Oh, and Congratulations to all the Democrats that won in the elections yesterday!! Democracy is still alive in America!
The GOP and Democratic establishment make you fear "socialism" because it is the only way their corporate donors can continue fleecing Americans without any accountability. They scapegoat immigrants and LGBTQ folks to deflect from the mass hoarding of wealth by oligarchs who control politicians and the media.
This is why a candidate like Mamdani is such a threat. If he can break through their illusions and secure power, others will surely follow.
But the problem Mamdani faces is that all of these forces, including the Democratic establishment, will want him to fail. They will collectively make it difficult for him to deliver on his vision for NYC.
Notice that he is attacked as a "communist." Notice that the vast majority of criticisms leveled at him are false, ad hominem, or pure fear-mongering.
"Socialism" is effectively demonized in America by conflating it with authoritarian versions, such as North Korea. A nuanced conversation around socialism is rare because most politicians won't dare acknowledge that socialism is often beneficial to a society. Socialism is a dirty word in America.
But almost all of us benefit from socialism. Public schools, public roads, public libraries, police/fire departments, medicare, and numerous other collective projects are examples of socialism that most people seem to forget are socialist.
Wanting universal healthcare, like every other major country in the world, doesn't make one a communist. It would not only cut costs, it would save lives.
Supporting higher marginal tax rates also does not make one a "communist." In a country where four men control the same amount of wealth as the bottom 50%, it seems both logical and just that we raise top tax rates the way we did when Eisenhower was president (they were 91% when he was in office). Was Eisenhower a "communist?"
Labor unions have also been effectively weakened by the same rhetorical devices and political strategies. A steady demonization of labor unions (one of the few ways workers can unite and build collective power) has worked. Labor union membership, thanks to Right to Work laws and the promotion of union-busting organizations, has dropped from 35% in the 1950's to 9.4% today.
How do you get people to give away their power like that? Use wedge issues like: trans rights, CRT, "wokeism," etc. to divide working class Americans and turn political races into battles that deflect from wealth inequality, workers' rights, etc.
Over the past several decades, the political right has won the war of words. If you don't believe that, just note that it is perfectly acceptable for a candidate to call themselves "conservative," but Democrats often have to go to great lengths the avoid being branded as "liberal" or progressive."
Consider that protecting the environment, raising the minimum wage, and affordable college tuition, truly mainstream ideas, are now framed as "radical."
There are certainly arguments to be made against socialism, but what I largely see from Mamdani's opposition are personal attacks, straw man fallicies, and red herrings designed to create doubt and fear rather than actually challenge his ideas in good faith.
Finally, the Democratic Party had its opportunity with Bernie and blew it twice. As a result, the GOP "rebel" who challenged the status quo won. He secured populism because Dems were either too foolish or timid to pick up on America's zeitgeist.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure Democrats learned from these mistakes. They seem incapable of reading the room or embracing ideas not approved by their corporate "lords."
But I am hopeful that the people will have the final word, and Mamdani's victory tonight, despite the entire establishment melting down about it, will be the beginning of a more honest conversation about "socialism," both its merits and its drawbacks.
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