Editorial: Dems win on Trump resistance, now comes the hard part
**New NYC Mayor Promises Free Child Care, Buses, Grocery Stores, and Rent Freeze—Paid for by Taxing the Rich**
New York City has just elected a mayor who promises an ambitious agenda: free child care, free buses, city-run grocery stores, and a rent freeze on rent-controlled apartments. All of these initiatives are proposed to be funded by taxing the wealthy, many of whom are reportedly leaving the city in haste.
What could possibly go wrong? Of course, plenty. But the election of Zohran Mamdani wasn’t just about sound strategy; it was about a desire for change. That theme resonated across recent political contests, including the mini-midterms on Tuesday, where Democrats took governor’s seats in New Jersey and Virginia, and California voters approved Prop 50, a redistricting ballot measure.
Many political analysts see this as a referendum on President Trump and his policies. Mamdani made his stance clear with his victory speech, which included a pointed message to Trump: “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.”
The winning Democrats were buoyed by strong anti-Trump sentiment, as reflected in CNN’s poll showing the president’s approval rating at just 37%, with 63% disapproval. Could this be a harbinger of what’s to come in next year’s midterms? Possibly. But it’s also typical of the political cycle, where midterm elections often serve as a pushback against the sitting president, regardless of who that may be.
History offers some context here. President George W. Bush called the 2006 midterms a “thumping,” while President Barack Obama described the Democratic losses in 2010 as a “shellacking.” These patterns highlight how voters tend to swing from side to side in a emotional and reactive fashion during midterm seasons.
So, where does all this leave voters? If elections become primarily about wresting power from the other side, how does our country move forward? The ongoing government shutdown illustrates the folly of Capitol Hill lawmakers who are so fixated on “victory” that they overlook the suffering caused by their inaction. It’s not strategic leverage; it’s reckless.
As Democrats celebrate what they see as a mandate for change, they must remember that real progress should be for the betterment of all. Otherwise, political power will simply continue to shift from one party to the other without meaningful results.
Mamdani’s election represents a seismic shift—he is a self-described socialist mayor-elect who didn’t hold back on his promises. His plans are expensive and ambitious. However, as reported by the New York Post, the foundation for funding these proposals might not be as solid as it seems.
Mamdani has admitted that he may need another plan to finance his $10 billion, “freebie-filled” agenda if he fails to secure increased taxes on the ultra-wealthy and corporations. During a campaign event on affordability in Queens, he stated that taxing the rich is the “most straightforward and productive way” to pay for his programs. Yet, he also emphasized that “how” the programs are funded is less important than ensuring they are financed.
He said, “If this money is funded by the additional taxes or it’s funded by a better-than-expected tax assessment, or it’s funded by a pot of money that wasn’t previously spoken about, or savings that have come in, then the most important thing is that it’s funded.”
The reality is that the “pot of money” may very well be a euphemism for solutions that ultimately burden middle-class New Yorkers.
Good luck, Gotham.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/06/editorial-dems-win-on-trump-resistance-now-comes-the-hard-part/
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