Why New York Jews should reject Zohran Mamdani

Jewish essayist Milton Himmelfarb coined the succinct and famous quip "Jews earn like Episcopalians, vote like Puerto Ricans" in a 1973 article for Commentary magazine. He did not mean to insult Puerto Ricans. Or Episcopalians.

The aphorism has enjoyed a long shelf life because of its veracity, noting, in effect, that in their fealty to the command  to repair the world, tikkun olam,  Jews are willing to vote like members of the underclass and act  against their own interests.

New York Jews must draw the line at 33-year-old Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. Any New York Jew who votes for him is meshuginah (crazy). They become the laughable nutbag liberals who are so open-minded they will not take their own side in an argument. 

New York Jews must reject The Zohran in sheep’s clothing. 

Not because he is a Muslim. There are plenty of Muslims who stand for decency, and democracy. Here I will name check two brave women who have written widely about some of Islam’s current evils — former Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Irshad Manji, who explains Islam was a shining light of tolerance and learning during Europe’s Dark Ages, but then slammed the door on education and liberalism, and turned to religious fundamentalism that  led to its current extreme backwardness. 

And New York Jews must reject The Zohran not because he is a Democratic socialist. Some tenets of socialist belief are decent and caring, political philosophy that created Social Security, the minimum wage, child labor laws, and many more. 

But others have not worked, such as soaking the rich so deeply they revolt or flee.

As British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher observed, socialist governments “always run out of other peoples’ money. It’s quite characteristic of them.”

But if New Yorkers want to throw sanity and experience to the wind — let them. The Zohran’s policies will be proven either right or wrong. They will succeed or they will fail. Let Noo Yawk become a little red test kitchen for Zohranism.

I can tolerate experiments. What I can't tolerate are lying hypocrites.

And the grinning Zohran is a master. He changes his positions as easily as he changes clothes.

Just a few days ago, asked by Fox News Channel’s Martha MacCallum if Hamas should lay down its arms (as it agreed to do in the Trump 20-point peace plan), The Zohran deflected. When asked again, The Zohran refused to say that a terrorist organization that murdered 1,200 Israelis — and Americans, among others, should be disarmed. When asked if the terrorist Hamas group should be denied power in Gaza, he clammed up.

He did have an answer about Israel Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu — The Zohran would arrest him in New York on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, an organization that the United States does not recognize.

The Zohran’s thinking: Do not demand that the genocidal aggressor lay down its arms and surrender power, but do arrest the victim of the attacks.

A little later, during a New York City mayoral debate, sensing that his evasions to MacCallum were hurting him, The Zohran quietly conceded that, um, yeah, maybe the terrorists should lay down their arms.

Was this a genuine conversion, or a political one?

It seems as insincere as a diplomat’s compliment.

Not to oversell the case against The Zohran, but here’s an (over the top)  AI video:

https://x.com/gfr33man/status/1978642369730769322?s=61 

I hope you enjoyed that.

Back to The Zohran. It’s not like the guy doesn’t have a history.

Once a fan of  “globalize the intifada” — which means “attack Jews worldwide,” The Zohran now says he doesn’t use such words (any more) “but I sure still think them,” he did not say. All NYC cops are racist and homophobic he did say, along with “defund the police.”

And like one of the Three Stooges, today he says humina humina humina, “I didn’t mean it.”

He tries to explain away his anti-cop views, but — in politics — when you are explaining, you are losing.

Except in the polls.

Maybe New Yorkers no longer want cops. Go back and look at that video again.

His key ideas: Free bus service, city-run grocery stores, one in each of the five boroughs, freezing some rent-controlled rents, free child care, paid for by charging the top 1% an extra 2% of income tax, something very minor, he says with an ingratiating grin.

The reality. The mayor has no ability to increase taxes on anyone, let alone the rich. Any tax increase must be approved by the state legislature. 

He did create a pilot program in 2023 for one free bus route in each borough. It died after one year.

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He was born in Uganda of Indian parents — his father a professor of post colonialism, his mother a well-known filmmaker for whom he had worked, along with a busted attempt to be a rapper. There was a minor flap during the campaign when it was revealed he tried to pass himself off as African, which he is not.

He had an upbringing that was at least upper middle class, and likely higher. 

In college he founded a chapter of the anti-Israel Students for Justice in Palestine, and since has been regarded as anti-Zionist, anti-Israel, anti- Netanyahu, and arguably anti-Semitic.

He specifically will not say that he recognizes Israel as a Jewish state.

During the debate, he tried to slip through, by saying he does recognize Israel, but  Andrew Cuomo mousetrapped him by noting The Zohran did not  say “as a Jewish state!”

Does it matter? Yes.

Why?

The world has proven itself a very unfriendly place for Jews, who have earned the right  to re-establish their historic homeland.

The world has room for 53 Muslim-majority countries, some of which identify themselves as Islamic republics. The world has room for about 120 Christian-majority nations, even seven Buddhist states. India and Nepal are Hindu majority countries.

Israel is the only Jewish majority country, even though 20% of its population is Muslim, who enjoy full rights in the democracy. Gays also enjoy full rights and protection. 

If you believe that only Jews should not have a national homeland, that is anti-Semitism, an accusation I do not level lightly.

He will stop New York’s investment in Israel bonds, which are totally safe and pay far more interest than any city bank, which benefits investors.

A main theme of his campaign is that it costs a lot to live in New York.

D’uh!

Always has been. Why? Lots of reasons. (And I won’t mention the city has been directed by a Democratic City Council forever.) 

Start with the city minimum wage of $16.50. 

Add in union wages in a city that is strongly pro-union that utilizes Project Labor Agreements for most large-scale public works.

Look — I am pro-living wage, and pro-union. I am simply explaining that this drives costs skyward.

Then there is the scarcity of land. Unlike some Sun Belt cities that can expand their borders, NYC is locked into five boroughs and The City (as a social, financial, communications, fashion center) attracts people from all around the globe. The constant demand pushes prices up.

High-paying jobs at Fortune 500 companies headquartered in New York create a pool of wealthy individuals who can afford to pay more, and do. You’ve all heard stories about $3,000-a-month, 450-square-foot Manhattan studio apartments.

Strict zoning and lengthy permitting processes add to the cost of building anything.

All of the above contribute to the high cost of doing business in NYC.

No magic wand is going to fix that.

So he's making promises he can’t fulfill, like any other politician.

I’m not shocked.

But given his appalling support, yes, support, for terrorists, and his equally appalling repulsion of law enforcement, New Yorkers voting for him should have their heads examined.

And Left-leaning New York Jews need a serious reality check. They don’t recognize an enemy when he grins in their face.