After New York City’s race for mayor catapulted Zohran Mamdani from state assembly member into one of the world’s most prominent progressive voices, intense debate swirled over the ideas at the heart of his campaign.
His critics and opponents painted pledges such as free bus service, universal child care and rent freezes as unworkable, unrealistic and exorbitantly expensive.
But some have hit back, highlighting the quirk of geography that underpins some of this view. “He promised things that Europeans take for granted, but Americans are told are impossible,” said Dutch environmentalist and former government advisor Alexander Verbeek in the wake of Tuesday’s election.
Verbeek backed this with a comment he had overheard in an Oslo café, in which Mamdani was described as an American politician who “finally” sounded normal.
From a unitedstatesian:
Genuinely, thank you, European politicians and public figures, for pointing out that reasonably socialized public services are considered de rigueur by the vast majority of the rest of the developed world.
It felt so weird when Tim Walz was lauded as a “gift to progressives” when he was running on a platform of “kids deserve food”.
I live in Colorado where we just passed a resolution to pay for school lunches by a small tax on individuals making $300,000 or more.
I swear to God, there were a ton of people complaining about it. My favorite was a Facebook friend of my brother who posted “Why are we allowing people to vote on this who don’t make more than $300,000 a year if it doesn’t affect them? That’s not how democracy works.”
These people are fucking insane.
Did you point out TABOR does require a vote for all new taxes, to include ones that don’t affect everyone?
No, since it was my brother’s friend, I just told my brother that dude was a moron - and left it at that.
Not just the developed world as quite a lot of developing nations strive to offer these services as well.
Of course. Your Democrats are our conservative parties, and your Republicans are our rightwinger/neo-nazi parties. And we have parties, left of the American spectrum that are mainstream.
I always found it absurd that in the richest country in the world, there is no universal health insurance, no parental leave, no public holidays, that a college education costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, that there is no protection against dismissal, that people are starving or working but still homeless because they cannot afford an apartment—all of this is inhumane, uncivilized, and a disgrace to the US, not its recipe for success; it is its downfall, as the current regime is demonstrating.
It’s the richest country in the history of humanity and all we did with it was oppress other nations, build a massive military, and sell the nation off to the rich. So far it’s not a winning plan for anyone outside of the top 1%. Same shit, bigger piles of gold.
Well, you have produced the richest man in history, who is a Nazi and, apart from his wealth, does not seem to be particularly intelligent—but all the more greedy for it.
It is time for the Americans to wake up and strike for all the freedoms and benefits that we have enjoyed here in Europe for 50 years
50? You got these rights in the 1970s?
Yes,
They won’t.
Afraid or lazy ?, why not ?
67% living paycheck to paycheck, will be broke and dead missing work.
Theres no social safety net to fall on during protests/strike but they would have to do mass strikes/protests to get those safety nets. Hell the poor excuse of social safety nets Americans do have disappear if the government just decides to shut down.
Keeping healthcare coupled to employment will forever be the chains on the US working class. Food, child care, many social services can be absorbed through community solidarity but healthcare costs are unbreakable.
It’s almost as if that is the plan
Same like here in Belgium 100 years ago
That’s what unions are for.
Mostly fear, driven by stupidity. Socialism is indistinguishable from Communism and on par with Nazism in some parts of the US. There’s also the myth of American exceptionalism, that we can succeed where others have failed because 'Merica.
The interesting thing is that the myth of American exceptionalism works both ways - both that we can succeed when we use strategies that have failed elsewhere, and also that we’re so unique and different that we’ll fail if we try strategies that are proven successful elsewhere. Both convincing people that we should do the opposite of what’s been shown to solve problems elsewhere.
On par with nazism would be a good thing for MAGA wouldn’t it?
Well indoctrinated to enshitification.
The problem with fighting is that there is a chance you will lose something. United States citizens still have it pretty good compared to most of the world. Yes, that’s falling fast, but I think it will take a generation or two for that to really sink in. So, it’s not bad enough to take chances just yet. (Lazy)
Also, there is quite a bit of corruption on every level, and most US citizens with any amount of power are more than willing to throw their neighbor under a bus if it will benefit themselves. This means that, should any sort of strike happen, there will be plenty of scabs and shitty rich people to squash that. (Fear)
Also, over the past many decades, public opinion has been manipulated into thinking that supporting the company is better than supporting your comrade. Quite a number of people think unions are a bad thing. And while they’re certainly can be bad unions, that does not make the concept bad. (ignorance)
For example, The huge amount of work and public support to required to entirely dismantle an industry like Health Insurance is unfathomably large. It would mean work loss for millions who won’t have skills outside that industry. The transition to socialized healthcare would undoubtedly be rocky at best—and people will die. And trillions of dollars would be “lost.” The rich would never allow it, they would sink the whole ship before caving to the people.
I’m all for it. Strike until 100% socialism. But people with kids? They are not so bloodthirsty.
A century ago, the church and the landlords were supreme, child mortality and child labor were commonplace here. The socialist trade union has broken the power of the church over the state. This has only been achieved through many and long-lasting strikes. Now we are the land of beer, chocolate and fries
Church took back its power while we were watching TV. Back to square one.
Stand up and start again 🧨
And don’t sit down next time ffs lol
TSA didn’t show up to work in Houston, people are starting to protest how they can. If they’re not getting paid anyway…
Edit: here’s the video: https://nitter.net/Suzierizzo1/status/1985813704277991745#m
That’s great! But unless they say “we are never coming back unless…,” The rich people can hold out.
Why are you being so negative about the pushes forward Americans are doing?
The young Bernie made it to mayor in fucking NYC. There was so much money against him there, he still won.
People get complacent. They will think this one voting season means a blue trend. They are so far from wrong it’s just… you gotta laugh. We are on the cusp of martial law… if this isn’t your primary political concern, then I dunno how to help you.
Many Americans do too. That’s why he won.
As a foreigner I’ve been disgusted by all the American media surrounding Mamdani’s campaign. Even from so called “liberal media” like the Washington post; it’s been grotesque racist caricatures, overblown red scare taglines, and downright apocalyptic visions for a guy that wants, cheap fast buses and to tax the oligarchs.
I can’t believe the Ideological shit show that is America and it frightens me that they think it is their duty to export these ideas to other countries.
I agree with the sentiment, but the Washington Post has not been “liberal media” since Bezos bought it. I used to have a sub, in 2017, and don’t recognize the place any longer.
The whole “it’s too expensive” thing is kind of nonsense. There are billionaires. We would get something for the money. It’s not like Zohran is proposing building a 500 solid gold statue of himself, or a ballroom that would only be used by a handful of people. Healthcare, buses, grocery stores, those all actually help people and will lead to more good stuff later.
People who stay healthy later go out to concerts and spend money, or whatever.
Rs will say it’s too expensive while at the same time giving tax breaks to businesses and millionaires/billionaires, and writing blank checks for war.
Giving money (especially in the form of services) to people who need it, immediatly injects money into the economy. Because needy people don’t save big sums. When they have money to spend, they spend it. It remains in circulation, serving the economy until it reaches the hands of someone who can afford to not spend it. The very instant money reaches rich folk it could just as easily not exist anymore for all the good it does then.
The US cannot afford tax breaks for the rich, but injecting money into services and payments for the poor has a really good return on investment for a country.
There a socialist, here a right wing.
Wait until you get to know the European Left.
Am European; can confirm.
Probably even the genocide enabling zionism too!
Probably even the genocide enabling zionism too!
Breaking: lemmy.ml user chimes in with breathtakingly stupid comment.
Shocking development: .world user is a liberal that supports genocide enablers
Shocking development: .world user is a liberal that supports genocide enablers
Tankie fails to convincingly mimic concern for basic human rights.
There it is, the classic TaNKiE terminating cliche haha!
