Who'll end Christian slaughter, grad schools will survive loan caps and other commentary
Foreign desk: Who'll End Christian Slaughter?
'On Friday June 13, over 500 Christians' were murdered by Islamic terrorists in Nigeria, reports The Free Press' Madeleine Kearns. 'The jihadists broke into homes and shelters, murdering people with machetes,' then 'doused their victims' bodies and homes in petrol and set them ablaze.' And, 'though exceptional in scale and barbarity,' it's just 'part of a pattern of persecution that Christians in Nigeria have come to expect.' Consider: 'Since 2009, Islamists' across Nigeria 'have destroyed over 18,000 churches,' 'murdered over 50,000 Christians' and displaced 'a further 5 million Christians.' Yet Western governments and media 'have turned away from the issue.' Will anyone move to stop the carnage?
Libertarian: Grad Schools Will Survive Loan Caps
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A provision in the Republican Big Beautiful Bill 'may make considerable inroads to correcting a decades-long student loan policy that has driven expensive programs and large debt burdens for students,' cheers Reason's Emma Camp. The House bill 'eliminates the Graduate PLUS loan program, which allows graduate students to borrow an unlimited sum of money from the government,' instead capping grad-student borrowing at $100,000, 'with a $150,000 limit for professional programs, and a lifetime cap of $200,000 for all students.' These caps could 'force colleges to lower their prices once their students no longer have access to an infinite pile of government money.' Indeed, If we want more affordable medical schools, 'the first step should involve actually incentivizing medical schools to stop overcharging students.'
Conservative: Dems' NYC-led Coastal Elitism
'One interesting aspect of the rise of' socialist Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani 'is what it says about New York City's dominance of national Democratic politics at this moment,' muses the Washington Examiner's Byron York. 'The New York contingent essentially is the leadership of the Democratic Party today,' since congressional leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer as well as stars Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders are all current or former New Yorkers. 'After the 2024 election, Democratic pollster Mark Penn wrote that Trump was elected by 'Americans who feel abandoned by the coastal elites and a Democratic Party that moved too far from mainstream America.'' 'There are probably a lot of things Democrats might do to broaden their appeal beyond the coastal areas, but' elevating Mamdani 'is definitely not one of them.'
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Antisemitism beat: 'Kosherizing' Jew-Haters
Just before New York's mayoral primary, late-night host Stephen Colbert's guests were Zohran Mamdani and City comptroller Brad Lander, notes Commentary's Seth Mandel. 'All three were there' to 'help elect Zohran Mamdani mayor.' Mamdani — 'the poster child for progressive anti-Zionism's conquest of the mainstream Democratic Party' — had defended the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' which calls for violence against Jews, and 'Colbert can be effective at shielding left-wing anti-Semites from criticism.' Then again, the TV host doesn't 'hold a candle in that department to Brad Lander': Indeed, the comptroller's 'alliance with Mamdani' is the 'culmination of years of Lander's efforts to kosherize anti-Semitism.' He's part of the story of 'the collapse of New York's Jewish-political establishment.' Sen. Chuck Schumer, who kissed 'Mamdani's ring,' is 'the capstone of this project.'
From the right: Lefties' Chronic Mental Misery
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) 'said last week that Donald Trump supporters are mentally ill,' but 'it's her side that is not well,' snarks the Issues & Insights editorial board. 'Nine in 10 conservatives self-report their mental health to be excellent (51%)' versus only 20% of liberals. Meanwhile, 'only 19% of conservatives say their mental health is poor, while 45% of liberals say they have poor mental health.' 'This is not a new development related to Trump returning to the White House. A decade ago, University of Toronto researchers similarly 'found that conservatives are more emotionally stable than liberals.' 'Democrats, progressives, socialists, anti-capitalists, and the rest who reside under the leftist umbrella are unhappy, and they want everyone else to be just as miserable as they are.'
— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Free Buses and Child Care. A Rent Freeze. Can Mamdani Achieve His Plans?
Zohran Mamdani's rapid rise from upstart mayoral hopeful to likely winner of the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City was propelled by the simple message that the city was too expensive — and that he had plans that would fix it. Mr. Mamdani's singular focus on the city's affordability crisis resonated, especially with young voters. They embraced his populist promises to make bus service free, freeze rents on stabilized apartments, build city-owned grocery stores and offer free early child care. But whether his campaign promises can become reality is an open question — and important parts of Mr. Mamdani's platform are not solely in a mayor's control. While some of his left-leaning policy ideas are not entirely new — rents have been frozen before, for example — others would represent a dramatic reimagining of city government. And much of Mr. Mamdani's agenda relies in large measure on increasing revenue through taxes on businesses and the wealthy — part of an overarching vision to rethink how the city funds expanded social programs. Along with raising income taxes, he has pledged to shift the property tax burden 'from the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods,' according to his campaign website. Already, Mr. Mamdani's plans, in line with his democratic socialist political affiliation, have prompted intense backlash from business leaders who say he poses a danger to New York's economy. In private meetings, power brokers are discussing how to mount a strong challenge to Mr. Mamdani in the November general election. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Scott Wiener files paperwork to run for Congress in 2028. Could he challenge Pelosi?
State Sen. Scott Wiener has made no secret of his plans to run for Congress, but his decision to file paperwork Friday to run in 2028 means there is a chance he could challenge Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who has held the seat for nearly four decades. Wiener, D-San Francisco, has previously said he would seek the seat whenever Pelosi decided to step down. He will be termed out of the California Legislature in 2028, where he has been a strong advocate for policies to spur housing construction and fund transit systems. Like Pelosi, Wiener has been a fierce critic of President Donald Trump. Wiener said in a statement to the Chronicle that he expects the seat to be open in 2026 or 2028. 'I've been clear that I intend to run for this seat whenever the race opens up, whether in 2026 or 2028. This filing is a critical step to prepare for the serious work of running to succeed one of the icons of American politics,' the statement reads. A spokesperson for Pelosi told the Chronicle in April that 'no announcement has been made either way' regarding whether she plans to for reelection in 2026. The spokesperson declined to comment to the Chronicle on Friday. Wiener's move comes during a week in which calls to replace aging Democratic stalwarts with new voices have hit a fever pitch. On Tuesday, 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani shocked the Democratic Party with his mayoral primary victory over political scion and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. That same day, California Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, became the ranking member on the powerful House Oversight Committee — a position long reserved only for the most senior party members. Garcia is 47 and serving his second term in Congress. Wiener has long been running a sort-of shadow campaign for Congress. In 2023, he secured the support of several powerful Bay Area female leaders, including state Sen. Catherine Stefani (then a San Francisco supervisor); former San Francisco District Attorney Suzy Loftus; Debbie Mesloh, former chair of San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women; and Andrea Dew Steele, the co-founder of Emerge America, which trains Democratic women to run for office. Their support could be crucial to Wiener if he ultimately runs against Pelosi's daughter Christine Pelosi, who's been long thought to be a contender for the seat when her mother retires. Nancy Pelosi has already drawn a Democratic challenger in 2026, if she decides to run for reelection: Saikat Chakrabarti, 39, a founding software engineer at the tech firm Stripe and former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. 'The next (Mamdani) could be (Chakrabarti) running against Nancy Pelosi,' wrote Cenk Uygur, CEO of 'The Young Turks,' a progressive online news show, on Wednesday. 'If he beats Pelosi, the old guard of the party will be devastated. Time for a new Democratic Party.' Pelosi, 85, was first elected to the House in 1987 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the first woman to lead either party in 2003. She became the nation's first female speaker in 2007 and ascended to the top job again in 2019 after her party recaptured the House. She is widely seen as the architect of landmark legislation, including the Affordable Care Act during the Obama administration, and is a prolific fundraiser, harvesting $1.25 billion for Democrats since she ascended into party leadership, according to party officials. The speaker emerita — who took on the honorific after stepping down from leadership in November 2022 — has continued to represent San Francisco in the House, and won her 20th term in Congress in November 2024. If elected, Wiener would be the first openly gay member of Congress to represent San Francisco.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Interview: Zohran Mamdani on taxing the rich, Democratic Party, willingness to negotiate
The Brief In a one-on-one conversation with FOX 5 NY's Morgan McKay, Zohran Mamdani responded to the lack of endorsements from major Democratic leaders, while expressing confidence in his plans to tax millionaires. Mamdani addressed concerns from business leaders and critics, including Mayor Eric Adams, by highlighting his willingness to negotiate on most issues, except those related to affordability, and his commitment to expanding his coalition. Despite criticism from some Jewish voters regarding his stance on Israel, Mamdani expressed his intent to engage with all New Yorkers and meet with Jewish leaders to address their concerns. NEW YORK - From the lack of endorsements from Democratic leadership to being labeled a "snake oil salesman" by the incumbent mayor, Zohran Mamdani's Democratic primary domination in the NYC mayoral race is anything but politics as usual. Yet the candidate, a 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist, insists that his progressive agenda shows that policies labeled as "non-starters"—like raising taxes on millionaires—are, in fact, what New Yorkers really want. While the results are not yet finalized, Mamdani's camp credits his likely victory on an enthusiastic ground game centered on listening to constituents in all five boroughs. In a conversation with FOX 5 NY's Morgan McKay, Mamdani delves into his conversations with Democratic leaders, expresses confidence in his promise to tax the rich as mayor, insists he'd be willing to negotiate with business leaders and shares plans to meet with Jewish leaders. Watch the full interview in this week's episode of Politics Unusual, in the media player above. What they're saying Mamdani says after primary election night, he received congratulatory calls from Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, but notes they have not yet issued full-out endorsements. In the interview, he didn't show concern, as he said he's noticed a "hunger" for a "different kind of politics." "I look to earn every endorsement every single day of this race. And the coalition that we have built, it is only going to expand in the days and weeks and months to come," he said. Still, he fell short of labeling the Democratic Party as "out of touch" when asked, saying he'd instead like to "listen more and lecture less." And endorsements are trickling in, including a post-election nod from Rep. Jerry Nadler, who backed. Scott Stringer in the primary. Also this week, two major trade unions, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ SEIU, have shifted their support to Mamdani for the general election after backing former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is also another Democratic big wig to issue the congratulatory non-endorsement, balking at the idea of raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers and corporations. Mamdani's big campaign promises - free child care, free buses, a rent freeze - would be largely funded by raising the corporate tax rate and income taxes for the city's millionaires by 2%. But any tax hikes would need to be implemented in conjunction with Albany. Despite this reality, Mamdani says: "In the same way that people describe raising taxes as a non-starter, they would have described this campaign as a non-starter, and here we are having won the Democratic primary before ranked choice voting was even tabulated. That's the kind of movement we're building that will deliver a more affordable city." In a recent FOX 5 NY interview, New York City power-broker Kathryn Wylde called some of Mamdani's policies "terrifying" but shared that she was "delighted" to learn that he's willing to meet with her. Mamdani agreed that he would be willing to negotiate on most items, aside from the affordability policies that buttress his campaign. "I've always appreciated the time and the back and forth because even where there is disagreement," he said of Wylde. "There's room for negotiation, there's room for compromise, but not on the outcomes of making this city more affordable," he added. Mamdani said there is "room for everyone" when asked if Cuomo should run in general election following his primary night concession. He also suggested that his certain general election opponent, Mayor Eric Adams, was projecting when he called Mamndai a "snake oil salesman." "I think ultimately, these are the words of someone who looks at the results in Bed-Stuy, who looks at the results in Harlem, who looks at the results in Washington Heights - neighborhoods that he won in 2021 in single digits - that we just won in double digits, and sees that his coalition is, in fact, becoming a new coalition, one that will actually deliver on the promises he made in 2021, not betray them like he did over the last four years," he said. Some Jewish voters, an important voting bloc in the city, have criticized Mamdani's support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and his use of the term "genocide" to describe Israel's war on Gaza, according to the Associated Press. Mamdani insisted that he want to "respect and respond to each and every Jewish New Yorker and New York at large" and that they are "not just looking to represent those that voted for me or just those that vote for Andrew Cuomo or those that even don't vote at all. Ultimately I want to represent all New Yorkers." He also said he was committed to meeting Jewish leaders who may have concerns about the election. The Source This article uses reporting from McKay's interview with Mamdani, comments from other leaders and the Associated Press.
