Free Buses, Public Groceries, and a New New York
How Zohran Mamdani Rewrites the Urban Progressive Politics
Interesting article in The Nation discusses Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, and why it may signal the start of a new political era.
He ran on a clear, grounded platform: rent freezes, free buses, public grocery stores. His stance on Israel and Palestine was integrated into a broader message about dignity, housing, and inclusion. He made democratic socialism feel like common sense, inviting people not to agree on everything, but to build something larger together.
While climate change isn't the sole focus of his campaign, he emphasizes that environmental and economic issues are deeply interconnected.
Mamdani proposes retrofitting 500 public school buildings with solar panels and modern HVAC systems, transforming 500 schoolyards into green spaces, and converting 50 schools into resilience hubs to serve as shelters during extreme weather events.
His housing strategy includes a rent freeze for over two million rent-stabilized tenants and the development of 200,000 new affordable housing units with green infrastructure improvements that benefit residents and not developers.
On public transit, Mamdani advocates for fare-free buses and supports congestion pricing to reduce traffic-related emissions. He also endorses the All-Electric Buildings Act, which mandates the use of electric systems in new constructions, moving away from fossil fuels.
Mamdani’s strategy is bold yet rooted in everyday concerns. Its success will depend on his ability to translate big ideas into tangible benefits and to earn the trust of New York’s diverse communities. He will certainly face resistance, from establishment Democrats and a media mainstream landscape that will frame him as extreme. Success depends on building broad coalitions across neighborhoods, ideologies, and class line. If he can do that, his campaign won’t just be viable, it could redefine what urban progressive politics looks like.
Sources:
Zohran Mamdani’s Win Could Change Everything | The Nation
Primary Voter Guide: The Mayoral Candidates’ Plans on Climate & Environment - City Limits
Zohran Mamdani Is Proposing Green Abundance for the Many
The Magic Realism of Zohran Mamdani - The Atlantic
Can Zohran Mamdani’s Agenda Survive Albany? | New York Focus
I have mixed feelings about Mr. Mamdani's triumph. He is surely preferable to Mr. Cuomo, and was in fact the best of the candidates. But... it's rather like New Yorkers got a rainbow unicorn when the barbarians are running rampant. I'm always skeptical when candidates promise more than can realistically be delivered. New York City is not enjoying the kind of fiscal surplus necessary to fund Mr. Mamdani's promises. Over the long run, of course, eliminating bus fares will improve traffic conditions as well as reducing the local Gini Index. A rent freeze will discourage new apartment construction, worsening the housing shortage. I fear that Mr. Mamdani will crash head-on into the brick wall of New York City's infamous political divisiveness. In the end, I doubt that he will deliver on any of his promises, bestowing on the far right a case of left-wing folly.
Mr. Trump won the presidency by promising an economic bonanza for all -- a blatant and obvious lie. Yet the citizens fell for it and now we all will suffer the consequences of citizen ignorance. Aping Mr. Trump's strategy does seem to work with an increasingly befuddled citizenry, but it won't improve an increasingly desperate situation.
Great essay! Mamdani has my total support.