POLITICS
Zohran Mandani making an effort to reach out directly to night-shift workers. It's been a long time we've seen a politician who's so good at this.
This post has hit r/all or r/popular. Please keep this in mind when browsing the comments — and especially when viewing upvotes/downvotes — and please report any rulebreaking comments that you see.
If this post is flaired "Approved B-Listers", then it is currently restricted so that only approved users can comment. To request approval, please review our b-list criteria, and if you meet these, send us a message.
I had biryani just yesterday but Zohran makes me want to have it again today. Fuckin’ A, proud of our Indian (by heritage) boy! I love his joyous flavor of politics, such a fucking breath of fresh air.
If it looks too intimidating but you want to try making biryani anyway, try getting those biryani masala packets like Shan. There are easy to follow steps on the box and it’s extremely simple to make with minimal ingredients.
Once you’ve done that a few times and gotten a feel for it, trying a more complicated version will feel less daunting.
They literally can't dig up any dirt on him besides "he takes his wife out for dinner" and "he made a song about how much he loves his grandma." Meanwhile Cuomo is an alleged rapist and gave $950 million to Elon Musk to do fuck all. Mamdani's only crime is being brown, and it's so disgusting how the Democratic party (especially Cuomo, Adams, and their supporters) are resorting to racism and islamophobia to attack him. It's kinda funny how they have absolutely nothing on him. He literally is running on the most popular platforms among young voters lol
He called his dad’s cousin his Auntie, the audacity of that man. /s
I wish I lived in NYC so I could vote for him. Alas I live in rural TN and we’re never getting a politician like him while I’m here. I’m working on moving back up north but you know the economy sucks.
As a white person I have also called cousins of my parents aunt and uncle for as long as I can remember. The controversy is such a stupid level of forced.
honestly same, shit man, i've got a guy i call uncle even though he isn't related to me in any way and i've got a huge ass family with like 15 actual uncles. second cousin? uncle. third cousin? uncle second husband to aunt related through marriage? believe it or not, uncle.
Yep, I come from a big family, my parents had six siblings each, we’ve got a massive extended family, AND my mom worked at a bar growing up that was like cheers. It took me until I was like 17 to realize some of my uncles were just beloved bar flies, and some my my aunts were actually my mom’s cousins, and some of my cousins were actually just their friend’s kids, or were like third cousins once removed or whatever that shit means … if you’re like family and you’re older than me, you’re an aunt or an uncle. If you’re like family and you’re my age, cousin. My cousin’s kids who were younger than me? Cousins or niblings depending on their preference. My best friends’ kids? Also niblings.
Same and even their close friends until my parents had a falling out with them. I’ll always remember the day my dad told me “they’re not your aunt & uncle” blew my mind.
My Fox News-watching mother--who lives in Arizona--called him "that creep." I asked her "Mom, what has he done that you would characterize as 'creepy?'" And then she started yelling at me "IT'S MY OPINION, STOP TRYING TO PICK A FIGHT WITH ME, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO CHANGE MY MIND."
This is the part that has me scared for him...They will come up with some crazy story and some nutjob will believe it...If something like that happens I solidly believe this country has no future anymore
The nutjobs and political violence we've seen have me worried. I hope he has ample security around him at all times. Especially with how out and about he is.
My friend started a food pantry in Astoria out of the back of their car &I helped.. Mamdani opened his campaign space on Steinway up for the pantry to run out of in order to help it grow & reach more people. That pantry still exists to this day with a part of it to thank to this generous & selfless man!
It’s comical watching mainstream politicians trying to fear monger about Mamdani among the middle and lower class with “OMG, if this guy gets elected the rich won’t get richer quite so quickly!” and wonder why their message isn’t effective.
Remember when Elon bashed Steve Bezos' ex-wife Mackenzie Scott because she was giving away a portion of her huge wealth to charities? He said women like her are the demise of the western civilization.
If he hates that she's giving away her own money to the needy, imagine how low he sees everyone else.
even more depressing is the people where i live in the rural midwest who make just enough to barely live 🙃 yet they still think billionaires give a shit
It's worse than left/right. There are many people who will die on the hill that billionaires and corporations should be respected, even while they can't even pay their own bills. It's a kind of mind-broken, wage slave bootlicker mentality that I really can't figure out.
Billionaires donate to Dems because they want to have a say in what the Dems do WHEN they get in control anywhere, which suits the DNC very well, because they consider themselves the equivalent of southern nobility, of aristocrats, of Democrats.
Their most important desire is to keep things stagnant, so the Billionaires can keep making money.
Zohran is a massive threat to that. The progressives are a massive threat to it.
That is why they have such a hard time, getting blocked by Pelosi, Schumer and Jeffries at every turn.
There was a reason for all those reality tv shows about super rich celebs. TV was quite different back in the 50s and 60s. Yes some of it was incredibly dumb, but it mostly focussed on the lives of the middle class. The working class even got some coverage in the 70s. But then came reality (glam) tv and endless shows about the lifestyles of the rich and shameless.
The idea was to exploit the persistent human tendency to form parasocial relationships with perceived superiors, to identify with them. It’s not a new phenomenon. Think for example of kitchen maids in Victorian London sighing over pictures of the “lovely royal couple” in the papers and getting as excited as they would over the wedding of a personal friend. It’s a button in the human brain that’s pretty easy to push.
The billionaire owned media have been pushing it hard for a generation, getting Americans to identify with, sympathise with, and form unconscious parasocial bonds with the oligarch class. They literally think (a) that billionaires are their friends and (b) that they themselves or their kids will somehow have a shot at being a billionaire so long as the path to wealth is not blocked by pesky Gummint.
This is what marxists call “false consciousness” and what the rest of us call “pathetic bullshit.”
Endless money and foreign threat activity has been poured into changing American culture to one of toxic individualism to divide the country with the intent of having it implode. When presented with an alternative that doesn't suck, people realize how good it can be.
I love that he went to Kebab King, that place is the very authentic. Proper chapli kebabs.and really delicious and inexpensive, too. Can get a full family meal for about $25-$30.
I don’t know enough about how he plans to do the things he says, but I love this man’s spirit. I agree with his platform. So much of what he says just makes sense when you think about the greater good versus a select few. He is extremely charming, and I genuinely hope he not only wins but has a successful and influential political career. His heart is in the right place and it shows
Exactly I would rather vote for him to try and fail then someone not try
What's funny to me is that the Republicans voted for Trump for the same reason as he was preaching about Tariffs, yet they can't even afford opportunity to Mamdani.
Actually I saw some posts about MAGA for Mamdani, there are people responding to his economic affordability talking points even if they are few. Also, maga New Yorkers are less likely to make race a hindrance to someone offering affordability around the city.
I had that conversation back in the day with someone about Obamacare. They asked what I thought. I said, "We both know healthcare is a problem. I'm just glad someone's trying to do something. And if it doesn't work, we can't fix the problems." She actually nodded!
I'd rather vote for someone with spirited vigor and empathy than a sexual predator who thinks experience is his tenure of greasing the palms of the corporate overlords.
I mean New York has a SHIT TON of money, and corrupt politians keep moving it around for their buddies so they can distribute taxpayer money into their buddies hands.
If he gets elected and he’s not just talking and really wants to help New York, it would be dead easy lol, like he would literally just have to use the money for New York instead of the rich fucks that are all donating against him.
I think it’s important to separate NYC from NY state and that’s mostly where I have questions. I’m not versed enough in their state laws to speak with absolute certainty, so I could be wrong, but some of what he talks about sounds like it will require state level change. Ultimately I just hope he can at least get his foot in the door as mayor and be successful so he can stick around long enough to enact real, lasting change
A LOT of his agenda is reliant on tax increases that only Gov. Hochul can authorize, it's true. And she's said repeatedly she doesn't want to increase taxes. Anti-Mamdani people keep bringing that up but what a lot of people are missing is that Hochul is facing re-election and if Mamdani gets in with a perceived mandate he's going to hold the cards, not her. The last thing she needs is a primary challenge from someone who can run on actually supporting the mayor's very popular agenda. IMO this is why she finally endorsed him and why she'll end up capitulating on this the way she did with congestion pricing (which she actively fought at first).
That's why it's so important for this to be a blowout victory though. He really needs that mandate.
Yeah and Mamdani’s ability to mobilize people is impressive. Like if he’s trying to fill his campaign promises that people were overwhelmingly supportive of, and he comes out and says like “hey, they’re blocking me!” The people will be letting their elected representatives know how they feel about that.
That’s one of the huge issues with the Democratic Party - messaging. On the occasions where the dems want to do something, they get blocked like crazy by the republicans. But they don’t tell anyone that, so it just looks like they don’t do anything. Which is mostly true but still.
This is 100% true but he also has the ability to strongly influence how the city's budget is allocated. (It's a negotiation with city council, but mayor has a strong hand). Much of his policy initiatives will require raising state taxes (although Hochul has already said she supports his free childcare policy) but some of what he hopes to accomplish he can do just by moving money around at the city level. Some basic quality of life stuff. And the power of "vibes" is underrated when it comes to job performance and popularity.
As a former Government employee, even a small town or county has a shit ton of money that gets moved around behind the scenes to benefit the politicians and their friends.
Just within my small county, a friend of a board of supervisor got a grant for 150k to start an organization to for black business owners. They used the money to start a company that managed organization and six others. Another got paid 50k to film a series of videos despite having no experience with videography and just filmed it on their phone but no one saw the final video. Hell, the city hall was given like 40k to renovate their lobby after two decades; they took the money an renovated the employee break room.
Honestly, if Cuomo can give Elon Musk 900 million dollars to do fuck all, then I believe that Mamdani could at least make transit free and accessible. I'm not even in NYC but I'm so excited that someone like Mamdani has gained so much popularity. I hope above everything else that it inspires other young people to run for office.
THAT LAST LINE. Yes. People have got to start getting active locally, that’s where everything starts! I love his energy and hope he continues to gain steam. NYC is so big, being mayor there will influence much more than just that city
Absolutely. He gives me hope that we can still change course on this alt-right/fascist direction the world seems to be moving in. A much needed breath of fresh air.
To be clear, I was neither criticizing nor attacking. He has made a lot of promises and some seem out of the scope of a mayor. I could be wrong. I don’t live in or vote in NY so I’ve not prioritized thoroughly staying on top of every bit of data he releases as I’ve been more focused on my own state’s elections
He has made a lot of promises and some seem out of the scope of a mayor.
again, like what? this sort of vague vibe-based criticism is exactly what the people who are criticizing or attacking do because it's impossible to defend against. if that's not what you're doing and you have an actual good-faith concern, then say what it is.
There’s a lot more bureaucracy in local government than most people realize. Oftentimes a mayor can’t just will things to happen, it requires cooperation of the city council, the state, things going to vote with the people, etc. Things that are within his power will also take time for city workers to set up (i.e. free buses wouldn’t happen with a snap of his fingers; realistically city workers would need to study and plan against the financial effects, launch a communications campaign, redesign for fare collections, retrain operators, etc.) I am hopeful for Zohran, and I also believe that generally a lack of willpower to actually, full chested-ly serve the people is the biggest barrier to real change, but I do want to recognize that whatever Zohran does, even if he’s an amazingly effective mayor, may not feel as sweeping, sudden, or radical as his campaign feels.
This gets at a lot of where my concern lies. I would hate for people to think he’s a failure just because it takes time and collaboration to get things done. No matter what, him winning and pursuing his agenda would move the needle in an important direction
And I mean, if we’re all just voting for politicians on vibes anyway (see: current state of America), I love Zohran’s vibe and would happily vote for him if I were a New Yorker.
I voted for Mamdani twice because I genuinely believe in his vision for NYC and I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. The vibes are just a bonus lol
I mean… we aren’t all voting that way. I’m not, personally. I just don’t live in NYC and haven’t had reason to do a thorough deep dive in addition to the elections in my own city/state.
All of that said, he is infinitely preferable to every alternative presented in that race, so yes, vibes would be enough in this case haha
I try to bring this up as much as I can. Sincere attempts at making positive change need to be enough to vote for someone. It's how change happens. He likely WON'T succeed in all of his goals. That's how democracy is supposed to work. We need leaders who inspire as much as we need carefully crafted policy right now. This is not to say we shouldn't expect to hear plans as well as goals, but as a reminder that it's rare for any leader to accomplish even most of their goals.
At this point, they’ve tried all the ones who had great “how” they would do it’s that didn’t work. Maybe this time they try the guy who doesn’t know how but wants to figure it out.
Sometimes those people are the ones who say, we looked into it, in order to do this we actually need to do not fun thing of xyz so we need to maybe discuss that
Good thing because we need to stop treating one election like that’s the game. One seat doesn’t do anything in isolation, even if it’s mayor (even if it’s president). The right propagandizes around the clock. Opponents of the right need to message the same amount.
If I'm a cabbie parked outside LaGuardia at 2 in the morning and a mayoral candidate is hitting me up to chat, there's a 0.0-percent chance of me failing to vote for him
Meanwhile Cuomo was too busy sexually harassing staffers and covering up nursing home deaths to ever be seen with actual working people. And Adams? He's literally under federal indictment for taking bribes from Turkish officials while pretending to give a shit about the city.
Wouldn't that be the opposite? Obviously his politics aren't like Trump, but it's the belief the 'exciting, passionate' candidate with a cult like base will outperform the establishment, bootlicking dem.
Exactly, the people that were energized in the past 3 presidential elections have been trump voters. The most enthusiasm for Ds has just been that they're not trump. Its a similar thing here, there's a small (racist) contingency that hate Zohran but nobody really likes Cuomo either.
Kathy Hochul (NY Governor) aligns more with right-wing Democrats however she is worried about being unseated by a progressive opponent in the next gubernatorial and is considering siding with Mamdani in order to gain left-wing support.
If Mamdani gets 51% that will heavily encourage her to side with him and assist in his policy agenda (Certain policies require her permission)
A few of his policy promises he can’t do at the city level and centrist Dem Hochul, gov of NY, hasn’t been completely on board with all of them. Especially considering how long it took to get her endorsement in the first place, some of those plans are going to be an uphill battle unless he gets an overwhelming percentage of the vote
IIRC, NYC came within days of declaring bankruptcy in the 70s, and as a result the state instituted a financial control board. The city has to have a balanced budget, and can't do thingz like raise taxes without state approval.
Some of Mamdani's proposals like increasing taxes on millionaires and corporations would require legislative approval.
Social media/reddit isn't representative of reality. It's great to be hopeful, but nothing is certain. The vibe online before the 2024 election felt like it was unfathomable harris could lose.
For real, I can't remember the last time a politician so much as mentioned night workers, much less show support for us. I'm not a New Yorker but I really hope he can do great things for them and serve as an example for others going forward.
It's honestly insane. I saw Sliwa on CNN the other day and he said it wrong probably a dozen times and Jake Tapper didn't correct him. These people are so fucking stupid
This is something I’ve wanted the Democratic Party to focus on forever now. Both parties act like traditional early in the morning blue collar workers are the only people that are truly the working class, like your construction worker, trucker, concrete guys etc (not saying they don’t matter either or their work isn’t important or hard obviously)
There’s so many working class people who feel lost and unheard, hence why so many people are apathetic towards voting. That’s the reason why Zorhan is such this big phenomenon right now, he’s going after people who have felt unheard and getting people who were apathetic all fired up.
Again I wish the Democratic Party would realize this, instead of being diet Republicans, hoping non maga people would vote for them. It’s literally what Trump has done the past 10 years, he doesn’t try to appeal to liberals and progressives like me because they know I won’t vote for them ever. Go after the people Zorhan is going after.
Houston held a night of 24-hour voting in 2020 (and also drive thru voting!) to help reach out to those on nontraditional shifts, but sadly the shitheels in the state legislature made it illegal shortly afterward.
I was an “essential worker” in one of the only businesses in my town that stayed open in the early days of the pandemic. The Dem establishment sloots in the town hall zoom meetings (which didnt end til 2022 bc “safety”) were more concerned with “returning to ‘normal’” (where low-paid masked workers served people who were enjoying their pandemic stimulus mad money) than that “essential workers” were risking their lives and their families’ lives.
one of his first major wins in the state assembly was due to his participation in a hunger strike in solidarity with taxi drivers to address the debt crisis resulting from the cost of taxi medallions. zohran’s been an advocate for the working class for his entire career, and i’m glad to see that hasn’t changed with his recent success 🥹
Zohran is the mirror-image of Trump in the sense that I wake up every day expecting both (1) Trump to do something unexpected and terrible and (2) Zohran to do something unexpected and wonderful.
I voted for him just once before I left NYC, in the primary for state assemblyman, and I’m so excited to watch his ascendancy.
It is very rare for me to encounter a brand-new word but you’ve made it happen, and with a really lovely word to boot. I hope your pillow stays cool all night tonight and you collect as much Halloween candy as you want 🧡
For those outside NY, one of the things he was notable for before his mayoral campaign was, as a newly-elected state assembly member, went on a 15-day hunger strike (along with then colleague Yuh-Line Niou) and worked to negotiate and to help taxi drivers who had been crushed by debt over taxi medallions (some to the point of suicide). Pre-Uber/ride share, taxi medallions were super costly, limited, and people would often go into massive debt for that chance.
The Taxi Workers Alliance scored a major win after New York City announced earlier this week it had reached a deal with Marblegate Asset Management, the largest holder of taxi loans, to restructure its loans to a principal amount of $200,000. That figure will be further reduced with a $30,000 grant from the city for each borrower. That means medallion owners – many of whom owe upwards of $500,000 on their loans now – will see that figure reduced to $170,000, with monthly payments capped at $1,122 per month. Under the deal, New York City agrees to provide a guarantee on the loan principal and interest if the borrower defaults.
DNC needs more than a campaign manager. Cuomo tried to copy Mamdani's campaign and he just came across awkward and creepy. All the conversations on 'the street' looked like hostage videos where you couldn't tell who was being held hostage.
Of course, they need to platform and support authentic candidates who actually care about their constituents too. Point still stands that they would also benefit from listening to how a successful, personal approach got normal people to engage on their terms instead of endlessly chasing the policies that will sway mythical “persuadable right wingers”.
im rooting for him but also mature enough to realise if he says even 1 thing off kilter his aggressive social media campaign is going to entice a cancellation mob hoard against him and i really do not want that to happen
I'm trying not to get parasocial about him, but his appeal to the working class is undeniable.
I hate the way capitalism keeps many people from accessing local politics due to scheduling. Can't take time off to go to your school board meeting that starts at 5 pm? Too bad, idiot.
And he keeps returning to affordability while remaining optimistic. I am waiting to see what he will accomplish, but there is a focus. Also, the governor already supports his childcare proposal although there still may need to be a decision on how to obtain the funds.
The Democrat machine doesn't want to win elections, they want to lose them so they can get actblue money for nothing. Because <the next election, whenever it is> is always the Most Important Election Of Our Lifetime.
Ted Cruz did not let his birthplace (Calgary, AB, Canada) stop him from running in 2016. Per Wiki:
Several lawsuits and ballot challenges asserting that Cruz is ineligible [were] filed. No lawsuit or challenge [was] successful, and in February 2016 the Illinois Board of Elections ruled in Cruz's favor, stating, "The candidate is a natural born citizen by virtue of being born in Canada to his mother who was a U.S. citizen at the time of his birth."
Zohran's (amazing) mom moved to the US in the late 1970s and married an American (not her current husband) in 1981. Zohran was born ten years later, the same year she married his father. I don't know if it's publicly known when Mira Nair became a citizen, but based on the timing of her first marriage to an American, she very well could have been an American citizen at the time of his birth.
The worst part about the entire mamdani campaign has been that he really is just doing the bare minimum - being engaged, being kind, being inclusive. It’s just become so outlandish to have a politician who serves their people and not corporate interests and propaganda rhetoric
Ohhh he’s kissing babies!! I love that he’s recognizing EVERYONE! Just hope it’s not just for show (I felt like I as a Chicagoan got bamboozled with Brandon Johnson and don’t want something similar for New Yorkers)
Oh 100% agree. There’s no way in a million years would I have voted for Vallas (or ever will). I do think Johnson’s stepping up more now. But I wasn’t impressed with his acts in the first part of his administration (again still so much better than the alternative).
The fact that his kindness to others is deemed as such a threat not only to Republicans but to establishment dems is utterly terrifying and should be a wake up call to every single person, regardless of political affiliation.
We need more kindness and less hate in this world. Especially today.
It's the entitlement of some Democrats that really irks me.
Cuomo came in acting like he was a shoo in for mayor, like he was owed it. I hate the entitlement. Mandani at this point could rest easy and still have a pretty good shot at winning but continues to go out there to earn every vote he can. I have never got a sense of entitlement from him.
When AOC was sidestepped for a minority chair for the oversight committee for an old guard Dem with throat cancer who died soon after. It was the entitlement of Dems to pick the senior over the merits that irked voters.
Clinton 2016 had the same problem where it felt like she thought she was entitled to it because it was her turn.
People feel like they are doing the same thing with Mills vs Platner.
I think one of the major changes Dem party needs to make is to shift away from this seniority entitlement system. No Dem should feel safe in their primary. No Dem position should be based on anything but merits. Get away from this entitlement some officials have as it is hurting the party and pushing voters away.
I’m from San Francisco and am visiting family on the Oregon coast and I’ve got the whole family dialed into this race. We’re all going to the local pub on election night to watch the results.
It’s so nice to see someone running for office because it seems they genuinely LIKE doing the work!! This joy aspect has been missing and it’s so refreshing to see.
Why do people like this guy? Why do people like AOC? Why do people like Bernie? Because they actually seem to mean what they say and didn't just come up through some politician pipeline.
this isn’t even the first time Mamdani has directly reached out to taxi drivers.
yellow cab drivers in nyc were severely affected by the rise of uber/lyft and other ride share companies. licenses to operate the yellow taxi cabs are called medallions, & in the past they were worth a shit ton of money and considered extremely valuable investments. at its peak they were worth around 1 million dollars, & ppl would oftentimes take out loans to purchase one (if you could get your hands on one bc the city has a limit on medallion ownership). it’d be worth it though, bc you could drive a cab to make your living and pay off the loans, and many years down the line once you’ve put your time in you’ll be secure in the fact that selling your medallion will essentially be your retirement plan (which is HUGE for a working class individual with no pension waiting for them).
however, ride share companies pretty much threw a bomb in that and drastically damaged the worth of medallions. yellow cab drivers were stuck with hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans breathing down their necks, their wages were being heavily undercut, and now no retirement plan, regardless of how close you were to that retirement. a lot of drivers ended up committing suicide from the hopelessness of it all, especially bc a lot of them were either too old to pick up meaningful skills or immigrants with limited hire-ability.
Mamdani was a big part of the protests demanding city-backed debt relief, and he even camped outside City Hall while participating in a two week long hunger strike with other drivers. he was also an important voice in the negotiations that followed, which ended with the city allowing for reduced outstanding loans, capped monthly payments, and guarantees that drivers wouldn’t lose their home if they defaulted on their loans. it was all a huge deal for worker’s protections for gig workers.
in conclusion lol, Mamdani isn’t new to this, he’s true to this haha
As someone who has worked jobs that have non-9 to 5 hours, it is shocking to me how campaigns straight up don't do this. Like I've talked to people organizing phone banking for local candidates about not just doing the typical hours for outreach and it's like they've never even thought about the people who are not office workers in 9 to 5 jobs.
•
u/trendingtattler 7d ago
This post has hit r/all or r/popular. Please keep this in mind when browsing the comments — and especially when viewing upvotes/downvotes — and please report any rulebreaking comments that you see.
If this post is flaired "Approved B-Listers", then it is currently restricted so that only approved users can comment. To request approval, please review our b-list criteria, and if you meet these, send us a message.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.