Those of us who are schooled in the ways of the free market know that socialism and communism have never produced a functional, wealthy society and they never will. Both are based more on political ideology rather than economics, and when you listen to the rhetoric of the socialist/communist, you can easily spot that.
Capitalism is, of course, not without its warts. There is definitely an income inequality dynamic in America and other capitalist societies, but those exist in quasi-capitalist/quasi-communist societies too, like China, which has its fair share of billionaires among the hundreds of millions of common folk.
But it’s the rhetoric of the commie socialist that sells: “Free,” “social justice,” “community empowerment,” “societal betterment.” All of those lofty goals come with a price tag; someone has to pay for the ‘justice.’
Enter New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who ran on that platform. And was elected on that platform. His overarching promise was to ‘make New York more affordable for New Yorkers on the backs of the wealthy.’ Never mind that the economic model has never survived and won’t survive in NYC, either. He just shocked many of his supporters with a new plan to ‘balance’ New York City’s $127 billion budget, which is more than the entire state of Florida’s budget: Hizzoner is coming after the wallets of ordinary New Yorkers, too:
The mayor is complaining that the budget isn’t fully funded, so he has to raid pension funds (Chicago!) and raise taxes.
It’s not that he genuinely wants to enhance city services. He appears indifferent to ensuring that garbage is collected or snow is cleared; his true aim is income redistribution. The most effective way to achieve this is by taking from those who have and giving to those who don’t. If some of his voters happen to be among the more affluent, they too will have to part with their share.
You might not realize it if you stick to Manhattan, but the city is home to a significant number of homeowners, many of whom are not particularly affluent. While real estate prices are certainly high, over 30% of residents actually own their homes, with many of these properties having been passed down through generations. Increasing property taxes could hit a portion of the working class quite hard.
I’m also quite convinced that the Mamdani approach to criminal justice will have a significant impact. While we often think of New York as a crime-ridden city, it’s actually not as bad compared to other large Blue cities. However, that may soon change. I’m not sure people will be pleased with what’s on the horizon.
Mamdani’s portrayal as a “man of the people” is, as is often the case with communists, a complete facade. Communism inevitably fosters a ruling elite, focuses on silencing so-called “enemies of the people,” and ultimately leaves destruction in its wake. Just ask the Cubans or Venezuelans about their experiences, or any of the Russian emigrants living in Brighton Beach—at least those who aren’t involved in organized crime.
CNN’s Abby Phillips cherry-picking data about New York gaining semi-wealthy residents since 2020 notwithstanding, the bigger point was actually made by panelist Ana Navarro: The super rich – $25, $50, $100 million in assets and cash – are moving out of the city. And that is the group that Mamdani was relying on to steal the most from.
As such, ordinary New Yorkers are about to see firsthand just how poorly things can be managed under communist leadership and what happens when capital is driven out. Ultimately, it’s the middle and working classes who pay the price. Many of them were aware of this even before Mamdani took office; he didn’t exactly win over the working-class vote.
Democrats tend to appeal to the morals of the upper non-entrepreneurial class and the lower classes who are looking for more handouts. However, those who actually roll up their sleeves and create wealth through hard work and investment understand the realities. Unfortunately, it’s mostly this latter group that has the option to vote with their feet.