The ascension of Zohran Mamdani to the mayor’s office in New York City represents a chilling case study in the real-world consequences of Democratic Socialist ideology, an agenda that is fundamentally at odds with the common-sense, America First principles championed by President Donald J. Trump. Where President Trump built a booming economy through deregulation and historic tax cuts, the left offers nothing but empty promises and a blatant disregard for fiscal reality. This disconnect was laid bare when Mamdani was pressed on the monumental cost of his signature proposal.
A reporter, doing the job the liberal media often neglects, directly confronted Mamdani on the $700 million funding hole for his so-called ‘free’ bus plan. The exchange was a masterclass in evasive, substance-free politicking. When asked to explain how he would secure the massive funding without harming the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Mamdani offered only vague, unworkable ideas.
MANNARINO: And the other one — talking about fast and free buses, and your meeting with the governor. I’ve heard you say many times that you don’t want to take money away from the MTA — you want to put money back in. And it’s something she agrees with, right? “We don’t want to take away money from the MTA.” How are you getting that $700 million to make the buses free into the MTA if she’s not for raising taxes?
MAMDANI: You know, I think the two clearest ways to raise that money is through raising the state’s corporate tax to match New Jersey. A lot of this is still a case to be made — whether it’s the corporate tax or the personal income tax on those who make more than a million dollars a year. I think these are the clearest ways.
This response reveals a stunning ignorance of basic economics. Proposing to drive up taxes on corporations and high earners is a proven recipe for driving those very job-creators out of New York, further crippling the city’s tax base and accelerating the urban decay that has become a hallmark of Democrat-run cities. This is the opposite of the pro-growth environment fostered by the Trump administration, which led to unprecedented prosperity for all Americans.
Even more alarming than his failed grasp of economics was his subsequent admission that the specific funding mechanism is, in his mind, irrelevant. After his tax-hike fantasy was exposed, he retreated to a truly shocking position, one that should terrify every taxpayer in the five boroughs.
MAMDANI: I’ve also said that if there are other ways to raise this funding, the most important fact is that we fund it — not the question of how we do it, but that we do it.
This statement is a perfect encapsulation of the radical left’s governing philosophy: the ends justify the means. The “how” doesn’t matter, only the ideological victory. This is the thinking that has led to skyrocketing crime, unchecked illegal immigration, and rampant inflation in cities under progressive control. It stands in stark contrast to the accountable, business-like approach President Trump brought to the White House, where every dollar was scrutinized and policies were designed to work in the real world.
Q: “How are you getting the $700M to make the buses free if the Governor is not for raising taxes?”
MAMDANI: “Through the raising of the state's corporate tax.”
Q: “But she said no…”
MAMDANI: “The most important fact is that we fund it, not the question of how we do it.” pic.twitter.com/rFiaHPAdSE
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) November 20, 2025
While the liberal media fawns over such socialist pipedreams, they ignore the devastating results. They refuse to hold figures like Mamdani accountable for their incoherent plans, instead focusing their energy on attacking the strong record of President Trump. The spectacle of a city leader openly admitting he has no viable plan to pay for a massive government expansion, while simultaneously dismissing the importance of having one, is a preview of the painful governance to come.