The NYC mayoral primary shows Dem old guard is on life support and losing to leftist "populists." But left-wing populism looks like straight up communism. The fate of NYC hangs in the balance.
I’ve followed you for some time, and today reminded me of why. Clear talk in the face of drifting culture and politics. Straight fire, they say. I’ll pass this piece along to others. Thank you.
This guy is dangerous because his nutty and dangerous ideas are presented with charisma and youthful vigor, both of which are very appealing to the naive.
“The old guard are completely flummoxed by the slick young zealots who they raised, coddled and promoted. They are now being eaten by their young ….”. Oh my goodness, this is the problem in a nutshell. Also, although there are differences, I can’t help but think of the French novel Submission.
His is the most false, insincere, clearly practiced-in-a-mirror smile I’ve ever seen, since high school yearbooks. Be careful what you vote for, NYC. At 33 he’s only old enough to be be someone’s useful tool. Charisma my aunt fanny.
Jenny, I read a book review in the WSJ today on the biography of Xi Jinping's father as a first gen revolutionary with Mao, "The Party's Interests Come First". In the review, the book's author, Robert Zoellick, is quoted with this statement: "It is central to communist ideology that what people believe about the past determines their devotion, or lack of it, to the collective vision in the present." This statement caused me to think of the relentless efforts to re-cast American origin stories of a racist, oppressor-driven nation. If the author's statement is a correct about understanding the past in a certain way will determine devotion to a collective vision in the present, one can see the drive now to "fix" or to correct a stained nation with a socialist/communistic political structure. Now, Zohran looks like the logical output from a shared, if distorted view of our history. It also makes current academic curriculum on American campuses seem more calculated, and therefore more dangerous than even supposed. This would include teachings that promote anti-racism and anti-semitism.
Yes. This is correct. All of the communist revolutionary parallels are obviously being deployed in the West.
It ought to be plain for any eye to see -- but the idiots, they laugh. They scoff. They yowl that those who notice are wrong -- no -- Trump is Mao! They cry.
For people committed to denigrating the present vis-a-vis the past, at the very least, they should invest a little time in learning what actually happened in that past.
I agree his appeal is with the affluent and the young because his virtue signaling message of free stuff for the poor and no police. The actual poor have suffered defunding the police up close and the first- and second-generation poor know from their homelands that government control of everything, especially food, means starvation, structural failure and chaos.
Also, Mamdani's appeal is being distorted because of the re-casting of the Asian demographic. Asians, namely Chinese, Japanese and Koreans, always leaned heavily conservative. So in order to dilute and disguise the polling of that group, Pakistanis and Indians were added to offset the inherent conservative leanings of this demographic.
I have tried in vain to get my fossilized elders to comprehend what's really going on with the D Party they continue to believe has the best interests of 'the people' at heart. The well-off elders, inured in safe neighborhoods, who still believe that the word "racism" has an authentic meaning, signified with their compassionate votes.
Upon reflection, Obama came out of nowhere, groomed for his Marxist position in the White House. Now we have Mamdani. They're still at it, these evil Communists. They won't give up. It isn't just certain kinds of immigrants getting the boot -- it's ALL immigrants, that "fascist!" And so on. Anyway, Mamdani is a figurehead for a much darker vision. He's a figurehead just as Harris was a figurehead. They find good looking people who aren't white, so white progressives can feel good about voting for them. Never mind the actual effects of their rule. Brandon Johnson -- how on earth could Chicagoans vote for him after the nightmare that was Lori Lightfoot? Because he's black. That's all that matters.
My question is: Why. Why is the Deep State -- or whatever it is -- seeking to destroy the United States? And worse -- why is it that no amount of evidence can convince these Useful Idiots that they truly aren't voting in their best interest?
This is hilarious: "And of course, he also wants to open a network of government-run supermarkets, because I guess he took a look at the filthy New York City public transportation system and thought, ‘we should do this, but with food!’"
I’ve had the same bad break up with NYC. I grew up in Brooklyn in the 80’s and went to an arts high school in Manhattan in the 90’s with an extremely diverse group of creative kids from all 5 boroughs. This fetishizing of minorities was unheard of and there was none of the performative intellectual rigidity that I’ve come to associate with young people in the city. It makes me sad now to think that something so divisive and authoritarian as modern progressivism has taken over exactly this set. The scene in the 90’s was so diverse and fresh and fun.
Those who will vote this guy into office will get what they deserve. The rational people of New York City, who won't vote for him, will get screwed.
Jenny:
I’ve followed you for some time, and today reminded me of why. Clear talk in the face of drifting culture and politics. Straight fire, they say. I’ll pass this piece along to others. Thank you.
This guy is dangerous because his nutty and dangerous ideas are presented with charisma and youthful vigor, both of which are very appealing to the naive.
IMHO not his ideas, and the “charisma” comes in a jar.
The ideas are not original with him, but he has adopted them as his own. The charisma is dangerously real even if it is of the snake oil type.
“The old guard are completely flummoxed by the slick young zealots who they raised, coddled and promoted. They are now being eaten by their young ….”. Oh my goodness, this is the problem in a nutshell. Also, although there are differences, I can’t help but think of the French novel Submission.
The left are being eaten by their young
That’s the line that got me … spot on target …
His is the most false, insincere, clearly practiced-in-a-mirror smile I’ve ever seen, since high school yearbooks. Be careful what you vote for, NYC. At 33 he’s only old enough to be be someone’s useful tool. Charisma my aunt fanny.
Jenny, I read a book review in the WSJ today on the biography of Xi Jinping's father as a first gen revolutionary with Mao, "The Party's Interests Come First". In the review, the book's author, Robert Zoellick, is quoted with this statement: "It is central to communist ideology that what people believe about the past determines their devotion, or lack of it, to the collective vision in the present." This statement caused me to think of the relentless efforts to re-cast American origin stories of a racist, oppressor-driven nation. If the author's statement is a correct about understanding the past in a certain way will determine devotion to a collective vision in the present, one can see the drive now to "fix" or to correct a stained nation with a socialist/communistic political structure. Now, Zohran looks like the logical output from a shared, if distorted view of our history. It also makes current academic curriculum on American campuses seem more calculated, and therefore more dangerous than even supposed. This would include teachings that promote anti-racism and anti-semitism.
Yes. This is correct. All of the communist revolutionary parallels are obviously being deployed in the West.
It ought to be plain for any eye to see -- but the idiots, they laugh. They scoff. They yowl that those who notice are wrong -- no -- Trump is Mao! They cry.
For people committed to denigrating the present vis-a-vis the past, at the very least, they should invest a little time in learning what actually happened in that past.
Great write-up Jenny, but is he worse than Sadiq Khan? Got some competition there!
I wish you would stop calling these people liberals. They are anything but.
I also wish people would stop referring to them as democratic socialists. There is nothing democratic about them.
I agree his appeal is with the affluent and the young because his virtue signaling message of free stuff for the poor and no police. The actual poor have suffered defunding the police up close and the first- and second-generation poor know from their homelands that government control of everything, especially food, means starvation, structural failure and chaos.
Also, Mamdani's appeal is being distorted because of the re-casting of the Asian demographic. Asians, namely Chinese, Japanese and Koreans, always leaned heavily conservative. So in order to dilute and disguise the polling of that group, Pakistanis and Indians were added to offset the inherent conservative leanings of this demographic.
the Subway-Supermarket connection is pure gold. haha!
Excellent article. Thank you!
I have tried in vain to get my fossilized elders to comprehend what's really going on with the D Party they continue to believe has the best interests of 'the people' at heart. The well-off elders, inured in safe neighborhoods, who still believe that the word "racism" has an authentic meaning, signified with their compassionate votes.
Upon reflection, Obama came out of nowhere, groomed for his Marxist position in the White House. Now we have Mamdani. They're still at it, these evil Communists. They won't give up. It isn't just certain kinds of immigrants getting the boot -- it's ALL immigrants, that "fascist!" And so on. Anyway, Mamdani is a figurehead for a much darker vision. He's a figurehead just as Harris was a figurehead. They find good looking people who aren't white, so white progressives can feel good about voting for them. Never mind the actual effects of their rule. Brandon Johnson -- how on earth could Chicagoans vote for him after the nightmare that was Lori Lightfoot? Because he's black. That's all that matters.
My question is: Why. Why is the Deep State -- or whatever it is -- seeking to destroy the United States? And worse -- why is it that no amount of evidence can convince these Useful Idiots that they truly aren't voting in their best interest?
This is hilarious: "And of course, he also wants to open a network of government-run supermarkets, because I guess he took a look at the filthy New York City public transportation system and thought, ‘we should do this, but with food!’"
Harris said pretty much the same kinds of things.
Why. I want to know. WHY.
I’ve had the same bad break up with NYC. I grew up in Brooklyn in the 80’s and went to an arts high school in Manhattan in the 90’s with an extremely diverse group of creative kids from all 5 boroughs. This fetishizing of minorities was unheard of and there was none of the performative intellectual rigidity that I’ve come to associate with young people in the city. It makes me sad now to think that something so divisive and authoritarian as modern progressivism has taken over exactly this set. The scene in the 90’s was so diverse and fresh and fun.
Zohran Mamdani is the Canary in the Coal Mine:
https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/the-canary-in-the-coal-mine-zohran
If elected, Mamdani will keep exactly none of his campaign promises. He will blame this on the state legislature and the governor.
The citizens of New York City can only hope you are correct…
The dude is married? I'm shocked. How utterly declasse.