Yesterday’s victory of “democratic socialist” Zohran Mamdani in the race for the New York mayoralty is fuelling debate amongst progressives around the world about the way forward.
Chippy, the Beehive carreerist, needs to ditch his managerialist neoliberal mindset and actually lead the fight for fairness. His timidity is becoming conflated with his PM aspiration, which is of zero use to people struggling. He also needs to support Chlöe who is at least trying. Labour is also scared of its own shadow, over invested in sucking up the centre, and its forgotten its ‘Savage’ roots. It’s the party of the worker, get back to being the party of the worker and fight for them. Provide some democratic socialist hope. Luxon and the coalition won’t have a leg to stand on. Being nasty is actually dumb politics as Mamdani has eloquently demonstrated. And people can smell BS a mile away so the left needs to stop presenting tidbits-of-nothingness. Start being authentic and standing behind policy designed to work for we-the-people. F..k the supermarkets, banks, vested interests, oligopolies, and their chumocracies.
Watch Peters, he’ll be all over this after Mamdani’s win. He’ll already be doing the math and he’ll be ‘false-pivoting’ by the end of the week. Anything for votes. Pity he doesn’t demonstrate the same moral fortitude as Mamdani, but his own ego has always prevented him delivering on his potential. So come on Labour, get back on the bloody tools. Here’s hoping New Zealand’s left wake up in time, but let’s be straight up and down here, it isn’t looking great. All I can see is tinkering and more tinkering. Show me the money….from the taxes on the wealthy.
Oh, and keep up the great work Chlöe, Marama, and team.
Hi Andrew. All good points, which I'm pondering. But regardless of what political parties put in their policies, which are often buried and not actually adhered to, it's what the parties focus on in the public realm that really matters. Currently the Greens focus their fire power in a very different direction to the likes of Mamdani.
Okay, understand. Getting any acknowledgement or traction in msm is an issue. Still trying other media methods. By the way what do you think of the last sentence/paragraph of the last few press releases from Chloe Swarbrick?
I was very pleased to see that the Democrats did so well in the elections , You are quite correct our left leaning parties need to stand up for the ordinary citizens not the big money donors that only want the status Quo to keep raking in obscene profits, The amount paid to the CEO of Westpac is a clear example of how screwed up things are.
It's interesting that the article lauds a couple of left wing people who have just been elected in different parts but haven't yet done anything at all. How does this happen? Is this realism, or idealistic nonsense? I think that people should be judged by what they achieve, not on their beliefs. Getting elected to office is not a real acheivement.
The last labor government had a mandate to change the economic structure of nz but they got bogged down with treaty and 3 waters issues and who is using which toilet in schools
The 'New Left' has grown old, weary and increasingly irrelevant. The struggle has always been between the capital and labour classes something which been obfuscated for too long. Time to reengage in the struggle and be bold.
Yes, I was extremely thrilled for Zohran Mamdani’s win. So very much enjoy your writings. I forwarded Your suggestions for ‘the way forward for Labour and the Greens’ to their reps this morning. They really need to heed these matters. Many thanks again.
........just like the 2017 Labour government promises which all turned into utter failures or had unintended (but predictable) consequences.
I hope I am proven wrong and someone by some miracle has come up with new ways to achieve affordability for the masses in the world of ever increasing costs we all face......The biggest question will be whether New York files for bankruptcy before the end of Zohrans first term because if he puts all of those policies in place without generating revenue to pay for them thats where he will end up sending the city.
When a political party adopts a certain political position, or chooses not to adopt a particular position, there is usually an explanation and a logic which cannot be altered by the coaxing of outsiders. Perhaps we need another article to explain to us why the New Zealand Labour Party is not taking the road of Mayor Mamdani.
Progressives around the world can continue to debate their way forward. Here the discussion seems to be about redistribution of existing, declining (or departing) wealth rather than anything innovative to move the country forward. Mamdani's victory is more about sending a message to Republicans and Trump than it is about a wider trend globally. His speech about being an immigrant elected to work for a city of immigrants is the story of America (even Native Americans immigrated) and resonates with most except the MAGA hard core who have been told immigrants have taken their jobs and commit all the crimes. His opponent, while from a NY political dynasty, was damaged goods following his resignation as governor. Progressives are unlikely to win a US general election without putting forward candidates who appeal to moderate swing voters sick of Trump and what he's doing to the country. This is the current challenge for the Democratic Party but happy to see signs of hope after yesterday. Expect Trump and his fan base to make voting harder the next election and challenge results.
"Focus on class, not identity politics" is a fascinating idea, ostensibly shifting back to socialisms Marxist roots, the struggle of the working class man. Presumably though the shift away from that to identity politics, with the working man turned into black, lesbian female on the benefit, was exactly because generally the class difference has faded, with trades people for example doing very nicely thank you. However, It is abundantly clear from history that the arrival of difficult economic times nearly always provides an incredibly powerful opportunity to oust the status quo. By identifying a rallying target, with the right manipulation and direction of already inflamed emotions even a Nazi party can achieve power.
Chippy, the Beehive carreerist, needs to ditch his managerialist neoliberal mindset and actually lead the fight for fairness. His timidity is becoming conflated with his PM aspiration, which is of zero use to people struggling. He also needs to support Chlöe who is at least trying. Labour is also scared of its own shadow, over invested in sucking up the centre, and its forgotten its ‘Savage’ roots. It’s the party of the worker, get back to being the party of the worker and fight for them. Provide some democratic socialist hope. Luxon and the coalition won’t have a leg to stand on. Being nasty is actually dumb politics as Mamdani has eloquently demonstrated. And people can smell BS a mile away so the left needs to stop presenting tidbits-of-nothingness. Start being authentic and standing behind policy designed to work for we-the-people. F..k the supermarkets, banks, vested interests, oligopolies, and their chumocracies.
Watch Peters, he’ll be all over this after Mamdani’s win. He’ll already be doing the math and he’ll be ‘false-pivoting’ by the end of the week. Anything for votes. Pity he doesn’t demonstrate the same moral fortitude as Mamdani, but his own ego has always prevented him delivering on his potential. So come on Labour, get back on the bloody tools. Here’s hoping New Zealand’s left wake up in time, but let’s be straight up and down here, it isn’t looking great. All I can see is tinkering and more tinkering. Show me the money….from the taxes on the wealthy.
Oh, and keep up the great work Chlöe, Marama, and team.
FFS Bryce, have you read the Green Budget, the Green Industrial Strategy, the Green Fiscal Strategy, the Green Emissions Reduction Plan?
It might be correct to say that Labour isn't fighting for transformative change, but there is no factual basis to say the same of the Greens.
Hi Andrew. All good points, which I'm pondering. But regardless of what political parties put in their policies, which are often buried and not actually adhered to, it's what the parties focus on in the public realm that really matters. Currently the Greens focus their fire power in a very different direction to the likes of Mamdani.
Okay, understand. Getting any acknowledgement or traction in msm is an issue. Still trying other media methods. By the way what do you think of the last sentence/paragraph of the last few press releases from Chloe Swarbrick?
I was very pleased to see that the Democrats did so well in the elections , You are quite correct our left leaning parties need to stand up for the ordinary citizens not the big money donors that only want the status Quo to keep raking in obscene profits, The amount paid to the CEO of Westpac is a clear example of how screwed up things are.
It's interesting that the article lauds a couple of left wing people who have just been elected in different parts but haven't yet done anything at all. How does this happen? Is this realism, or idealistic nonsense? I think that people should be judged by what they achieve, not on their beliefs. Getting elected to office is not a real acheivement.
The last labor government had a mandate to change the economic structure of nz but they got bogged down with treaty and 3 waters issues and who is using which toilet in schools
The 'New Left' has grown old, weary and increasingly irrelevant. The struggle has always been between the capital and labour classes something which been obfuscated for too long. Time to reengage in the struggle and be bold.
Yes, I was extremely thrilled for Zohran Mamdani’s win. So very much enjoy your writings. I forwarded Your suggestions for ‘the way forward for Labour and the Greens’ to their reps this morning. They really need to heed these matters. Many thanks again.
........just like the 2017 Labour government promises which all turned into utter failures or had unintended (but predictable) consequences.
I hope I am proven wrong and someone by some miracle has come up with new ways to achieve affordability for the masses in the world of ever increasing costs we all face......The biggest question will be whether New York files for bankruptcy before the end of Zohrans first term because if he puts all of those policies in place without generating revenue to pay for them thats where he will end up sending the city.
When a political party adopts a certain political position, or chooses not to adopt a particular position, there is usually an explanation and a logic which cannot be altered by the coaxing of outsiders. Perhaps we need another article to explain to us why the New Zealand Labour Party is not taking the road of Mayor Mamdani.
Progressives around the world can continue to debate their way forward. Here the discussion seems to be about redistribution of existing, declining (or departing) wealth rather than anything innovative to move the country forward. Mamdani's victory is more about sending a message to Republicans and Trump than it is about a wider trend globally. His speech about being an immigrant elected to work for a city of immigrants is the story of America (even Native Americans immigrated) and resonates with most except the MAGA hard core who have been told immigrants have taken their jobs and commit all the crimes. His opponent, while from a NY political dynasty, was damaged goods following his resignation as governor. Progressives are unlikely to win a US general election without putting forward candidates who appeal to moderate swing voters sick of Trump and what he's doing to the country. This is the current challenge for the Democratic Party but happy to see signs of hope after yesterday. Expect Trump and his fan base to make voting harder the next election and challenge results.
"Focus on class, not identity politics" is a fascinating idea, ostensibly shifting back to socialisms Marxist roots, the struggle of the working class man. Presumably though the shift away from that to identity politics, with the working man turned into black, lesbian female on the benefit, was exactly because generally the class difference has faded, with trades people for example doing very nicely thank you. However, It is abundantly clear from history that the arrival of difficult economic times nearly always provides an incredibly powerful opportunity to oust the status quo. By identifying a rallying target, with the right manipulation and direction of already inflamed emotions even a Nazi party can achieve power.
" The NZ left need to catch up with the Zeitgeist". They won't, they haven't got the guts.