Politics Random, Random

[patrick]

And the beat goes on while the "Beautiful Bill" is progressing.

[mmmm8]

...

It's an upset as Cuomo was leading significantly in the polls.

The key takeaways for me in this primary:
- Populism wins, no qualifications or practical policy proposals needed
- Once again, a capable black woman just can't win any significant political election
- Fewer than a million people voted, counting early voting, from an estimated 8.5M of legal known residents.
- Cuomo certainly didn't lose because of the secual harrassment allegations. Two (!) of the major candidates had a history of sexual harrassment allegations.


Cuomo and Eric Adams both running in the general eleciton will be amusing.

Expand, please. I am interested.

As Ti said, his campaign was filled with pie and the sky ideas, but, like other populists, he spoke to people's every day pains with a lot of promises. I know that's all politicians, but there's a certain tone to populism where it's implied the charismatic leader is the hero that will solve those pains. You should know it well as a Venezuelan. He also built an image as "one of us," an everyday New Yorker. Which he is - lots of New Yorkers do have prominent parents - but that's not quite what the message was. Cuomo's campaign, probably aimed at older people, portraying Mamdani as a big scary dangerous terrorist socialist set to destroy the city didn't help - probably helped build up Mamdani's image as a charismatic savior (should have gone for portraying him as incompetent).

He has very limited political, administrative or policy experience. His policy proposals were basically slogans and I will be pretty surprised (and will eat my words) if he accomplished pretty much any of it. In the end, the city isn't primarily run by the mayor. It's run by City Council. One's political or economic ideology matters a lot less in the running of New York City than being able to work within the city's political machine. If he can't work with City Council, various departments, nothing will get done. That's why Adrienne Adams (City Council Speaker) or Brad Lander (City Comptroller) were much better candidates.

EDIT: Ti's point about the many powerful special interest groups is also very important. Real estate developers, local and Albany politicians, unions, large corporations that bring money into NYC, will eat him alive.

[mmmm8]

Why does the WaPo editorial board need to weigh in on this?

Editorial Board
Zohran Mamdani’s victory is bad for New York and the Democratic Party
New York cannot take its greatness for granted. Mismanagement can ruin it.

I can't believe this is real. At least he openly takes responsibility for it.


(If he loves America so much, why did he get married in Italy where no one wants him?)

[ponchi101]

...

As Ti said, his campaign was filled with pie and the sky ideas, but, like other populists, he spoke to people's every day pains with a lot of promises. I know that's all politicians, but there's a certain tone to populism where it's implied the charismatic leader is the hero that will solve those pains. You should know it well as a Venezuelan. He also built an image as "one of us," an everyday New Yorker. Which he is - lots of New Yorkers do have prominent parents - but that's not quite what the message was. Cuomo's campaign, probably aimed at older people, portraying Mamdani as a big scary dangerous terrorist socialist set to destroy the city didn't help - probably helped build up Mamdani's image as a charismatic savior (should have gone for portraying him as incompetent).

...

Txs.
Just to say a couple of things, because I knew nothing about the guy.
His idea about a string of popular grocery stores is straight out of the Chavez' book. IN Venezuela they were called Mercal. They were a resounding failure and created more problems that any they solved.
Subsidized transport is another idea straight out of the populist book. It simply does not work. The bus system in Buenos Aires, which I use a lot when I am there, had been subsidized by the Fernandez administration (in reality, the city's administration) and was breaking down due to improper funding.
If those are his ideas, good luck.

[Suliso]

About public transport - it's subsidized in virtually all cities.

[ponchi101]

About public transport - it's subsidized in virtually all cities.

Surprises me. Here in Bogota, some people can get assistance (people over 62 get up to 12 free tickets a month). At most.
And public transport in S. America is pretty poor quality.

[Suliso]

Are you saying that ticket prices in Bogota covers the entire cost of running your bus network? That would be unbelievable. Certainly not the case in Switzerland. Our outstanding train network here (possibly the best in the world) is covered ca 60% by ticket revenue. The rest is tax money and cross subsidy from freight.

[ponchi101]

Are you saying that ticket prices in Bogota covers the entire cost of running your bus network? That would be unbelievable. Certainly not the case in Switzerland. Our outstanding train network here (possibly the best in the world) is covered ca 60% by ticket revenue. The rest is tax money and cross subsidy from freight.

The bus network in Bogota is run by private companies that get routes to cover. The subsidies are:
5-12 tickets for people over 62.
A number of tickets for households in what is defined as "extreme poverty" levels.
Some companies subsidize their employees by giving them tickets (not direct money).

That's it.
The prize for a one way ticket (we use electronic cards) is almost US$ 0.85, which is expensive for Colombian standards. IF you use the transmilenio bus system, you get to ride any amount of buses for two hours, on the same pass. Once you are off the transmilenio, you pay for every ride.
Buses have improved in the last years, but you ride on hard plastic seats that are very uncomfortable. And you can forget about bus capacity limits; the limit is when nobody can board anymore.

[Suliso]

I understand about individual subsidies (we have for young people and old), but is the government paying money to those private companies to run buses? That's how it works in Latvia.

[Suliso]

Of course NYC subway is also heavily subsidized already on a macro level.

[ponchi101]

I understand about individual subsidies (we have for young people and old), but is the government paying money to those private companies to run buses? That's how it works in Latvia.

I truly think not. Colombia is not very high on subsidies, because the country is poor. And faulty tax collection, added to the unusually high levels of corruption, leave very little to subsidize with.

[mmmm8]

I think there is confusion above over the proposal from Mamdani. The MTA is already heavily subsidized (problematically, the funding comes from the state coffers rather than from the city). There are reduced-fare tickets for senior citizens, schoolchildren and low-income New Yorkers. His proposal is to make the buses (but not the subway) fully free.

[Suliso]

That doesn't make so much sense. You'll need more state money AND you'll make these buses a magnet for homeless, drug addicts etc. That will in turn scare off regular folks.

[Owendonovan]

Are you saying that ticket prices in Bogota covers the entire cost of running your bus network? That would be unbelievable. Certainly not the case in Switzerland. Our outstanding train network here (possibly the best in the world) is covered ca 60% by ticket revenue. The rest is tax money and cross subsidy from freight.

The bus network in Bogota is run by private companies that get routes to cover. The subsidies are:
5-12 tickets for people over 62.
A number of tickets for households in what is defined as "extreme poverty" levels.
Some companies subsidize their employees by giving them tickets (not direct money).

That's it.
The prize for a one way ticket (we use electronic cards) is almost US$ 0.85, which is expensive for Colombian standards. IF you use the transmilenio bus system, you get to ride any amount of buses for two hours, on the same pass. Once you are off the transmilenio, you pay for every ride.
Buses have improved in the last years, but you ride on hard plastic seats that are very uncomfortable. And you can forget about bus capacity limits; the limit is when nobody can board anymore.

Privatization has to make a profit, government doesn't.