Under FDR the Democratic Party once embraced strong social programs and was rewarded for it. People like Zohran Mamdani are in that tradition. The question isn’t whether his ideas are too radical, the question is whether the party still has the courage to fight for the people the way it used to.
Not in NYC but I’d like to see his plan to pay for the benefits he proposes. Seems unlikely the 2% tax in those earning $1M will cover it. The Republican running against him will certainly run a smear campaign.
We're in this situation because in the first place, the leftists attacked Kamala Harris in the last election, calling the Democratic Party elite, establishment, and they helped get fascist Trump elected as they did in 2016.
Most normally functioning modern developed countries are liberal welfare state models. Do not distort perceptions by using the term socialism. don't try to steal things that were already guaranteed under liberalism. The Leftists will face consequences.
“Get out of the new one if you can’t lend a hand, for the times they are a changing “
Democrats in Congress are failing us everyday while refusing to act like leaders and represent their constituents. Their self-serving warnings don’t mean a thing. They’ve been give. Plenty of chances to wake up and act. Times up.
For those of us with a practical bent, a key question is whether he’s too liberal for NY state. His policies will require a huge outlay from Albany, one the legislature isn’t likely to make. Still, it’s a request that should be made.
I'm tired, so here's my response. Fuck her. Thank you for everyone else who is more erudite than I am this morning.
The VOTERS will decide our future, and our Representatives are going to do the work or be replaced.
Not if the voters are continually being suppressed.
It’s NY, the voters aren’t suppressed.
So her constituents may have to fork up a few bucks shes on the wrong side of the line she is drawing!
FDR created Social Security for crissakes. That was a ridiculously radical idea.
They called him a socialist at the time, too. Medicare and Medicaid were referred to as socialist programs at the time, too.
They sure did. My mom was a Great Depression kid and remembered Republicans calling FDR "a traitor to his class." That was her standard response when asked why she never voted Republican.
Money has corrupted our government , citizens united made it a cash to play system. Do we as a nation have the courage to demand our tax dollars are spent to benefit the society we all live in?
They don't
I'm sick of Democrats who are against the constitutional decree that govt should be by, of and for the people; not for the rich who buy it for themselves.
Comparing Mandani to FDR is ludicrous on so many levels.
Why?
It’s not about comparing résumés or historical scale. It’s about political vision. FDR used government to lift people up. Zohran fights for housing, transit, and economic justice. That’s the same tradition, serving the public over profit. That’s the point.
Dude, The people who voted for him are the rich, white, and educated “progressive” of NYC. These aren’t the people his agenda is targeting. Meaning - the poor blacks and hispanic of NYC flat out rejected him.
Higher-income precincts include renters, immigrants, and working-class families, especially in NYC. Winning votes in a low-income precinct doesn’t automatically mean a candidate serves low-income interests. Cuomo’s long record of prioritizing real estate and corporate donors speaks for itself.
But, we’re not comparing resumes?!
I’m not talking about their resumes. I’m talking about political vision. FDR used bold programs to lift people up. Zohran fights for housing, transit, and justice. That shared commitment is the tradition we should honor, not personal biography.
FDR was THE President after WWII. Mamdani has a 3 yrs experience as a councilman. His plans are not only naive, but hold no substantive plan in implementation.
FDR wasn’t born president. He started somewhere, too. Dismissing Zohran’s ideas as naive ignores that they’re rooted in real needs, housing, transit, energy and backed by organizing, not just ambition. Big change always looks naive until it gains ground.
It’s all bullish!! He’ll get demolished in November.
well now you have stepped over the line from having a conversation to being a troll, good bye
Courage or are they in the pocket of the billionaire$?
Dr. King n Malcolm X tried to warn Americans decades ago that the so called Moderate/Centrist are the ones who are a real threat to REAL PROGRESS, REAL DEMOCRACY n decade after decade they have proven that. It's more of US 💪🏿than them all we need to do is unite n use our power together🎯🇺🇲🫡✊🏿
The classic FDR move: "I welcome their hatred" indeed! Did his bold stance on wealth inequality really swing the election in his favor?
YES! We’ve let social “entitlements” be demonized by the right since at least Reagan. Time to reclaim the idea that government should provide a social safety net for all its citizens, like in most industrialized countries. Gods know we have the resources. We’ve just let the scales get askew.
Labelling is old and tiresome, the younger voters get it. When dems say they’re not socialists, yet agree with policies that help others, whats the difference except the label?
Not sure that's entirely fair as the electorate back then, in the aftermath of the Great Depression, witnessing the rise of anti-democracy fascism and communism, was more accepting of strong social programs than they are now under ubiquitous anti-democracy bad economics in the conservative style.
I'm just staying, we have this constant narrative about the Democratic Party not being "courageous" in pursuing liberal / progressive / leftist, but one supposes as a political party they have some constraints relating to voter acceptance, rampant conservatism, market utopianism, bad economics.
I'm all for pushing the envelope, testing the constraints, taking some chances, particularly now as the marginal cost is low with fascists in control of the Supreme Court, Congress, and the WH, can't do much worse, but it may quite possibly backfire, speed the descent to anti-democracy fascism.
Our democratic party needs a complete overhaul.. to many oldies with old-fashioned views!
Plenty of younger people too: Hakeem, Cory Booker, Klobuchar, Slotkin . . .
Mamdani is a democratic socialist, so is Bernie Sanders. It's quite popular today especially among the younger folks, so those claiming "Democrat" without the socialist part might find themselves among the Left Behind. (pun)
Calm done. He is running for mayor..
The Democratic Party better reform and change to meet challenges ahead of us as FDR did or get out of the way….2026 will not be a Blue Wave but an American Tsunami!!
Hay if those Democrats can't get behind the people's choice may end up wishing they had gotten behind that choice. Some of you Democrats may be costing us seats with this shyt.
I hear MAGAs constantly talking about going back to the days after WW2...when socialism was the key to making every day Almericans lives better.
We need to primary every last one of these Democrats who think being able to afford to live is radical.
if she wants to be primaried, i would be happy to vote for the progressive running against her
Im so sick of the bought-and-paid-for dems. They scare me more than maga. At least with maga we know what we're dealing with.
If someone classifies as a democrat and doesn’t believe in helping All Americans then maybe they aren’t a true democrat 🤷♀️
Nicely said, Jason 👌
With major changes on the horizon due to Ai, these status quo Dems are woefully unprepared for the future. Socialism will be the only way we will be capable of functioning as a society.They best put their energy toward selling an evolving & completely altered political/economic system to the masses.
And the best part is Mamdani doesn't call Putin "Uncle Vlad" as FDR called Stalin "Uncle Joe" You can't change history.
We need leaders who will work for the progressive policies that help working Americans. @schumer.senate.gov and the rest of the aging Democrats have forgotten what those policies are and how to fight for them. Like their sycophantic GOP colleagues, they fight only to keep their seats.
Democrat my ass. This woman is just another white supremacist
FDR literally got shot during his speech and continued. He was far from perfect but it's the type of courage we need from those in leadership and collectively in the world.
That was Teddy Roosevelt, not Franklin who got shot.
Oops sorry! I get them confused! Thanks for the correction 😊
It is not so much that they embraced it as they were forced to succumb to the pressure of a unified and organized working class and with revolutions kicking off across the world they saw the results of ignoring that pressure
🎯 Too many Democratic leaders don’t have the energy to fight for their constituents. They really just want the cushy job.
We’re waiting to see
Is it acceptable for Repubs to flaunt autocracy, while Dems run from the mere mention of democratic socialism? Both are about power & $ - one eliminates the 1% in a democracy, the other cements the 1% in an autocracy. Repubs seem to own this narrative because Dems always run away.
white men & women-specifically-voted for trump-wonder who she actually voted for…
This is why the Dems are not serious contenders right now. AOC Crockett Mamdani are the future💯
If making life AFFORDABLE FOR WORKING PEOPLE is considered “radical”, sign me up! Here is Mamdani’s scary 😆 platform: www.zohranfornyc.com/platform
Sign me up too here in Louisiana ⚜️💪🏿🫡🇺🇲
The People are looking for a party that aligns with our current needs and values. I look for policies that align with me and my community. Looking for values in a party...is cult-lite.
“New Yorkers are so profoundly stupid that they can’t possibly understand the policies they voted for.” - Laura Gillen
Universal preschool, Medicare for all, and reducing the income gap. Someone needs to send a message to democrats that we haven’t achieved these very basic things yet.
gillen is sad, let's make her sadder in midterms
The old democrats need to step aside. They are somewhat responsible for getting us in this mess and not doing doodles to get us out. Let the youth rule.
Fuck you Laura!
If Democrats don’t listen to voters, they’ll keep losing. I say this as a socialist Democrat.
it appears the voters in NYC spoke very loudly and I am listening
Democrats in Congress, meanwhile, are pathetic failures at their jobs. It's time for unapologetic progressives to take control-they recognize how impossible it's become to survive in this country.
THE PROGRESSIVE DEMS ARE ALL THAT IS LEFT OF OUR AMERICAN VALUES. EITHER WE TAKE OVER THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OR PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS SHOULD LEAVE THEIR CORRUPT PARTY AND JOIN INDEPENDENTS. 51% OF AMERICANS ARE INDEPENDENTS. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THE LEGACY PARTIES AND THERE CITIZENS UNITED🩸💰BRIBERY.
The policies are far from radical. Our most popular and successful programs - social security and medicare - are socialism. But the word "socialism" has become tainted beyond recognition.
So we need a new term - I like "Equitable Prosperity". Focus on a fair economy that truly lifts and supports all, and the people will follow.
The DNC destroyed our party but we can take it back
Clearly Gillen doesn’t know what democratic socialism is. It’s Social Security, Medicare, roads, sewer & water, public education, libraries, hospitals etc, etc. Programs that benefit We The People. Wake up Democrats, Mamdani has it right.
Apparently #LauraGillen is a Democrat who needs a primary challenger
At this point "Democrat" means nothing more than bought and paid for to be a spineless jellyfish in Congress for the super wealthy and big business.
She can go to hell in a hand basket. Why can't us lower income people get breaks? Why not free busses and free child care, letting the rich pay for it in taxes on the money they 'earned' by under paying workers, paying lobbyists to bribe lawmakers into giving the rich tax breaks after tax breaks?
There is so much fear that has been stirred up deliberately by the government against anything and everything foreign. He is a Muslim and people are afraid of that. In America, we are supposed to give everyone a chance to be heard and to seek their calling. That is what we have always been about.
who funds her campaign?
This feels more like the leftist looking for their savior similar to how MAGAs have Trump as their savior which is why they’ll never abandon him.
I am looking for a govt by, for and of ALL the people, not just the rich and would-be profiteers who only care about exploitation.
Same but more than anything am looking for the Dems to build coalitions but often those who as minorities build coalitions with betray us.
I feel betrayed by those Democrats who willingly choose the side of big money. Minorities seeking the same rights as straight white men dont bother me.
Hmmm, I get the big money but that has to do with how elections are held in this country. If campaigns were federally funded and all political adds were free you’d see less money in politics.
Absolutely. Its a necessary step.
Will Rogers said in the the30 when he was ask“Mr. Rogers which organized party do you belong to”He thought a moment and said “Sir,I don’t belong to any organized party;I am a Democrat”If progressives are looking for leadership it is only found in socialist Democrats old Dems still are same old WAYS!
As her if she believes in fire departments, police departments, public schools, roads, etc. These are examples of socialism. EXHAUSTED by these GOP lite people.
Dems always attack & destroy each other with a lot more passion & force than they go after the real enemy. Some of them never spoke a word against the situation where we are & terrible violations of human rights that are happening. But Zohran...
Criticizing power inside your own party isn’t destruction, it’s accountability. Silence got us here. Zohran isn’t the problem. The problem is the folks who say nothing about injustice, then panic when someone tries to do something about it.
I’m with him and these Democrats who totally turned her back against they are becoming more like Republicans. We need to get them ones out and we do need a new Democratic party that will stand for us. We deserve more than what we’re getting we pay more than what these rich assholes are paying✌️
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
This explains the fiery hate from ‘Democrats’ who are backed by fat cat billionaires and deep pocket megadonors. A threat to the establishment and more power to the People. Moderate centrists have no place in the evolving Democratic Party. It’s ours to take over—they hide under their desks all day.
I would say they don't know what a Democratic Socialist is. They are ignorant and very much need to educate themselves. I want Democratic socialism. The example is in Finland, the happiest country in the world.
If you are more concerned about the finance bro walking into the building than the doorman holding the door, maybe you should just become a Republican.
Laura Dillen is an idiot. She won't be able to define 'socialism'. Typical for the average ignorant American citizen.