NY City

As the wealth gap in the US continues to widen the door opens for some charismatic articulate leader to step forth and push for equality. This is happening in the NY City mayoral race. A newcomer on the political scene, Zohran Mamdani, is making waves by promising the redistribution of wealth. He is using the old standby of the democratic party of taxing the rich to pay for the new benefits. He plans to raise $10 billion in new taxes to pay for childcare, free buses and city owned food stores. In addition, he will ask local employees to raise the minimum wage and freeze rents. The seductive lure of free stuff is a powerful force and will likely bring in enough votes to get him elected. If the past is any predictor of the future, he will add more benefits and more taxes and get more votes. It is a proven winning strategy.