As the dust settles on Tuesday's election results, a wave of disbelief is sweeping across the nation.
The Democratic victories were not the only cause for concern; the choices made by voters were equally troubling.
In Virginia, voters threw their support behind Abigail Spanberger, whose track record is marred by incompetence, and Jay Jones, an attorney general who has shockingly suggested that the demise of children could politically impact Republicans.
However, the seismic shock was felt most profoundly in New York City, where the political novice Zohran Mamdani clinched the mayoral race. Mamdani, a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist with communist leanings, rode into office on a wave of populism and a surge of media adulation.
Unlike the proverbial Trojan horse, Mamdani has been transparent about his political ambitions, successfully captivating his electorate.
Mamdani, the youngest mayor of New York City in a century, owes his victory largely to his peers. In other words, those with minimal political experience and understanding were swayed by the promises of this political prodigy.
The same demographic, with a scant voting history that mirrors Mamdani's thin professional resume, has entrusted him with the reins of the largest city in the country, potentially setting the stage for disaster. Once Mamdani's aggressive taxation policies take effect, those expected to foot the bill may not stick around. It remains uncertain how much of the projected revenue will actually materialize.
According to NBC News, their data analyst, Steve Kornacki, was taken aback by the exit poll results. The clear age-based divide among voters was startling. Voters over 45 overwhelmingly supported Andrew Cuomo, while those under 45 were predominantly in favor of Mamdani.
Kornacki was almost at a loss for words when discussing the age divide in the NYC mayoral race, stating, "The thing that makes that so volatile is this the cutoff line, and we see this in the exit poll, is about 45 years of age. Voters over 45 are a pro-Cuomo demographic. We see him winning those voters. Voters under 45. Cuomo falls off an absolute cliff."
This voting bloc, seemingly enchanted by Mamdani's grand promises and seemingly indifferent to his recent history of antisemitic positions, appears to believe that socialism is a viable system for a city the size of New York. These political novices, seemingly naive about Mamdani's agenda, have been lured by empty promises, too young to comprehend the implications.
Mamdani's promises may sound appealing to the young and socially active. His plans include government handouts, free public transportation, city-run grocery stores offering cheaper goods, and reduced rental fees, all funded by the city's wealthiest residents.
However, these voters have failed to scrutinize these policies. If these policies are as beneficial as they sound, why haven't they been implemented before? Have they considered the potential for buses and subways to become makeshift homeless shelters? Have they taken into account the recent failure of a city-operated grocery store in Missouri? Have they applied pragmatism to these proposals?
Mamdani's understanding of fiscal policies is questionable at best. He plans to raise $9 billion by increasing taxes on billionaires, arguing that the municipal rate is still lower than most other cities. However, he conveniently overlooks the fact that this is in addition to existing state taxes, resulting in higher overall rates for the wealthy. Analysts have misleadingly cited successful tax hikes on the wealthy in other states as evidence that Mamdani's city-specific proposals could work.
His promise of free childcare up to five years of age, with providers paid at the same level as teachers, is so costly that his campaign estimates the cost could be as high as $20,000 per child, and $6 billion to operate. This would consume two-thirds of the new tax revenue he plans to generate for just one of his programs. Considering that the city has been operating with a budget deficit of $5-7 billion in recent years, these plans appear even more ludicrous.
Regarding his past problematic comments about Jews and his support for Hamas and other violent factions in the Middle East, Mamdani has adopted the common political strategy of moderating his position during election season. The media, ever compliant, have excused these past indiscretions as youthful mistakes, claiming that he has matured.
Despite his promotion of terror and communism as recently as 2023, we are expected to overlook these positions. Tim Miller of The Bulwark asserted that Mamdani has "deprogrammed himself" from such rhetoric. Alarmingly, a significant number of young voters in the city accepted this weak justification.
With little choice but to observe the impending failures, we are likely to witness a familiar political cycle, where the adults are forced to clean up the mess created by the inexperienced.
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