do the same.
I think this is a FABULOUS idea! Question -- maybe I'm clueless but when I go to my senator's page all I see is "leave a comment" -- no actual email address. I've called them and left comments before but is there a "secret" way to get an actual email for a US senator? I'm not sure that cutting and pasting Anand's article will "fit" in the comments section. Or maybe it will and that's what you did?
SenMurray@murray.senate.gov from my inbox, fellow Washington voter here.
It's true, typically there isn't an actual email address listed, but perhaps you could just cut and paste "the link" to Anand's article. Because, you're correct, that generally the "leave a comment" area will have a restricted number of characters and the whole article wouldn't fit.
Dreaming like Courage, is contagious! Thank You New Yorkers for feeding me with meaning. I’ve been hungry and can imagine you on your stupes. Voting is emotional.
This is a great essay, Anand.
This is the best, most instructive and inspiring piece I’ve read in a very long time. A roadmap to get us out of this hellhole we’re in. Thank you Anand, for this brilliant analysis. Will establishment Dems take heed? We can only hope. Better yet, we can take action to convince them that this is the way forward.
I am still very much in the camp of Trump voters need to hold themselves accountable and being able to truly understand what they voted for & the consequences of that decision. They remember more money in their pockets from Trump so they took a gamble on the guy who incited January 6th? Really?? Now they are excited about Mamdani's policies. What if they don't work. What if they find out that the Mayor is not a magician. Will they then turn around and vote for Curtis Sliwa to take a gamble?
I think we will find ourselves back in the same spot if we can't get folks to be more informed & more engaged. It doesn't have to be condescending and maybe Mamdani can figure out away to do this. I think that is the way to keep voters.
I like Mamdani- I ranked him 2nd. (Brad was my #1. I loved them together on Colbert.)
I think Mamdani will incredibly good for our city. It's nice to have hope.
Nice job on delivering this same message on Morning Joe. You have such a smart, no-nonsense style. It’s encouraging to see Zohran do so well in NYC, and I agree that the Dems need to learn from this. Also agree that Clinton’s endorsement of Cuomo was a shameful moment for the Democratic Party. But do you think Zohran’s approach can translate to a national audience? Who leads that?
"But do you think Zohran’s approach can translate to a national audience? Who leads that?" Well, I would argue that Zohran is actually FOLLOWING Bernie Sanders' approach that he's used for decades--speak directly to the needs of the constituents and follow-up by effectively communicating policy solutions--and Zohran just proved to the corporate Dems that it can certainly work on a smaller scale. Recently, of course, Sanders and AOC have been out on their "fighting oligarchy" tour drawing crowds in the tens of thousands (during a non-election year). While I do realize Bernie's age will prevent him from "leading" the movement going forward, I can easily see people like AOC and other Sanders' disciples carrying the torch into the future.
Can’t agree more about the almost laughable desperation of the B Clinton endorsement. I was more disheartened to hear of a last-minute endorsement from our CT Gov Ned Lamont — himself once an insurgent Dem and not in the sexual abuser camp (as far as we know, God help us!).
The very idea of having new ideas! And yes, Clinton did not help Cuomo. Ugh
This is where I think you completely nail it, Anand: "Anytime anything happens like this, the Democrats get scared. Nothing scarier than young people getting excited about something. Stop it now! So scary. A party that too often caves to donors is liable to be afraid of voters finding their voice and power and believing they can actually have nice things. But maybe, just maybe, Democrats should try to make people feel." Two things immediately come to mind here. One is that the corporate Dems ARE "scared" and very uncomfortable with this. Since few Dem politicians truly embrace genuine campaign finance reform they, of course, are beholden to their corporate mega donors. Sadly, we've seen this movie before--during the 2016 and 2020 Dem primary when Bernie Sanders refused super PACs, corporate money, etc. and successful ran his campaign on individual, small money donations (remember the "blue" map showing the most individual donations for Bernie?). Yet, instead of recognizing and supporting voter enthusiasm for Bernie Sanders, the corporate Dems chose to squash it. (This is similar to what Bill Clinton and the Dem establishment attempted to do to Zohran. Zohran had the momentum and party base, yet Clinton and the corp. Dems backed Cuomo.) Secondly, the Dems don't want "to make people feel" the hope of possibility, because they oppose (on behalf of their mega donors) the type of systemic change that excites the party's base. The corporate Dems will bring the rhetoric--think B. Clinton, Obama and even Biden (remember the "public option" he floated for healthcare?)--but do not have the backbone or will power to enact policy that would enable us to have nice things. When I see the small victories, such as Mamdani's win last night, I feel that same twinge of excitement. And then I remember the old guard mouth pieces for the corporate hacks--such as Neera Tanden and other former Hillary Clinton aides--on MSNBC drumming away with the false narrative that we can't have nice things, because, as we well know, it's not in the best interests of their corporate handlers.
So on point, Tina. In my comment, I gave the "generous" explanation for why Dems get scared, this is the not-so-generous (and 100% true for MANY of them) explanation - thanks for naming it.
Amen!!! This is exactly what my 27 year old daughter has been saying for years as she shakes her head in disgust at the corporate Dems and plugs her nose at the polls and votes against the greater evil GOP.
I can totally relate to your daughter's disgust. The very first vote I ever cast while in college was for Jesse Jackson in the Dem primary. His platform boasted "ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, universal healthcare, subsidized higher education, support for a Palestinian state, etc." Does this all sound familiar??" We are still fighting for these things. Even the few times the corporate Dems had total control of the House, Senate and Executive, they've failed to deliver--for average working families. It's frustrating and sad for us and political suicide for the party. Voters will drop out of the political process if they feel voting doesn't improve their lives. (Or, worse--they vote for someone like Trump.)
Please. Let the young people lead. Stop the rinse and repeat BS. Listen deeply to Anand and share this message widely.
Include everybody - even those still glued to Fox TV.
Do it with Love. Have some courage.
Excellent! Thank you for this (and all you do).
Oh so great Anand! I’m so glad to hear about Mamdani! I’ve been out of the loop and getting tired and frustrated generally, but your writing and way of thinking always brings me back. Thank you for this truly good and inspiring news. I really needed it. We need a Mamdani in our little California town! Thanks again!
It's really exciting, and many of us needed an infusion of hope in this terrible time- but the voters rolled the dice on this young man and his ideas, much like they rolled the dice on Trump as you say, and the question is going to be, can he/will he deliver? If the realities, whatever they may be, end up keeping him from delivering and making people feel their lives have not fundamentally changed for the better, then we're going to be back at square one, and maybe even square negative one (worse off than we were before). I think it's probable that the folks who put time into getting him elected will have to put time into supporting him while he's in office- continue to organize, go to public meetings, speak out, and do whatever it takes to help him move the needle. Aside from the problems identified in 'Abundance', I think voters tend to believe our work is done when we vote, and I think that's a problem too.
I don’t think the old guard establishment democrats are scared of anything except losing their cushy positions among the elite donors/corporate powerbrokers who bankroll them. I don’t want billionaire backed democrats that want to keep the economic status quo (dramatic income inequality) to learn how to make people feel when they campaign. That’s what gave us Reagan, the Clintons (don’t get me started on the many systemic changes they put in place that has widened the income gap to their favor), Cuomo, Buttigieg (Mckinsey trained billionaire backed), and on and on. Maybe Zohran did so well was his ideas, which are hugely different on principle than those of most democratic electeds,
While I truly fear his economic ideas won’t work I agree with your analysis of why he won the primary. Prices distort the purpose and magic of cities. Affordability matters
Rent control is not the answer. You have the haves and the have nots and it suppresses new supply Supply is the answer more units lower prices
City owned supermarkets? Crazy. Won’t work. Will put bodegas out of business
Part of Mamdani's plan includes new builds. I found this letter from several economists endorsing his plan a great read in The Nation : Economists Support Zohran Mamdani’s Plan for New York City https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/economists-zohran-mamdani-new-york-city/
Yes. But the number of new builds in his plan is not enough. There needs to be more. You may consider Houston hell on earth and maybe it is but they build lots of houses and they are way more affordable
And something else I would love the mainstream Democratic party and associated pundits, consultants, and think-tankers to recognize: Mamdani beat Cuomo *despite* billionaires of both party persuasions (Bloomberg, Alice Walton, Ken Langone of Home Depot, etc.) donating to his Cuomo's super PAC. This was a victory for Mamdani and his incredible skills, platform, and organizers, but also for the public campaign finance system in NYC (which survived a super PAC onslaught). Is this the earthquake that jolts the DNC and those inside the machine to realize that if we have good candidates with good ideas who care about people and make the effort to connect with them, we don't need crypto billionaires, "good" billionaires, or any other monied interests to win elections?