Zohran Mamdani, age 33, has recently captured attention as a prominent contender in the race for New York City’s mayoral position.
His views, which span a spectrum from left to right, include radical ideas such as abolishing private property, and a staunch opposition to the state of Israel. There’s a sense that Mamdani embodies what many see as the future of the Democratic Party. Perhaps that’s why some are shouting, “Socialism is here! Socialism is here!”
He hasn’t been confirmed for the position yet.
But, many feel it’s already here. Socialism is upon us.
Take a look at Los Angeles.
This month, some Democrats in California have devised plans to use the Palisade fire as a chance to pursue a vision of redistribution and climate change initiatives.
Governor Gavin Newsom has dedicated $101 million for a low-income housing project in the affluent area of Pallisard along the Pacific Ocean, which seems a bit premature given that many homeless individuals haven’t yet received help with insurance or renovation promises.
It appears that the idea of redistribution was prioritized over actually assisting residents, some of whom lived in trailer parks near the beach.
The state legislature is considering a proposal to establish a new local government with the authority to tax, aiming to oversee the rebuilding efforts. Some residents welcome this, as it could allow for better control over the process rather than being at the mercy of state and local divisions. However, the effort has been tainted by Newsom’s ambitious announcement, coupled with the Blue Ribbon Committee’s push to frame the situation through a climate change lens. (I personally attended a committee meeting where I expressed my worries that “climate action” would take precedence over actual recovery in their title; this has fueled skepticism and opposition.) Residents, including many Democrats, feel overlooked and are now questioning if there’s a concerted effort to sideline them in the aftermath of the fire.
This seems to reflect a continuous cycle of governance that contributed to the scale of damage from the fire. On January 7, a strong wind event caused chaos overnight, but it became clear the next day that many homes lacked sufficient water pressure in hydrants, resulting in more damage the following day. A nearby reservoir, which held 117 million gallons, was purposely emptied due to obscure regulations.
The city of Los Angeles didn’t manage to deploy firefighters in advance, despite warnings of an “extreme” wind event several days prior. During the massive evacuation, the LAPD struggled with traffic control. To top it off, there’s a staffing shortage at Palisades, and no local police station available.
Part of the issue seems to be a lack of effective leadership. Mayor Karen Bass was out of the country for the inauguration of Ghana’s president when the fire broke out. While she can rally when she chooses, having attended a protest at MacArthur Park recently against an ICE operation, the city appears financially strapped for firefighting resources and may invest more in tackling homelessness rather than fire safety.
Bass has refuted claims of being a socialist or communist, yet she has made comments about Communist Cuba, a regime she previously expressed admiration for. In contrast, Mamdani is quite clear about his ideological stance, but that leaves New Yorkers wondering what exactly to expect. They need only look to LA and California for hints of what lies ahead.
