Mamdani’s Policies Will Backfire. But That’s Not the Point. Supreme Leader Re-emerges. VICE Mayor Urges Gangs to Attack ICE. And More
Well, so much for the much-anticipated comeback of the moderate wing of the Democratic Party, Mr. Carville. The New York Times hails Zohran Mamdani’s campaign as a blueprint for the future.
It is still at least theoretically possible that the 33-year-old socialist will be defeated in the general election to determine New York’s next Mayor—but get real.
“The People’s Republic of New York” is the headline on a Wall Street Journal editorial on Mamdani’s primary win and what the paper calls “the rise of leftwing economic populism.” It will be the Left’s response to the MAGA movement. The editors observe:
Mr. Mamdani is charismatic and a fluent communicator on social media. He won easily among young progressives, while Mr. Cuomo carried the traditional Democrats on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and eastern Queens. Mr. Mamdani’s main theme is affordability, and it resonated in a city that is increasingly unaffordable for the middle-class.
The irony is that this “affordability crisis” is the result of failed Democratic governance. Rent control and eviction limits have caused landlords to take tens of thousands of apartments off the market. A higher minimum wage raised the cost of food and other basics, while rich union contracts keep transportation inefficient and costly. Climate bans and mandates have raised energy costs.
Mr. Mamdani’s solution is more socialism. …
Examiner Chief Political Correspondent Byron York has a good piece on the Mamdani win is bad news for the Dems. National Review’s Moira Gleason writes about Mamdani’s long list of giveaways, including free gender transitions. Jack Nicastro writes in Reason Online that “Mamdani’s government run grocery stores won’t lower the price of groceries.” Ms. Must thinks this is missing the point. No, groceries won’t be less expensive, but the reach of government will be expanded.
The editors of National Review suggest that there is something even dearer to Mamdani than handing out freebies:
Lurking behind Mamdani’s pie-in-the-sky socialist agenda is his abiding commitment to anti-Zionism. It is alarmingly noteworthy that, prior to his 2020 election as a state assemblyman, Mamdani’s sole perceptible animating sentiment was anti-Israeli activism, which he was heavily invested in (particularly the “boycott, divestment, and sanctions” movement). Mamdani vehemently denies the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state.
How about this Hot Air headline for demur understatement: “Jewish Democrats Have a Bad Feeling about This.” I have a friend whose son is avid for Mamdani. I haven’t yet dared to ask if he belongs to “Jews for Crocodiles.” Both Nicole Gelinas of City Journal and the New York Post analyze the vote.
Looking ahead to November, incumbent New York Mayor Eric Adams “says he’s running on his record … against a guy who has no record,” writes Kirsten Fleming, adding that Adams’ record will take some defending. Adams is emphasizing that Mamdani comes from money and not for the working class he aspires to represent. This (in my humble opinion) is another example of missing the point. Most socialist leaders come from the elite. (See, “Vanguard of the Elite,” Vlad Lenin.)
NATO’s Secretary General says, no, he didn’t call President Trump Daddy. (It was former Veep Kamala Harris who wanted to be called Daddy.) Even so, Trump bestrode the NATO summit like a colossus. “Trump Wins NATO Battle” is the headline on a Wall Street Journal editorial. The president insisted upon and finally got NATO member countries (except for Spain) to raise their defense spending to 5% of GNP. From the editorial:
[NATO Secretary General] Mark Rutte is catching flak for praising Mr. Trump, but the NATO Secretary General was correct to give the President credit. “Would you ever think,” Mr. Rutte asked reporters, “that this would be the result of this summit if he would not have been re-elected President?”
It’s a fair point. A President Kamala Harris might have shown more politeness and avoided futile public spats. But what matters is whether the alliance has the will and the means to defend itself.
Meanwhile, our friends on the left are in denial about President Trump’s air strikes on Iranian nuke sites. The Institute of Science and International Security finds that Iran’s nuclear program is “effectively destroyed.” Wheeeere’s Ali? The New York Times reports that the Supreme Leader hasn’t been seen in days and that this (sniff sniff) is “raising alarm” in Iran. Probably more like joy and hope. Update: He’s baack.
Another deft and long overdue strike: Real Clear Investigations reports that President Trump is “poised to remove noncitizens” from the Census. Currently, sanctuary cities can benefit, since federal aid and congressional seats depend on population.
And speaking of illegals, Cynthia Gonzales, Vice Mayor of Cudahy, California, seems to be inciting street gangs to rise up and fight ICE. She’s giving the title Vice Mayor new meaning, as assaulting a federal agent is also illegal. A snippet from the Vice Mayor:
“I wanna know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles. 18th Street, Florencia. Where’s the leadership at?… Now that your hood is being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain’t a peep out of you… Don’t be trying to claim no block, no nothing if you’re not showing up right now trying to help out and organize,” Gonzalez said, according to the video.
A Wall Street editorial headlined “The Great Medicaid Hospital Scam” explains that the GOP could use the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) to fix a “provider scheme” that fleeces taxpayers. Of course, to do this, they’ll have to be brave because the issue will be horrendously distorted by the big spenders:
No industry other than perhaps higher education feasts more on government than hospitals. So it’s no surprise that hospitals are blaring their sirens over the GOP’s effort to clamp down on the scheme they use to grab more federal Medicaid money.
It’s hard to think of a bigger government-sanctioned racket than Medicaid provider taxes. States pioneered these during the 1980s to obtain more federal Medicaid matching funds and reduce spending on the program from their general tax revenue. The free lunch has enabled states to expand benefits and greatly diminished the incentive to operate the program efficiently….
Enter Republicans, who are seeking to crack down on the scam. The House tax bill freezes provider taxes at current rates. The Senate Finance draft would go further by reducing the safe harbor tax rate by 0.5% annually starting in 2027 to 3.5% in states that have expanded Medicaid under ObamaCare. Taxes would be frozen in non-expansion states.
Cue the howls from the hospital lobby. Since when does an industry protest a tax cut for itself? Hospitals claim any restrictions on the taxes will cause rural hospitals to close, but they say the same about all Medicaid reforms, including work requirements. Congress can appropriate money specifically for rural hospitals if Members are worried about their vitality.
Don’t Misses: “The Scythes Draw Near: CNN’s ‘Talent’ Brace for Cuts Amid Corporate Shakeup” is a vastly amusing piece by the Free Beacon’s Andrew Stiles. The word “chortle” springs to mind. … Agree or disagree with Andrew Sullivan, he’s always interesting. Thus, Sullivan’s “How the Gay Rights Movement Radicalized and Lost Its Way” is a Don’t Miss.
… Ms. Must was a huge fan of the work of writer Mark Judge even before he rose to national fame as collateral damage in the Left’s anything-goes attempt to derail the nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Judge once again scores with a Chronicles piece urging the conservative media to get better at anticipating cultural turning points. The liberal media still does this a bit better, but we’re on it.
… The Vice Mayor of Cudahy isn’t the only woman who has a way with words. In a vicious attack on our lovely First Lady, Rep. Jasmine Crockett falsely hints that Mrs. Trump may be an illegal immigrant:
Crockett decided that the “math ain’t mathin'” when it comes to how the first lady, who is an immigrant, came to the United States.
… And last but not least, a timely health bulletin for Ms. Must’s diverse readership from Lincoln Brown of PJ Media:
It’s Men’s Health Month. Guys: Get Your Cervical Screening.
