“I came [to Mamdani’s inauguration] expecting a political coronation. But as I worked my way through the crowd, it felt closer to a collective recalibration—a moment to take stock of how ideas once dismissed as fringe, like openly taxing wealthy citizens, were now being voiced from the steps of City Hall without apology, and to wonder how much further the shift could go.”

#Politics #USPolitics #ProgressivePolitics #MamdaniForMayor #TaxTheWealthy #ProgressiveGovernance

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/01/zohran-mamdani-new-york-mayor-first-big-speech.html

“Mamdani’s speech was a declaration of a new kind of modern politics that focuses on ‘freedom to’ rather than ‘freedom from.’ … For most Americans, government regulation and investments in social welfare like education and infrastructure guarantee freedom to build a life that is not cramped by preventable obstacles, including those imposed by the wealthy and powerful.”

#Politics #USPolitics #ProgressivePolitics #MamdaniSpeech #SocialWelfare #LettersFromAnAmerican

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-2-2026