Mamdani’s Facts are Askew–his Opinions? Dangerous

The NYC mayoral election in 2025 is attracting attention worldwide. A massive 2.3 trillion dollar economy, it is about four times larger than Israel’s 570 billion, a large fraction of India’s and a significant trading partner with both. The leading candidate, Zohran Mamdani, a self-described “South Asian” “Democratic Socialist” has a wildly populist economic agenda, but highly controversial views that appear to condone terrorism. As New Yorkers and others reel under Trump’s extreme right-wing economic agenda, Mamdani offers an alternative Utopia: rent freezes, construction of 200,000 apartments, free childcare, and other items that would cost around $17 billion annually. The revenue plan? Tax “richer and whiter neighborhoods” and raise personal and corporate taxes. The problem with the plan?  If the state, federal government and stars all align, this will yield up to 10 billion a year—but still result in a deficit of $8 billion.

In any case, an aligning of the stars appears unlikely. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has already opposed the Mamdani tax hikes and Donald Trump has called him a Communist. It is safe to say that their support is unlikely. Admittedly, some economists have supported his plan but instead of calling out the deficit, they have simply pointed back to his own web site’s numbers.

This circular logic, therefore, continues to fail the test of common sense.  Simply put:  when a Mamdani pilot to have free buses on one NYC route was cancelled after one year, why would it succeed throughout the city?  The answer might be that we have to go bigger and look at a federal policy funded not by tax hikes on job-creating entrepreneurs and businesses but by cuts to defense spending.  However, Mamdani should then run for President, not Mayor.

At a social level also, Mamdani’s comments do not give all New Yorkers comfort.  His comments defending terms like “Globalize the Intifada” as free speech are well known.  What is less well-known is that in the same Bulwark podcast with Tim and Cam, he also re-interprets statements like “from the river to the sea” to be a cry for equality for Palestinians.  He promises that he will keep Jewish New Yorkers safe which is a laudable sentiment—except that he also shows videos that mock Hannukah. Even this could be explained away as a joke, perhaps, except that similar humor poking fun of Islam are nowhere to be seen.

If a real test of character is loyalty, Mamdani fails miserably.  He has made up falsehoods around his family’s country and state of origin–India and Gujarat.  More than twenty years ago, tragic riots took place there which claimed the lives of up to 2500 people, mostly Muslims. Today, although almost six million Muslims live there—10% of the state’s population—Mamdani breezily claimed that “people don’t believe [Gujarati Muslims] exist anymore”.  By doing so, he crossed the line from riveting rhetoric to flagrant falsehood.  The fact is that Muslim representation in India has grown from about 9% in 1951 to roughly 14% today. In the nation of Israel as well, the Muslim population has gone up from 20% to 22%. In both cases, these are not indicators of annihilation.  While Gujarat’s three-day violence was inexcusable, the 1992 Los Angeles riots took five days to be quelled in the far more advanced United States of America.  The Supreme Court in India also exonerated Modi while in comparison, Netanyahu or Bush were not even charged for their actions in Gaza or Iraq.  Thus, Mamdani’s assertion of war crimes belies the truth.

Nevertheless, Mamdani still leads the polls although several New Yorkers have pointed out that his statements create controversy without adding clarity or equity. He chooses to support free expression when it serves him—such as refusing to condemn slogans like “globalize the intifada”—but remains silent when confronted with his own distortions. This inconsistency reveals a troubling moral hierarchy: incendiary speech gets defended, while factual truth goes unacknowledged.

Some may argue that Mamdani’s radical positions, while imperfect, offers a necessary and natural response to Donald Trump’s right-wing hate, where he condemned his opponents–half the country–on America’s Independence Day. Two wrongs do not make a right, however. Mamdani may continue with casual remarks against “whiter neighborhoods” and Israel in general.  His gentle charisma and kind persona may even allow him to explain them away.  However, the trend is troubling. If Mamdani is also willing to sell out the people of India, his ancestral home by imputing a Jewish-style “equivalent” holocaust that never happened, what confidence can there be that he will be the flagbearer of democratic accountability or public trust for anyone else?

What is the alternative?  For those who like Republican policies but detest Trump, Republican Curtis Sliwa has an extraordinary record of security, leadership and sacrifice.  For those who prefer Democratic principles, both Cuomo and Adams represent the mainstream.  Howver, Eric Adams is scandal-ridden and Andrew Cuomo has baggage related to sexual harrassment and Covid.  For his socialist policies alone, Mamdani would be bad for any city, state or country.  Throw in a generous dollop of ethnic and religious hatred and the nightmare is complete.

Facts in history, and precision in economics are the bedrock of credible government. Mamdani claiming the moral high ground while ignoring reality undermines the very principles of social democracy.  If Mamdani aims to unseat Trump-style authoritarianism, he needs to do so with truth and justice—that is the American Way.