New in PJ Media:
Socialists have only the vaguest notion of how money actually works, and so they actually take Zohran Mamdani seriously when he promises to bring to New York City a number of efficient, well-functioning, city government-run grocery stores that will make goods available to New Yorkers at readily affordable prices. Anyone who knows what food stores are really like, and always have been like, in socialist regimes is more than skeptical of Mamdani’s promises, and now it has come to light that his confident assertions that the city already has plenty of money to pay for this scheme are based on his misreading of the records. Yeah, the guy is making a misunderstanding a centerpiece of his campaign.
On his campaign website, Mamdani makes it all sound simple. First, he states the problem: “Food prices are out of control. Nearly 9 in 10 New Yorkers say the cost of groceries is rising faster than their income. Only the very wealthiest aren’t feeling squeezed at the register.” Then comes the all too easy solution, which apparently other politicians have overlooked because they’re in the hip pocket of the greedy billionaires who have been profiteering off poor New Yorkers:
As Mayor, Zohran will create a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit. Without having to pay rent or property taxes, they will reduce overhead and pass on savings to shoppers. They will buy and sell at wholesale prices, centralize warehousing and distribution, and partner with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing.
Ah! Why didn’t anybody think of doing all that before?
The inevitable question, however, is who is going to pay for all this, and Mamdani’s ready answer is that the city is already giving money to privately-owned grocery stores, so why not just give that money instead to low-cost, city-owned stores? His website explains: “With New York City already spending millions of dollars to subsidize private grocery store operators (which are not even required to take SNAP/WIC!), we should redirect public money to a real ‘public option.’”
It sounds great, until one looks at it for a couple of minutes. On Monday, however, the American Enterprise Institute’s Timothy P. Carney explained in the Washington Examiner that Mamdani’s “claim is based on a basic misunderstanding of the city’s current grocery subsidies. The money he plans to use to pay for his city-owned grocery stores is money the city doesn’t have.” The mistake Mamdani makes is that he “wrongly believes that the city is spending $140 million to subsidize private grocery stores, and he thinks he can take half of that money and use it to build government groceries.” Even less than half, as Mamdani has said that he will open five socialist grocery stores at a cost of only $60 million.
There is more. Read the rest here.
Taffy says
It does not matter whether Mamdani‘s plan is sound, but rather whether the ignorant voters think it’s sound. Once he’s in power he will destroy NYC’s economy and cause mass exodus of those supporting the City to elsewhere.
The City can’t keep its infrastructure in repair, a relatively easy managerial task. Now how on earth s the City going to manage supermarkets!, a relatively complicated managerial task? A communist supermarket will not be able to coordinate deliveries, items that need refrigeration, stock on hand, efficient checkout, etc. They will have no or ineffective rodent control. And Mamdani will find out after about two years that a City supermarket cannot deliver its wares anywhere near as efficiently as private enterprise. Also, as with all who deal with the City, suppliers will not be paid on time if at all. [There are still contractors that did work after super storm Sandy that have still not been paid and with cases clogging in the court system.]. All I can say is have fun to those who voted for this communist Jihadi. Right now, real estate prices in New York City are an all-time high, but that can and change in a flash.
Billy says
Totalitarian Leftists and Islam’s Muslims do not really care about the citizens because they will bankrupt the city to help gain more ultimate power and control. Leftists and Muslims want power and control.
Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…”
Walter Sieruk says
Zohran Mamdani who is the soon to be the next mayor New York City is obviously part in the insidiousness subversive movement which is known as the “Red /Green Alliance.”
Mamdani with and being part of that Marxist/Islamic alliance upon entering of office of Mayor is a recipe for a future disaster for NYC.
Zohan Mamdani with and being part of that Marxist/Islamic alliance upon entering of office of Mayor is a recipe for a future disaster for NYC.
Troybeam says
All people living in new York have to remember is the destruction that Islam brought to the state on 9/11.
Mamdani, a newly naturalized citizen and newly married to Rama Duwaji, Syrian artist.
Would be leary about this union, Syrian back ground, quick marriage,.
Mamdani is running for one reason, to get Muslims into political office, from there more and more Muslims will be put into positions while he is in office. Sharia Law will follow.
New Yorkers, do not be stupid especially all you liberals because if you vote for this guy you will be aiding and abetting the enemy and the down fall of your state.
somehistory says
someone said he ‘has no experience.” That is, experience in running a city…or anything.
The pampered goon has *experience* in lying and in being stupid.
If a doctor or attorney does work pro bono, they don’t get paid and any money they spend comes from their own pockets.
This is what the grocery stores in “food deserts” are doing….spending money from their own bank accounts.
But stupid believes he can take nearly half that money and use it to open government-owned stores.
Which would mean that the businessmen running the stores would be expected to support…..wih millions from their own bank accounts…their competition.
Perhaps stupid believes he can get them to do that. Or, he’s just plain lying to get elected.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Calling Mamdani a socialist is flattering him, & an insult to socialists. He is a full blown communist. In fact, his citation of an Indian Marxist leader demonstrates that pretty aggressively
Today, socialists are extinct. It last existed in the 90s in the Social Democrat parties of Western Europe, which too have today gone communist. But everybody who then believed in socialism has either moved to the Center-Right, like Christian Democrats in Europe, or they too have gone full communist
Since he cites India, he should study the time when Indians had ration cards. When I was a kid & lived there, that’s what people had, even though food rationing is generally a wartime activity. The way it worked was that people could take their ration cards to the government food supply & get their quota of whatever was covered – grain, sugar, et al. The saving grace was that unlike the Soviet Union, there were also grocery stores, so people who didn’t like that and were willing to actually pay for their food could shop there instead
His ignorance is not a surprise, given his family background. What is shocking is the number of New Yorkers who voted for him, even in a low turnout election. Economics education in this country is abysmal
James Lincoln says
What New York City really needs is someone like Rudy Giuliani.
But they may get the complete opposite:
A commie jihadist.
somehistory says
James, Roy Rogers’ horse, Trigger or Tarzan’s chimp would be better than this mozzie. (The horse is stuffed, but still…)
James Lincoln says
somehistory,
With any reference to Roy Rogers, I always think of this Toby Keith song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIq1LvzSLsk
࿗Infidel࿘ says
James
If Rudy Giuliani was magically transformed into, say, a 40 year old man but w/ the same experience & wisdom, he couldn’t win an election in NYC today. Which is an absolute shame: he salvaged NYC first from the Dinkins legacy, and then helped it recover after 9/11. None of that would be recognized today