The free transit comparison to Luxembourg and Tallinn is solid but there's a critical differencce often missed. Those cities have much denser urban cores and less car-dependent infrastructure already built in. NYC's sprawl across five boroughs makes fare-free transit way more expensive per capita. Back when I was working on transit policy research, the cost projections for even pilot programs were staggering once you factorin lost revenue that currently funds maintenance. Mamdani's rent freeze proposal is probably the more immediately viable path since it doesn't require replacing billions in annual operating budgets.
How many people who'd qualify for free transit in NYC routinely travel between boroughs? I'm not being a smart ass here, I genuinely don't know since I don't live there. But most of the people eI know who do rarely have occasion to travel outside Manhattan day to day.
Sorry, all I've got to say is thanks a lot, stupid fucking Trump & partners in crime. I hope 2026 kicks you in the ass and elsewhere, because that's where we're aiming.
I wouldn’t advertise Mamdani, I’d recommend being mum about him, at least till after the midterms.
He calls himself a social Democrat, but Bernie calls himself that now too, and so does AOC, etc. but we all know that they previously called themselves socialist. At least Bernie did, and they touted him.
Advertising him and them will not help in the midterms.
Of course those running in parochial districts like Brooklyn or small democratic areas of Republican states like Iowa, they can waive their progressive flags and win. AOC only needs 18,000 votes to win her area. But nationally it’s a big loser.. and we have to think midterms,, that’s national 438 seats. The progressive label would cost Democrats millions of votes. We have to win states that we normally don’t in order to get a super majority, impeach Trump, and put him away where he belongs.
If the progressive label would keep us from doing that, how arrogant do you have to be, to keep waving it in areas that you’re gonna win, but you’ll cause other Democrat to lose, and for Democrats not to win enough seats to get rid of Trump.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was neither a modern “progressive” nor a social democrat.
FDR was a New Deal liberal.
Why FDR was not a social democrat, or a progressive.
FDR rejected this framing outright:
He opposed nationalized healthcare
He did not seek social ownership of industry
He defended capitalism, repeatedly calling his goal its preservation, not replacement
He never identified as a socialist or social democrat
In 1936, FDR explicitly said:
“I am fighting to save capitalism from itself.”
That is fundamentally anti–social democratic in ideology.
⸻
Why FDR is often called a progressive
FDR did emerge from the Progressive Era tradition, which emphasized:
• Regulation of monopolies
• Anti-corruption
• Worker protections
• Government intervention to stabilize markets
His New Deal policies reflected this:
• Social Security (insurance model, not welfare)
• Banking regulation (Glass–Steagall)
• Labor protections (NLRA)
• Public works (CCC, WPA)
But even here, FDR differed from modern progressives:
Programs were means-tested or contributoryHe governed pragmatically, not ideologically.
FDR consistently used the term “liberal”, meaning:
• Pro-capitalist
• Pro-democracy
• Pro–regulated markets
• Anti–authoritarian (both fascist and communist)
Progressive is an oxymoron because they’ve been the group that gave the president presidency to the two worst presidents in history. They are very regressive..
And struck me when they new mare of Miami congratulations to her for winning the race, but she called herself a progressive, and when I looked at her platform, it was straight liberal democrat with nothing progressive in it.
Let us not forget that in addition to being patently butt ugly, the Cybertruck is a literal death trap. As in people burn to death in it because they're trapped in it while it's on fire. and nobody can get them out because the doors don['t work if the vehicle loses power. Like... when it's on fire.
The free transit comparison to Luxembourg and Tallinn is solid but there's a critical differencce often missed. Those cities have much denser urban cores and less car-dependent infrastructure already built in. NYC's sprawl across five boroughs makes fare-free transit way more expensive per capita. Back when I was working on transit policy research, the cost projections for even pilot programs were staggering once you factorin lost revenue that currently funds maintenance. Mamdani's rent freeze proposal is probably the more immediately viable path since it doesn't require replacing billions in annual operating budgets.
It’d be cool if they could stagger m cost of pub transportation by income. Give a tax credit. But I get it’d add a major extra layer of bureaucracy
How many people who'd qualify for free transit in NYC routinely travel between boroughs? I'm not being a smart ass here, I genuinely don't know since I don't live there. But most of the people eI know who do rarely have occasion to travel outside Manhattan day to day.
Sorry, all I've got to say is thanks a lot, stupid fucking Trump & partners in crime. I hope 2026 kicks you in the ass and elsewhere, because that's where we're aiming.
Great article today! 😊
Elon Musk’s ego!
I wouldn’t advertise Mamdani, I’d recommend being mum about him, at least till after the midterms.
He calls himself a social Democrat, but Bernie calls himself that now too, and so does AOC, etc. but we all know that they previously called themselves socialist. At least Bernie did, and they touted him.
Advertising him and them will not help in the midterms.
Of course those running in parochial districts like Brooklyn or small democratic areas of Republican states like Iowa, they can waive their progressive flags and win. AOC only needs 18,000 votes to win her area. But nationally it’s a big loser.. and we have to think midterms,, that’s national 438 seats. The progressive label would cost Democrats millions of votes. We have to win states that we normally don’t in order to get a super majority, impeach Trump, and put him away where he belongs.
If the progressive label would keep us from doing that, how arrogant do you have to be, to keep waving it in areas that you’re gonna win, but you’ll cause other Democrat to lose, and for Democrats not to win enough seats to get rid of Trump.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was neither a modern “progressive” nor a social democrat.
FDR was a New Deal liberal.
Why FDR was not a social democrat, or a progressive.
FDR rejected this framing outright:
He opposed nationalized healthcare
He did not seek social ownership of industry
He defended capitalism, repeatedly calling his goal its preservation, not replacement
He never identified as a socialist or social democrat
In 1936, FDR explicitly said:
“I am fighting to save capitalism from itself.”
That is fundamentally anti–social democratic in ideology.
⸻
Why FDR is often called a progressive
FDR did emerge from the Progressive Era tradition, which emphasized:
• Regulation of monopolies
• Anti-corruption
• Worker protections
• Government intervention to stabilize markets
His New Deal policies reflected this:
• Social Security (insurance model, not welfare)
• Banking regulation (Glass–Steagall)
• Labor protections (NLRA)
• Public works (CCC, WPA)
But even here, FDR differed from modern progressives:
Programs were means-tested or contributoryHe governed pragmatically, not ideologically.
FDR consistently used the term “liberal”, meaning:
• Pro-capitalist
• Pro-democracy
• Pro–regulated markets
• Anti–authoritarian (both fascist and communist)
Progressive is an oxymoron because they’ve been the group that gave the president presidency to the two worst presidents in history. They are very regressive..
And struck me when they new mare of Miami congratulations to her for winning the race, but she called herself a progressive, and when I looked at her platform, it was straight liberal democrat with nothing progressive in it.
Just get rid of the term
Good.
Let us not forget that in addition to being patently butt ugly, the Cybertruck is a literal death trap. As in people burn to death in it because they're trapped in it while it's on fire. and nobody can get them out because the doors don['t work if the vehicle loses power. Like... when it's on fire.
Damn you have a good way with words. Such a funny and good read. Thanks!