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.
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