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Politico
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Why Zohran Mamdani's win matters — and why it doesn't
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — Depending on whom you listen to, Zohran Mamdani is either 'the feeling of dawn after a long night' or 'a 100% Communist Lunatic.' But no matter one's opinion of his politics, a narrative has begun to firm up in the days since the 33-year-old democratic socialist's surprise romp in the New York City mayoral primary: His election represents a watershed moment in national politics. It's not an idea that's entirely based in reality. It's not even a notion that Mamdani himself seems to foster. Rather, it's an assumption that is largely emanating from outside New York City. The hyperventilation surrounding Mamdani's victory is the provenance of those with only a glancing knowledge of the inner-workings of New York government and politics. The glow of a victory in a New York City mayoral primary can be intoxicating for election watchers and the pundit class. In a mirror image of our current moment, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams was hailed as a potential national Democratic star after his 2021 election and a repudiation of left-wing politics at the beginning of the Biden era. By March of this year, Adams' star had burned out: His approval rating had dropped to 20%. It's a familiar story. Before Adams, the last New York mayor to not launch a disastrous and short-lived campaign for president was David Dinkins, whose term ended in 1993 at the hands of an ambitious crime fighter named Rudy Giuliani. The job, often described as the 'second toughest' in America (after that of president), tarnishes the shine of every occupant of City Hall. The mayor is required to be the leader of a city that at every turn resists caricature and is in a constant state of change. He — and every New York City mayor to date has been a man — must work within an intractable bureaucracy and with state legislators and a governor often intent on stopping his political priorities in their tracks. He has to deal with drivers furious with congestion pricing regulations but also New Yorkers who never bothered to get their driver's license and wake up cursing the MTA. He is forced to represent a city of 8 million on a global stage and host the world's most powerful people while remaining laser focused on solving the deeply diverse and contradictory needs of its shockingly rich and desperately poor residents. The job is perhaps best summed up by a now-famous Onion headline that fictitiously describes former Mayor Bill de Blasio relishing Adams' failures: 'Well, Well, Well, Not So Easy To Find A Mayor That Doesn't Suck Shit, Huh?' Thanks to those extremes, the New York City mayor's office is no natural launching pad for higher office — even if scores of former residents of Gracie Mansion thought otherwise. The timing of Mamdani's primary victory in the heavily Democratic city is also playing a role in distorting political reality. New York's mayoral primary always takes place roughly six months after each presidential election, in the media capital of the world. Thus it's among the earliest and most conspicuous barometers measuring the post-election national environment. In all of Mamdani's national media appearances since the election, he steers questions about the broader implications of his victory back to questions facing city residents. Unlike Andrew Cuomo, the former governor who hinted at his own national ambitions during the primary, Mamdani seems interested in governing the city first, which was part of his appeal. Where he has been willing to engage national media outlets has been on broader questions of strategy — that he won by talking about an affordability crisis. 'I think there's a question of how we return back to what made so many of us proud to be Democrats,' he told ABC News on Wednesday. 'I think it's that focus on an economic agenda, on ensuring that people can do more than just struggle.' That campaign — the message and the messenger, the slick videos that kept going viral and the way he expanded the electorate — is sure to be studied by national Democrats. Mamdani enters the general election with little publicly stated interest in higher office. And the city where he's now in pole position to govern remains a good bet to dim his boy wonder shine. But even if the siren call of the national stage at some point becomes impossible to resist, don't expect another vanity run for president by a New York City mayor — the U.S. Constitution wouldn't allow the Uganda-born Mamdani to hold the office. What'd I Miss? — Supreme Court hands Trump major win, limits judges' ability to block birthright citizenship order nationwide: The Supreme Court has handed President Donald Trump a major victory by narrowing nationwide injunctions that blocked his executive order purporting to end the right to birthright citizenship. In doing so, the court sharply curtailed the power of individual district court judges to issue injunctions blocking federal government policies nationwide. The justices, in a 6-3 vote along ideological lines, said that in most cases, judges can only grant relief to the individuals or groups who brought a particular lawsuit and may not extend those decisions to protect other individuals without going through the process of converting a lawsuit into a class action. — Supreme Court OKs opt-out for LGBTQ+ materials in school: The Supreme Court has sided with a group of parents demanding that their public schools be required to provide notices to opt their children out of certain storybook readings that conflict with their religious beliefs. Today's 6-3 ruling, split along ideological lines, found that Maryland's Montgomery County Public Schools violated parents' First Amendment rights to religious exercise by not giving them advanced notice or an opportunity to opt their children out of certain lessons. The school board had initially allowed parents to opt out of lessons, but the board's policy reversal in the 2023-2024 school year sparked a legal challenge. — Trump backs away from July 4 megabill deadline: President Donald Trump today backed off the July 4 deadline he set for Congress to pass his megabill, acknowledging the timing could slip as Republicans work through a series of political and logistical hurdles. 'It's not the end-all,' Trump said of the self-imposed Independence Day goal. 'It can go longer, but we'd like to get it done by that time if possible.' The remarks represented a clear softening of the White House's position from just a day earlier, when Trump administration officials insisted the GOP lawmakers pass the domestic policy package within a week despite a series of fresh obstacles. Senate Republican leaders are still struggling to lock down the necessary 51 votes for the bill, amid objections from competing factions over the depth of the legislation's Medicaid cuts. — Trump says he's 'terminating' all trade discussions with Canada: President Donald Trump said today he is 'terminating' all trade discussions with Canada, effective immediately, because of its Digital Services Tax, and that he would announce new tariffs on the country within the next seven days. 'We have just been informed that Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with … has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country,' Trump said in a Truth Social post. Canada's Digital Services Tax, which imposes a 3 percent tax on large foreign and domestic digital companies that make over C$20 million in revenue, is expected to come into force on Saturday. The tax applies to certain Canadian profits that companies make from online advertising, social media, online marketplaces and the sale and licensing of user data. — UVA president resigns amid pressure from Trump administration: University of Virginia President James E. Ryan announced his resignation today, a swift response to calls from the Trump administration to step down amid the Justice Department's probe into the school's diversity, equity and inclusion practices. 'To make a long story short, I am inclined to fight for what I believe in, and I believe deeply in this University. But I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job,' Ryan said in an email sent to UVA community members, which was shared with POLITICO. Ryan is the latest university leader to come under pressure from the Trump administration, as dozens of other elite universities face scrutiny and pressure from the president to claw back DEI policies. AROUND THE WORLD NEW WORLD ORDER — For six months, Donald Trump has upended the global trading order, threatening and announcing tariffs, then easing them to open negotiations, while warning that punitive levies will be reimposed if the terms are not to his liking. With just 13 days until the Trump-imposed deadline to conclude a EU-U.S. deal, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen decided the time for conventional negotiating tactics was over. She floated the idea that the EU's 27 countries could join forces with 12 members of the Asian-led Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership bloc (CPTPP) — which now includes the U.K. — to form a new world trade initiative. The new grouping would redesign a rules-based global trading order, reforming or perhaps even replacing the now largely defunct World Trade Organization, she said. Crucially, the U.S. would not automatically be invited. SHOWING UP — A who's who of European politicians is descending on Budapest in a battle of wills with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, seeking to defy his government's ban on Saturday's Pride parade. After weeks of silence, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen finally backed the celebrations in a video statement on Wednesday. 'I call on the Hungarian authorities to allow the Budapest Pride to go ahead,' she said. 'To the LGBTIQ+ community in Hungary and beyond: I will always be your ally.' While von der Leyen will not be there in person to defy Orbán, more than 70 members of the European Parliament do plan to attend. Nightly Number RADAR SWEEP FIXER UPPER — New York City's empty churches are getting a chance at rebirth. Developers are eyeing the buildings, some in neighborhoods 'where a square foot costs roughly the same as an ounce of gold,' to develop apartments and condos. By some estimates churches across the city could be repurposed into homes of nearly 100,000 households. Justin Davidson argues in New York Magazine that the right way to renovate must involve preserving the churches' facade and a neighborhood's cultural history. Parting Image Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Jacqueline Munis contributed to this newsletter.
Time Out
16 hours ago
- Time Out
Queens bus routes will get a complete overhaul this weekend—here's what to know
Queens' bus network is about to hit refresh. Starting Sunday, June 29, the MTA is rolling out the first phase of its long-awaited Queens Bus Network Redesign, a complete overhaul that will touch all but three of the borough's bus routes. The changes aim to simplify service, improve frequency and better connect riders to subways and key destinations across the city. It's the first comprehensive revamp in decades and if you're one of the nearly 1 million daily bus riders in the borough, your commute is about to change. 'Queens is the bus borough,' said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber at a press conference. 'In Queens, there are 800,000 daily bus customers. They need fast and frequent service, and they are going to get it with this redesign.' The redesign introduces 124 total routes—94 local and 30 express—up from the current 113. That includes 14 brand-new routes debuting Sunday and a fresh class of 'Rush' routes designed to shuttle commuters more quickly to subway and rail hubs. Six current routes will be discontinued and another (Q21) will phase out in August when the second part of the plan goes into effect. Among the headline perks: An estimated 124,000 more people will now live within a quarter mile of a bus arriving every 10 minutes or less during daytime hours and 68,000 more residents will gain access to 24/7 bus service. Sunday's changes largely focus on eastern Queens and Ridgewood, with western Queens seeing shifts in Phase 2 on Aug. 31. The MTA has launched an arsenal of digital tools —including a route look-up engine, an interactive map and a trip planner—to help riders navigate the transition. This overhaul has been years in the making, following a 2019 proposal that was widely panned and a 2020 pandemic pause. Since then, the MTA has hosted over 250 community events and reviewed more than 18,000 public comments to refine the final plan. 'There are things that need to be tinkered with in the plan,' acknowledged State Senator Leroy Comrie, 'but we do have a promise, once the plan is implemented, that there's an opportunity for tinkering to be done.'
New York Post
18 hours ago
- Science
- New York Post
Explore the universe with this Smart Telescope, now $270!
Discover startups, services, products and more from our partner StackCommerce. New York Post edits this content, and may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. TL;DR: View the universe anytime, anywhere with the first-ever Smartphone-based Telescope, now on sale for $259.99 (reg. $299.99) with free shipping. Many substitute the city's dazzling lights for the beauty of the galaxy. While that's cool and all, let's be real—nothing quite beats a blanket of stars and constellations, but the MTA can only get you so far away from the city. Fortunately, we have the perfect solution for you. Meet the Hestia Smartphone-based Telescope, which allows you to explore the universe day or night. Now you can snag one for $259.99 (reg. $299.99) and get free shipping! So, what is a Smartphone-based Telescope? The Hestia is designed to attach to iPhones (iOS 16.0 or later) and Android devices (Android 11 or later) to amplify the main camera through the Vanois Gravity app. It's built with six different lenses, making images up to 5x sharper with a magnification of 25x. With that kind of close-up, you can live out your childhood dream of being an astronaut, without ever leaving the ground! By hopping on this deal, not only do you save a few bucks, but you get everything you need to explore space by day or night. The Ultimate Pack comes equipped with Hestia's premium tripod, a high-quality solar filter, a precision solar pointer, a transportation case, and a visor. All you're missing is a snack and bev. Better yet, this telescope is built to last. It relies solely on an optical design system, aka your phone, so there's no need for battery or risk of power loss. Plus, it's waterproof, temperature resistant, and impact resistant, so you don't have to worry about someone bumping into you. Trek out to Central Park, where the trees and skyscrapers can't disrupt your view, pick your destination on the Gravity app, and enjoy the vast wonders of space. Choose between three different modes: Day, Night, or Scenery Mode to learn more about the Sun, Moon, and catalogue your surroundings up close in crystal-clear quality. Who knows, you may find a new planet with this baby. Fuel your inner child and grab Hestia's first-ever Smartphone-based Telescope (Ultimate Pack) for only $259.99 (reg. $299.99) with free shipping. StackSocial prices subject to change.
Time Out
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time Out
The Verrazano Bridge is getting a $250 million makeover—will it affect your commute?
The MTA just approved a $249 million plan to give the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge its biggest upgrade in decades—and if you're one of the 220,000 drivers who cross it daily, you're probably wondering: How bad is this going to mess with my commute? The good news is probably not much. The multi-year project, greenlit this week, will install a cutting-edge dehumidification system on the bridge's four main suspension cables. It's designed to prevent corrosion, extend the bridge's lifespan by decades and keep traffic moving safely for years to come. 'This is a new system for us,' said Jamie Torres-Springer, president of MTA Construction and Development. 'It's a widely accepted method of preventing steel cable corrosion around the world.' In short, moisture is the enemy, and this system keeps humidity levels inside the cables below 40-percent, which is the sweet spot for structural health. Similar systems are already in place on the George Washington Bridge and are underway on the RFK, with plans to expand across the MTA's entire suspension bridge portfolio. As for traffic, the MTA says the impact will be minimal. Most work will be done overnight and any weekday lane closures will be limited to off-peak hours—after the morning rush for Brooklyn-bound lanes and before the evening rush heading back to Staten Island. Off-peak lane closures are expected to begin in spring 2026, giving commuters a heads-up well in advance. No full bridge closures are planned. The project has been in the works for over a year, but nearly stalled last summer when Governor Kathy Hochul put New York City's congestion pricing plan on hold. Once the tolling plan got revived last fall, so did the Verrazzano repairs. Originally opened in 1964, the Verrazzano is a vital artery for cars, trucks and more than 30,000 daily bus riders. This upgrade aims to keep it that way, with a little less rust and a lot more resilience.
New York Post
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Mamdani vows to lower costs but his ‘fix' is more lefty policies that drive them up
Zohran Mamdani drew support in Tuesday's primary for saying he'd make New York more affordable — yet he's mainly offering more of the policies that have made the city so expensive. Gotham is unaffordable for many, but that's largely thanks to decades of Democratic policies that Mamdani wants to dramatically expand. He promises 'to lower the cost of living for working-class New Yorkers,' offering free buses, CUNY tuition, child care, a freeze on rents and more. That sounds great. Yet in reality, his free stuff would actually make the city worse, particularly for the people most desperate for relief. Take his rent freeze. Owners of rent-regulated buildings can't keep up with their costs, thanks to lefty Mayor Bill de Blasio's years of rent freezes and restrictions by Albany progressives. So they're holding apartments vacant rather than leasing them, because the rent they'd collect won't cover the cost of bringing them up to code. Many landlords are poised to go under — or to walk away from their buildings. Democrats have also opposed other efforts to boost the housing supply, like Mayor Eric Adams' City of Yes rezoning plan. Yet Mamdani's rent freeze would only deepen the housing shortage. How will that help anyone seeking affordable housing? Or take his free buses. The only way the MTA could even hope to run them would be to cut down on bus service and repairs. Plus, buses would risk turning into mobile homeless shelters, as they have in other cities that tried this. Riders would suffer big-time. Are fares too high? Well, if Democrats would enforce farebeating, the MTA might be able to hold them down. Yet Mamdani wants to defund the police. If he wins, expect farebeating to soar — and paying riders would have to pony up more to offset the lost fare revenue. Dems are also known for their generous labor deals and regulatory burdens on businesses, which further drive up prices for consumers. Count on Mamdani to accelerate that trend. Does anyone truly think the cost of his proposed $30-an-hour wage minimum wage won't be passed along to consumers? By his (likely lowball) estimates, his city-spending plans would cost a whopping $10 billion, money the city doesn't have and won't likely get. Were Albany to hit businesses with his tax hikes, prices would rise further still. Sure, Mamdani's promises of 'lower costs' will resonate in pricey New York if voters don't think through the consequences. But if New Yorkers really want a more affordable city, they'll need leaders who oppose the Democratic policies that have only fueled Gotham's higher costs. The opposite of Mamdani, that is.
