Who are you voting for in the Dem primary for mayor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crime stats are a joke. Nice that murders might be down but quality of life crimes are up. Bragg is not seeking meaningful sentencing so police is demoralized because they put their lives on the line then see the criminal back on the streets the same day despite a long rap sheet.

People should not serve life terms for their first shoplifting offense. But we need more sensible penalties, particularly for repeat offenders - each additional guilty offense should result in an increased sentence. Really not that complicated.

Well if they’re up, it’s been under a cop mayor. I personally think a fair amount of it is based on impression. Have you ever spoken with someone who actually grew up in NYC, in the 80s, as ex? They would laugh if you told them ‘quality of life in NYC has decreased’! I can still remember when Times Square was a disaster zone, so was much of Tribeca, and many borough neighborhoods that were practically uninhabitable are gorgeous now (Williamsburg is the most obvious example). People who cry ‘NYC is going downhill!!’ clearly don’t live in NYC or have a very limited frame of reference. Do I think there can be quality of life improvements? Absolutely.

Thank you for the scripted response - that is what everyone says. I'm not comparing it to then. I'm comparing it to 10-15 years ago. I have lived in NYC for 20+ years and grew up in the 80s nearby so I'm well aware of what you are referring to.

Fair point about Adams. He has not focused as much on this as he should have. He is also somewhat handcuffed (pardon my pun) by a DA who is not prosecuting crimes and laws largely created by the state that also make enforcement harder. So, to your point, one cannot solely credit or blame the mayor for this. But the mayor can use his/her bully pulpit to prioritize it more. Bloomberg tried to do this and admittedly went too far with how stop and frisk was executed. I remain convinced that stop and frisk in theory is a great idea, but it was poorly executed.

And again, I'm not asking for a Trump-led police state. I just want more of a focus on dealing with quality of life crimes in a more serious way. Having meaningful penalties, especially for repeat offenders. Come up with a plan for those who are really, really mentally off and need serious help. I cannot stand those who think that letting them suffer on the streets is protecting their rights. No, it is insulting them, while also putting others in danger.

How is the PP response scripted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok take the free buses. The mayor does not control the MTA. It is governed by a Board and while the mayor gets to appoint some the governor appoints the majority of the MTA board. The mayor cannot simply wave his hand and make buses free.

I like some aspects of mandami. He is certainly charming and has energy. But the pie in the sky ideas like buses just put me off. And I am a public school parent and he has like zero plans except to get rid of a small GT program that helps keep the middle class from fleeing to the burbs.

Free buses have been piloted in the past. The idea is to make transport/access to NYC a little easier for the working people we NEED in NYC. It’s a first step as we work on affordable housing. why can’t a police officer, teacher or other civil service worker afford to live where they work? For some of these workers, the transportation costs alone are prohibitively expensive. That is not ‘pie in the sky’, it’s practical.

I’m a public school parent too. I have no problem with limiting g&t entry points at k/pre K. Testing a 4 year old is ridiculous, and all elementary schools should offer a solid education. I myself am the product of another great Ps system where gifted differentiators did not arise until 4th grade, and were by teacher rec - not one test which anyone who is honest, they know these tests are gamed by many parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crime stats are a joke. Nice that murders might be down but quality of life crimes are up. Bragg is not seeking meaningful sentencing so police is demoralized because they put their lives on the line then see the criminal back on the streets the same day despite a long rap sheet.

People should not serve life terms for their first shoplifting offense. But we need more sensible penalties, particularly for repeat offenders - each additional guilty offense should result in an increased sentence. Really not that complicated.

Well if they’re up, it’s been under a cop mayor. I personally think a fair amount of it is based on impression. Have you ever spoken with someone who actually grew up in NYC, in the 80s, as ex? They would laugh if you told them ‘quality of life in NYC has decreased’! I can still remember when Times Square was a disaster zone, so was much of Tribeca, and many borough neighborhoods that were practically uninhabitable are gorgeous now (Williamsburg is the most obvious example). People who cry ‘NYC is going downhill!!’ clearly don’t live in NYC or have a very limited frame of reference. Do I think there can be quality of life improvements? Absolutely.

Thank you for the scripted response - that is what everyone says. I'm not comparing it to then. I'm comparing it to 10-15 years ago. I have lived in NYC for 20+ years and grew up in the 80s nearby so I'm well aware of what you are referring to.

Fair point about Adams. He has not focused as much on this as he should have. He is also somewhat handcuffed (pardon my pun) by a DA who is not prosecuting crimes and laws largely created by the state that also make enforcement harder. So, to your point, one cannot solely credit or blame the mayor for this. But the mayor can use his/her bully pulpit to prioritize it more. Bloomberg tried to do this and admittedly went too far with how stop and frisk was executed. I remain convinced that stop and frisk in theory is a great idea, but it was poorly executed.

And again, I'm not asking for a Trump-led police state. I just want more of a focus on dealing with quality of life crimes in a more serious way. Having meaningful penalties, especially for repeat offenders. Come up with a plan for those who are really, really mentally off and need serious help. I cannot stand those who think that letting them suffer on the streets is protecting their rights. No, it is insulting them, while also putting others in danger.

Uh, do you not recall that we had a global pandemic just a few years ago that hit NYC hardest in the US, at least initially?

As far as homeless/mentally ill. I totally agree this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

But those issues you cite are not Mandan’s to own. If anything, he’s trying to figure out ways to address quality of life issues, and let cops spend more time on crime rather than mental health/drug issues which anyone with eyes can see are a huge part of any current dysfunction in the city. Will it work? Idk. But it’s refreshing to have someone who seems open to trying things, and who isn’t beholden to their own ego and special interests. Sliwa is a joke and Cuomo seems more concerned with kissing Israel’s ass (he said he’d defend Netanyahu) and satisfying his real estate and billionaire donors, all of whom claim there is no money to raise taxes yet easily donated millions to Cuomo.

I’m sad to see that many people who claim they don’t like mandani over these issues seem to be hiding their real objection- he’s Muslim.

Wow. Just wow. I didn't totally agree with you but I respected your perspective. Then you dropped the Muslim bit. Please. That is such a cop out. I'm Jewish. But I honestly care almost zero about the Israel stuff or anything else. Because that is largely beyond his jurisdisction as mayor and I don't think he is truly anti-Semitic. I think he could have been handling it better but that is not my issue.

When you use low class comments like that to basically try to put a stop to a conversation, you are not engaging in adult discourse. So I won't bother with the rest. Because it isn't worth discussing. Grow up.

Apparently I hit a nerve. So it’s ok for everyone to call Mamdani anti semitic- it’s been said over and over and over- but no one can say that they see anti Islamic sentiment? Got it. Rules for there but not for me.

Everyone? Really? Please stop generalizing. There are definitely some who did. And his refusal to condemn an anti-Semitic term somewhat justifies that. But many (if not most people) dislike him for reasons that have nothing to do with this. To prove my point, I will say that I am sure there are anti-Islamic people, which is very unfortunate. But there are not nearly as many as you are portraying. But you can continue obsessing over it and ignorantly generalizing.

My guess is it's a very small percentage. Most of his detractors likely oppose him because he's a democratic socialist, he wants to give everyone free stuff without any plan to pay for it, he's soft on crime, and he has very little experience (both governing and life experience.

Obama was inexperienced. M has plans to pay for things and his ideas are not nearly as ‘radical’ as people are claiming. Not one of them.

It’s Islamaphobia

I am a non-Muslim with several very close friends who are Muslim - they attended my wedding and I would give them the shirt off my back, and vice versa. I don't like Mamdani. He is like Trump in that he plays to people's most base instincts and people suspend logic and critical thinking skills in supporting him. Note that I would take Mamdani any day of the week over Trump - Trump is truly evil. I do not think Mamdani is at all evil. I just don't think he is qualified.

I know people in OMB, law department, etc. They understand what makes the city run. They are scared.

I have "simplistic know-it-all snarky jerk-ophobia." You seem to be one. I don't like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crime stats are a joke. Nice that murders might be down but quality of life crimes are up. Bragg is not seeking meaningful sentencing so police is demoralized because they put their lives on the line then see the criminal back on the streets the same day despite a long rap sheet.

People should not serve life terms for their first shoplifting offense. But we need more sensible penalties, particularly for repeat offenders - each additional guilty offense should result in an increased sentence. Really not that complicated.

Well if they’re up, it’s been under a cop mayor. I personally think a fair amount of it is based on impression. Have you ever spoken with someone who actually grew up in NYC, in the 80s, as ex? They would laugh if you told them ‘quality of life in NYC has decreased’! I can still remember when Times Square was a disaster zone, so was much of Tribeca, and many borough neighborhoods that were practically uninhabitable are gorgeous now (Williamsburg is the most obvious example). People who cry ‘NYC is going downhill!!’ clearly don’t live in NYC or have a very limited frame of reference. Do I think there can be quality of life improvements? Absolutely.

Thank you for the scripted response - that is what everyone says. I'm not comparing it to then. I'm comparing it to 10-15 years ago. I have lived in NYC for 20+ years and grew up in the 80s nearby so I'm well aware of what you are referring to.

Fair point about Adams. He has not focused as much on this as he should have. He is also somewhat handcuffed (pardon my pun) by a DA who is not prosecuting crimes and laws largely created by the state that also make enforcement harder. So, to your point, one cannot solely credit or blame the mayor for this. But the mayor can use his/her bully pulpit to prioritize it more. Bloomberg tried to do this and admittedly went too far with how stop and frisk was executed. I remain convinced that stop and frisk in theory is a great idea, but it was poorly executed.

And again, I'm not asking for a Trump-led police state. I just want more of a focus on dealing with quality of life crimes in a more serious way. Having meaningful penalties, especially for repeat offenders. Come up with a plan for those who are really, really mentally off and need serious help. I cannot stand those who think that letting them suffer on the streets is protecting their rights. No, it is insulting them, while also putting others in danger.

Uh, do you not recall that we had a global pandemic just a few years ago that hit NYC hardest in the US, at least initially?

As far as homeless/mentally ill. I totally agree this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

But those issues you cite are not Mandan’s to own. If anything, he’s trying to figure out ways to address quality of life issues, and let cops spend more time on crime rather than mental health/drug issues which anyone with eyes can see are a huge part of any current dysfunction in the city. Will it work? Idk. But it’s refreshing to have someone who seems open to trying things, and who isn’t beholden to their own ego and special interests. Sliwa is a joke and Cuomo seems more concerned with kissing Israel’s ass (he said he’d defend Netanyahu) and satisfying his real estate and billionaire donors, all of whom claim there is no money to raise taxes yet easily donated millions to Cuomo.

I’m sad to see that many people who claim they don’t like mandani over these issues seem to be hiding their real objection- he’s Muslim.

Wow. Just wow. I didn't totally agree with you but I respected your perspective. Then you dropped the Muslim bit. Please. That is such a cop out. I'm Jewish. But I honestly care almost zero about the Israel stuff or anything else. Because that is largely beyond his jurisdisction as mayor and I don't think he is truly anti-Semitic. I think he could have been handling it better but that is not my issue.

When you use low class comments like that to basically try to put a stop to a conversation, you are not engaging in adult discourse. So I won't bother with the rest. Because it isn't worth discussing. Grow up.

Apparently I hit a nerve. So it’s ok for everyone to call Mamdani anti semitic- it’s been said over and over and over- but no one can say that they see anti Islamic sentiment? Got it. Rules for there but not for me.

Everyone? Really? Please stop generalizing. There are definitely some who did. And his refusal to condemn an anti-Semitic term somewhat justifies that. But many (if not most people) dislike him for reasons that have nothing to do with this. To prove my point, I will say that I am sure there are anti-Islamic people, which is very unfortunate. But there are not nearly as many as you are portraying. But you can continue obsessing over it and ignorantly generalizing.

My guess is it's a very small percentage. Most of his detractors likely oppose him because he's a democratic socialist, he wants to give everyone free stuff without any plan to pay for it, he's soft on crime, and he has very little experience (both governing and life experience.

Obama was inexperienced. M has plans to pay for things and his ideas are not nearly as ‘radical’ as people are claiming. Not one of them.

It’s Islamaphobia

I am a non-Muslim with several very close friends who are Muslim - they attended my wedding and I would give them the shirt off my back, and vice versa. I don't like Mamdani. He is like Trump in that he plays to people's most base instincts and people suspend logic and critical thinking skills in supporting him. Note that I would take Mamdani any day of the week over Trump - Trump is truly evil. I do not think Mamdani is at all evil. I just don't think he is qualified.

I know people in OMB, law department, etc. They understand what makes the city run. They are scared.

I have "simplistic know-it-all snarky jerk-ophobia." You seem to be one. I don't like you.

Interesting that you went for a personal attack. Like the other poster.

Many Muslim New Yorkers have had to deal- for years- with pretty much every NY politician bowing to Israel, visiting Israel etc. Yet we never went to ask them how they feel about having to vote for a pro Israel politician, etc. We didn’t spend a significant chunk of mayoral debates asking about the candidates views on Palestine and how they plan to support the Muslim community, and attacking them for even the slightest verbal misstep. Why did Mamdani take a few hours to post in celebration of the hostage release?? Why didn’t he disavow the words ‘globalize the intifada’ faster???

Have we ever given the many pro Israel politicians in NY grief for the many many times they have said things and taken actions (visiting Israel? Why??) that the Muslim/ pro Palestine community probably found hurtful?

It is an incredible double standard.

What people in ‘law department’ do you know? What roles? Why are the scared specifically? I know people who don’t like Mamdani - they are all Jewish NY’ers fwiw- but no one has said they’re ‘scared’. Not one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok take the free buses. The mayor does not control the MTA. It is governed by a Board and while the mayor gets to appoint some the governor appoints the majority of the MTA board. The mayor cannot simply wave his hand and make buses free.

I like some aspects of mandami. He is certainly charming and has energy. But the pie in the sky ideas like buses just put me off. And I am a public school parent and he has like zero plans except to get rid of a small GT program that helps keep the middle class from fleeing to the burbs.

Free buses have been piloted in the past. The idea is to make transport/access to NYC a little easier for the working people we NEED in NYC. It’s a first step as we work on affordable housing. why can’t a police officer, teacher or other civil service worker afford to live where they work? For some of these workers, the transportation costs alone are prohibitively expensive. That is not ‘pie in the sky’, it’s practical.

I’m a public school parent too. I have no problem with limiting g&t entry points at k/pre K. Testing a 4 year old is ridiculous, and all elementary schools should offer a solid education. I myself am the product of another great Ps system where gifted differentiators did not arise until 4th grade, and were by teacher rec - not one test which anyone who is honest, they know these tests are gamed by many parents

You are missing the point. Sure there have been bus pilots. But the mayor of NYC is not in charge of the MTA - which has a board that he doesn’t control. And since they just raised fares I don’t see them being all that inclined to give money away with free buses. This is not whether it’s a good idea or not (I agree fares should be lower) - but rather that it is not something the mayor controls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok take the free buses. The mayor does not control the MTA. It is governed by a Board and while the mayor gets to appoint some the governor appoints the majority of the MTA board. The mayor cannot simply wave his hand and make buses free.

I like some aspects of mandami. He is certainly charming and has energy. But the pie in the sky ideas like buses just put me off. And I am a public school parent and he has like zero plans except to get rid of a small GT program that helps keep the middle class from fleeing to the burbs.

Free buses have been piloted in the past. The idea is to make transport/access to NYC a little easier for the working people we NEED in NYC. It’s a first step as we work on affordable housing. why can’t a police officer, teacher or other civil service worker afford to live where they work? For some of these workers, the transportation costs alone are prohibitively expensive. That is not ‘pie in the sky’, it’s practical.

I’m a public school parent too. I have no problem with limiting g&t entry points at k/pre K. Testing a 4 year old is ridiculous, and all elementary schools should offer a solid education. I myself am the product of another great Ps system where gifted differentiators did not arise until 4th grade, and were by teacher rec - not one test which anyone who is honest, they know these tests are gamed by many parents

As to your second paragraph. What are mandamis plans for schools other than scrapping GT? He admires de blasio who wanted to kill specialized high schools. Haven’t heard much more other than that.

There is evidence that expanding GT has most benefited black and Hispanic children. See https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23328584241299346

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok take the free buses. The mayor does not control the MTA. It is governed by a Board and while the mayor gets to appoint some the governor appoints the majority of the MTA board. The mayor cannot simply wave his hand and make buses free.

I like some aspects of mandami. He is certainly charming and has energy. But the pie in the sky ideas like buses just put me off. And I am a public school parent and he has like zero plans except to get rid of a small GT program that helps keep the middle class from fleeing to the burbs.

Free buses have been piloted in the past. The idea is to make transport/access to NYC a little easier for the working people we NEED in NYC. It’s a first step as we work on affordable housing. why can’t a police officer, teacher or other civil service worker afford to live where they work? For some of these workers, the transportation costs alone are prohibitively expensive. That is not ‘pie in the sky’, it’s practical.

I’m a public school parent too. I have no problem with limiting g&t entry points at k/pre K. Testing a 4 year old is ridiculous, and all elementary schools should offer a solid education. I myself am the product of another great Ps system where gifted differentiators did not arise until 4th grade, and were by teacher rec - not one test which anyone who is honest, they know these tests are gamed by many parents

You are missing the point. Sure there have been bus pilots. But the mayor of NYC is not in charge of the MTA - which has a board that he doesn’t control. And since they just raised fares I don’t see them being all that inclined to give money away with free buses. This is not whether it’s a good idea or not (I agree fares should be lower) - but rather that it is not something the mayor controls.

Apparently you don’t understand NYC very well. Fares were raised over two years ago.

The MTA is controlled by a board with mayoral appointees and governor appointees- Hochul has already said she’d work with Mamdani.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok take the free buses. The mayor does not control the MTA. It is governed by a Board and while the mayor gets to appoint some the governor appoints the majority of the MTA board. The mayor cannot simply wave his hand and make buses free.

I like some aspects of mandami. He is certainly charming and has energy. But the pie in the sky ideas like buses just put me off. And I am a public school parent and he has like zero plans except to get rid of a small GT program that helps keep the middle class from fleeing to the burbs.

Free buses have been piloted in the past. The idea is to make transport/access to NYC a little easier for the working people we NEED in NYC. It’s a first step as we work on affordable housing. why can’t a police officer, teacher or other civil service worker afford to live where they work? For some of these workers, the transportation costs alone are prohibitively expensive. That is not ‘pie in the sky’, it’s practical.

I’m a public school parent too. I have no problem with limiting g&t entry points at k/pre K. Testing a 4 year old is ridiculous, and all elementary schools should offer a solid education. I myself am the product of another great Ps system where gifted differentiators did not arise until 4th grade, and were by teacher rec - not one test which anyone who is honest, they know these tests are gamed by many parents

As to your second paragraph. What are mandamis plans for schools other than scrapping GT? He admires de blasio who wanted to kill specialized high schools. Haven’t heard much more other than that.

There is evidence that expanding GT has most benefited black and Hispanic children. See https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23328584241299346

He does not propose scrapping G and T.


Your link here supports my position. Mandani thinks that there is racial inequity because the sorting happens TOO early, at K. His proposal would retain G and T but at a slightly older entry point - 3rd grade.

Do you lack critical thinking skills - ironic for someone obsessed with your child’s ‘giftedness’ - or are you purposely misleading his position?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crime stats are a joke. Nice that murders might be down but quality of life crimes are up. Bragg is not seeking meaningful sentencing so police is demoralized because they put their lives on the line then see the criminal back on the streets the same day despite a long rap sheet.

People should not serve life terms for their first shoplifting offense. But we need more sensible penalties, particularly for repeat offenders - each additional guilty offense should result in an increased sentence. Really not that complicated.

Well if they’re up, it’s been under a cop mayor. I personally think a fair amount of it is based on impression. Have you ever spoken with someone who actually grew up in NYC, in the 80s, as ex? They would laugh if you told them ‘quality of life in NYC has decreased’! I can still remember when Times Square was a disaster zone, so was much of Tribeca, and many borough neighborhoods that were practically uninhabitable are gorgeous now (Williamsburg is the most obvious example). People who cry ‘NYC is going downhill!!’ clearly don’t live in NYC or have a very limited frame of reference. Do I think there can be quality of life improvements? Absolutely.

Thank you for the scripted response - that is what everyone says. I'm not comparing it to then. I'm comparing it to 10-15 years ago. I have lived in NYC for 20+ years and grew up in the 80s nearby so I'm well aware of what you are referring to.

Fair point about Adams. He has not focused as much on this as he should have. He is also somewhat handcuffed (pardon my pun) by a DA who is not prosecuting crimes and laws largely created by the state that also make enforcement harder. So, to your point, one cannot solely credit or blame the mayor for this. But the mayor can use his/her bully pulpit to prioritize it more. Bloomberg tried to do this and admittedly went too far with how stop and frisk was executed. I remain convinced that stop and frisk in theory is a great idea, but it was poorly executed.

And again, I'm not asking for a Trump-led police state. I just want more of a focus on dealing with quality of life crimes in a more serious way. Having meaningful penalties, especially for repeat offenders. Come up with a plan for those who are really, really mentally off and need serious help. I cannot stand those who think that letting them suffer on the streets is protecting their rights. No, it is insulting them, while also putting others in danger.

Uh, do you not recall that we had a global pandemic just a few years ago that hit NYC hardest in the US, at least initially?

As far as homeless/mentally ill. I totally agree this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

But those issues you cite are not Mandan’s to own. If anything, he’s trying to figure out ways to address quality of life issues, and let cops spend more time on crime rather than mental health/drug issues which anyone with eyes can see are a huge part of any current dysfunction in the city. Will it work? Idk. But it’s refreshing to have someone who seems open to trying things, and who isn’t beholden to their own ego and special interests. Sliwa is a joke and Cuomo seems more concerned with kissing Israel’s ass (he said he’d defend Netanyahu) and satisfying his real estate and billionaire donors, all of whom claim there is no money to raise taxes yet easily donated millions to Cuomo.

I’m sad to see that many people who claim they don’t like mandani over these issues seem to be hiding their real objection- he’s Muslim.

Wow. Just wow. I didn't totally agree with you but I respected your perspective. Then you dropped the Muslim bit. Please. That is such a cop out. I'm Jewish. But I honestly care almost zero about the Israel stuff or anything else. Because that is largely beyond his jurisdisction as mayor and I don't think he is truly anti-Semitic. I think he could have been handling it better but that is not my issue.

When you use low class comments like that to basically try to put a stop to a conversation, you are not engaging in adult discourse. So I won't bother with the rest. Because it isn't worth discussing. Grow up.

Apparently I hit a nerve. So it’s ok for everyone to call Mamdani anti semitic- it’s been said over and over and over- but no one can say that they see anti Islamic sentiment? Got it. Rules for there but not for me.

Everyone? Really? Please stop generalizing. There are definitely some who did. And his refusal to condemn an anti-Semitic term somewhat justifies that. But many (if not most people) dislike him for reasons that have nothing to do with this. To prove my point, I will say that I am sure there are anti-Islamic people, which is very unfortunate. But there are not nearly as many as you are portraying. But you can continue obsessing over it and ignorantly generalizing.

My guess is it's a very small percentage. Most of his detractors likely oppose him because he's a democratic socialist, he wants to give everyone free stuff without any plan to pay for it, he's soft on crime, and he has very little experience (both governing and life experience.

Obama was inexperienced. M has plans to pay for things and his ideas are not nearly as ‘radical’ as people are claiming. Not one of them.

It’s Islamaphobia

I am a non-Muslim with several very close friends who are Muslim - they attended my wedding and I would give them the shirt off my back, and vice versa. I don't like Mamdani. He is like Trump in that he plays to people's most base instincts and people suspend logic and critical thinking skills in supporting him. Note that I would take Mamdani any day of the week over Trump - Trump is truly evil. I do not think Mamdani is at all evil. I just don't think he is qualified.

I know people in OMB, law department, etc. They understand what makes the city run. They are scared.

I have "simplistic know-it-all snarky jerk-ophobia." You seem to be one. I don't like you.

Interesting that you went for a personal attack. Like the other poster.

Many Muslim New Yorkers have had to deal- for years- with pretty much every NY politician bowing to Israel, visiting Israel etc. Yet we never went to ask them how they feel about having to vote for a pro Israel politician, etc. We didn’t spend a significant chunk of mayoral debates asking about the candidates views on Palestine and how they plan to support the Muslim community, and attacking them for even the slightest verbal misstep. Why did Mamdani take a few hours to post in celebration of the hostage release?? Why didn’t he disavow the words ‘globalize the intifada’ faster???

Have we ever given the many pro Israel politicians in NY grief for the many many times they have said things and taken actions (visiting Israel? Why??) that the Muslim/ pro Palestine community probably found hurtful?

It is an incredible double standard.

What people in ‘law department’ do you know? What roles? Why are the scared specifically? I know people who don’t like Mamdani - they are all Jewish NY’ers fwiw- but no one has said they’re ‘scared’. Not one.

You are whining about how Muslims are treated in NY yet are trafficking in rude, incorrect generalizations about Jews. Really?

There are a bunch of people posting here but I am one of the more frequent and again, I am a Jew for whom all of the drama about Mamdani's relationship with Jews is overplayed. That is low on my list of issues with him. But in your simplistic world of generalizations, all Jews are evil anti-Muslim people who are only focused on that.

Have you ever read the city's financials? Do you know the byzantine legal system to run this city? It is not for the faint of heart. It is sad that all of these people have fallen in love with him for making promises that he can't keep because either a) he is not empowered to make the changes, and/or b) even if he was, getting them through the system and getting them paid for (oh yeah, money doesn't grow on all of those tress in Brooklyn) is really hard - taxing the rich will not solve all problems. And I am not opposed to slightly increasing taxes on the rich, contrary to your belief that all of us Jews and/or upper middle class/rich people only care about money and refuse to pay our share. I want better social services. I want to help people. I want to improve education for all New Yorkers. I'm willing to help pay for it. But his ways of doing so, at least the very, very few he has enumerated, won't get it done.

Not sure why we are wasting our time here. You live in your little whiny bubble where you blame everything on the rich white folk, particularly the Jews. And I'm not going to change that. I'm so curious where in NYC you even live, but I'm not going to go there as it will just make this thread even worse. Congratulations. Your guy is going to win. As much as I don't like him, it could be worse. I pray for him to show wisdom and reason. I appreciate that he seems to be making an effort to reach out to others. I do not think he deserves the wrath that Trump is going to bring on him. See - everything is not binary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok take the free buses. The mayor does not control the MTA. It is governed by a Board and while the mayor gets to appoint some the governor appoints the majority of the MTA board. The mayor cannot simply wave his hand and make buses free.

I like some aspects of mandami. He is certainly charming and has energy. But the pie in the sky ideas like buses just put me off. And I am a public school parent and he has like zero plans except to get rid of a small GT program that helps keep the middle class from fleeing to the burbs.

Free buses have been piloted in the past. The idea is to make transport/access to NYC a little easier for the working people we NEED in NYC. It’s a first step as we work on affordable housing. why can’t a police officer, teacher or other civil service worker afford to live where they work? For some of these workers, the transportation costs alone are prohibitively expensive. That is not ‘pie in the sky’, it’s practical.

I’m a public school parent too. I have no problem with limiting g&t entry points at k/pre K. Testing a 4 year old is ridiculous, and all elementary schools should offer a solid education. I myself am the product of another great Ps system where gifted differentiators did not arise until 4th grade, and were by teacher rec - not one test which anyone who is honest, they know these tests are gamed by many parents

You are missing the point. Sure there have been bus pilots. But the mayor of NYC is not in charge of the MTA - which has a board that he doesn’t control. And since they just raised fares I don’t see them being all that inclined to give money away with free buses. This is not whether it’s a good idea or not (I agree fares should be lower) - but rather that it is not something the mayor controls.

Apparently you don’t understand NYC very well. Fares were raised over two years ago.

The MTA is controlled by a board with mayoral appointees and governor appointees- Hochul has already said she’d work with Mamdani.

Yes and no. They were last raised in 2023. But they recently announced that they are going up again in January. I think that is what the other poster is referring to.

Hochul is a pragmatist. I have very mixed feelings about her. But Mamdani winning is basically a done deal. So unlike Trump who sees the world in a divisive, confrontational way where you are either with him or against him, she is trying her best to be constructive and work with someone different than her - go into it with a positive attitude and see what happens.

[Anonymous]

The anti semitism in this thread is vile.

Blacks and Hispanics won’t be in G&T programs if the age of entry is raised unless the standards decrease. They’re there at the proportion they should be.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Crime stats are a joke. Nice that murders might be down but quality of life crimes are up. Bragg is not seeking meaningful sentencing so police is demoralized because they put their lives on the line then see the criminal back on the streets the same day despite a long rap sheet.

People should not serve life terms for their first shoplifting offense. But we need more sensible penalties, particularly for repeat offenders - each additional guilty offense should result in an increased sentence. Really not that complicated.

Well if they’re up, it’s been under a cop mayor. I personally think a fair amount of it is based on impression. Have you ever spoken with someone who actually grew up in NYC, in the 80s, as ex? They would laugh if you told them ‘quality of life in NYC has decreased’! I can still remember when Times Square was a disaster zone, so was much of Tribeca, and many borough neighborhoods that were practically uninhabitable are gorgeous now (Williamsburg is the most obvious example). People who cry ‘NYC is going downhill!!’ clearly don’t live in NYC or have a very limited frame of reference. Do I think there can be quality of life improvements? Absolutely.

Thank you for the scripted response - that is what everyone says. I'm not comparing it to then. I'm comparing it to 10-15 years ago. I have lived in NYC for 20+ years and grew up in the 80s nearby so I'm well aware of what you are referring to.

Fair point about Adams. He has not focused as much on this as he should have. He is also somewhat handcuffed (pardon my pun) by a DA who is not prosecuting crimes and laws largely created by the state that also make enforcement harder. So, to your point, one cannot solely credit or blame the mayor for this. But the mayor can use his/her bully pulpit to prioritize it more. Bloomberg tried to do this and admittedly went too far with how stop and frisk was executed. I remain convinced that stop and frisk in theory is a great idea, but it was poorly executed.

And again, I'm not asking for a Trump-led police state. I just want more of a focus on dealing with quality of life crimes in a more serious way. Having meaningful penalties, especially for repeat offenders. Come up with a plan for those who are really, really mentally off and need serious help. I cannot stand those who think that letting them suffer on the streets is protecting their rights. No, it is insulting them, while also putting others in danger.

Uh, do you not recall that we had a global pandemic just a few years ago that hit NYC hardest in the US, at least initially?

As far as homeless/mentally ill. I totally agree this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

But those issues you cite are not Mandan’s to own. If anything, he’s trying to figure out ways to address quality of life issues, and let cops spend more time on crime rather than mental health/drug issues which anyone with eyes can see are a huge part of any current dysfunction in the city. Will it work? Idk. But it’s refreshing to have someone who seems open to trying things, and who isn’t beholden to their own ego and special interests. Sliwa is a joke and Cuomo seems more concerned with kissing Israel’s ass (he said he’d defend Netanyahu) and satisfying his real estate and billionaire donors, all of whom claim there is no money to raise taxes yet easily donated millions to Cuomo.

I’m sad to see that many people who claim they don’t like mandani over these issues seem to be hiding their real objection- he’s Muslim.

Wow. Just wow. I didn't totally agree with you but I respected your perspective. Then you dropped the Muslim bit. Please. That is such a cop out. I'm Jewish. But I honestly care almost zero about the Israel stuff or anything else. Because that is largely beyond his jurisdisction as mayor and I don't think he is truly anti-Semitic. I think he could have been handling it better but that is not my issue.

When you use low class comments like that to basically try to put a stop to a conversation, you are not engaging in adult discourse. So I won't bother with the rest. Because it isn't worth discussing. Grow up.

Apparently I hit a nerve. So it’s ok for everyone to call Mamdani anti semitic- it’s been said over and over and over- but no one can say that they see anti Islamic sentiment? Got it. Rules for there but not for me.

Everyone? Really? Please stop generalizing. There are definitely some who did. And his refusal to condemn an anti-Semitic term somewhat justifies that. But many (if not most people) dislike him for reasons that have nothing to do with this. To prove my point, I will say that I am sure there are anti-Islamic people, which is very unfortunate. But there are not nearly as many as you are portraying. But you can continue obsessing over it and ignorantly generalizing.

My guess is it's a very small percentage. Most of his detractors likely oppose him because he's a democratic socialist, he wants to give everyone free stuff without any plan to pay for it, he's soft on crime, and he has very little experience (both governing and life experience.

Obama was inexperienced. M has plans to pay for things and his ideas are not nearly as ‘radical’ as people are claiming. Not one of them.

It’s Islamaphobia

I am a non-Muslim with several very close friends who are Muslim - they attended my wedding and I would give them the shirt off my back, and vice versa. I don't like Mamdani. He is like Trump in that he plays to people's most base instincts and people suspend logic and critical thinking skills in supporting him. Note that I would take Mamdani any day of the week over Trump - Trump is truly evil. I do not think Mamdani is at all evil. I just don't think he is qualified.

I know people in OMB, law department, etc. They understand what makes the city run. They are scared.

I have "simplistic know-it-all snarky jerk-ophobia." You seem to be one. I don't like you.

Interesting that you went for a personal attack. Like the other poster.

Many Muslim New Yorkers have had to deal- for years- with pretty much every NY politician bowing to Israel, visiting Israel etc. Yet we never went to ask them how they feel about having to vote for a pro Israel politician, etc. We didn’t spend a significant chunk of mayoral debates asking about the candidates views on Palestine and how they plan to support the Muslim community, and attacking them for even the slightest verbal misstep. Why did Mamdani take a few hours to post in celebration of the hostage release?? Why didn’t he disavow the words ‘globalize the intifada’ faster???

Have we ever given the many pro Israel politicians in NY grief for the many many times they have said things and taken actions (visiting Israel? Why??) that the Muslim/ pro Palestine community probably found hurtful?

It is an incredible double standard.

What people in ‘law department’ do you know? What roles? Why are the scared specifically? I know people who don’t like Mamdani - they are all Jewish NY’ers fwiw- but no one has said they’re ‘scared’. Not one.

You are whining about how Muslims are treated in NY yet are trafficking in rude, incorrect generalizations about Jews. Really?

There are a bunch of people posting here but I am one of the more frequent and again, I am a Jew for whom all of the drama about Mamdani's relationship with Jews is overplayed. That is low on my list of issues with him. But in your simplistic world of generalizations, all Jews are evil anti-Muslim people who are only focused on that.

Have you ever read the city's financials? Do you know the byzantine legal system to run this city? It is not for the faint of heart. It is sad that all of these people have fallen in love with him for making promises that he can't keep because either a) he is not empowered to make the changes, and/or b) even if he was, getting them through the system and getting them paid for (oh yeah, money doesn't grow on all of those tress in Brooklyn) is really hard - taxing the rich will not solve all problems. And I am not opposed to slightly increasing taxes on the rich, contrary to your belief that all of us Jews and/or upper middle class/rich people only care about money and refuse to pay our share. I want better social services. I want to help people. I want to improve education for all New Yorkers. I'm willing to help pay for it. But his ways of doing so, at least the very, very few he has enumerated, won't get it done.

Not sure why we are wasting our time here. You live in your little whiny bubble where you blame everything on the rich white folk, particularly the Jews. And I'm not going to change that. I'm so curious where in NYC you even live, but I'm not going to go there as it will just make this thread even worse. Congratulations. Your guy is going to win. As much as I don't like him, it could be worse. I pray for him to show wisdom and reason. I appreciate that he seems to be making an effort to reach out to others. I do not think he deserves the wrath that Trump is going to bring on him. See - everything is not binary.

Wow you get testy when you’re wrong. Your post is far too long and defensive and full of leaps of logic, misleading statements and personal attacks (apparently you assume that I’m anti semitic based on very little, I’m not white and that I’m not wealthy and also that I’m not Jewish) to respond to in full. You also apparently think I’m not allowed to call out my experience ... as ex, that many of my Jewish friends and acquaintance don’t like Mandani? Somehow that’s anti semitic for me to say? But yet no one can say they think there’s Islamophobia anywhere? Got it.

You are also repeating the same talking points from before. Broken record.

The city’s financials? Are you saying Mamdani isn’t smart enough? Really? And yes, I have some knowledge of NYC OMB. A family member was an analyst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The anti semitism in this thread is vile.

Blacks and Hispanics won’t be in G&T programs if the age of entry is raised unless the standards decrease. They’re there at the proportion they should be.

Omg. You are truly disgusting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Crime stats are a joke. Nice that murders might be down but quality of life crimes are up. Bragg is not seeking meaningful sentencing so police is demoralized because they put their lives on the line then see the criminal back on the streets the same day despite a long rap sheet.

People should not serve life terms for their first shoplifting offense. But we need more sensible penalties, particularly for repeat offenders - each additional guilty offense should result in an increased sentence. Really not that complicated.

Well if they’re up, it’s been under a cop mayor. I personally think a fair amount of it is based on impression. Have you ever spoken with someone who actually grew up in NYC, in the 80s, as ex? They would laugh if you told them ‘quality of life in NYC has decreased’! I can still remember when Times Square was a disaster zone, so was much of Tribeca, and many borough neighborhoods that were practically uninhabitable are gorgeous now (Williamsburg is the most obvious example). People who cry ‘NYC is going downhill!!’ clearly don’t live in NYC or have a very limited frame of reference. Do I think there can be quality of life improvements? Absolutely.

Thank you for the scripted response - that is what everyone says. I'm not comparing it to then. I'm comparing it to 10-15 years ago. I have lived in NYC for 20+ years and grew up in the 80s nearby so I'm well aware of what you are referring to.

Fair point about Adams. He has not focused as much on this as he should have. He is also somewhat handcuffed (pardon my pun) by a DA who is not prosecuting crimes and laws largely created by the state that also make enforcement harder. So, to your point, one cannot solely credit or blame the mayor for this. But the mayor can use his/her bully pulpit to prioritize it more. Bloomberg tried to do this and admittedly went too far with how stop and frisk was executed. I remain convinced that stop and frisk in theory is a great idea, but it was poorly executed.

And again, I'm not asking for a Trump-led police state. I just want more of a focus on dealing with quality of life crimes in a more serious way. Having meaningful penalties, especially for repeat offenders. Come up with a plan for those who are really, really mentally off and need serious help. I cannot stand those who think that letting them suffer on the streets is protecting their rights. No, it is insulting them, while also putting others in danger.

Uh, do you not recall that we had a global pandemic just a few years ago that hit NYC hardest in the US, at least initially?

As far as homeless/mentally ill. I totally agree this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

But those issues you cite are not Mandan’s to own. If anything, he’s trying to figure out ways to address quality of life issues, and let cops spend more time on crime rather than mental health/drug issues which anyone with eyes can see are a huge part of any current dysfunction in the city. Will it work? Idk. But it’s refreshing to have someone who seems open to trying things, and who isn’t beholden to their own ego and special interests. Sliwa is a joke and Cuomo seems more concerned with kissing Israel’s ass (he said he’d defend Netanyahu) and satisfying his real estate and billionaire donors, all of whom claim there is no money to raise taxes yet easily donated millions to Cuomo.

I’m sad to see that many people who claim they don’t like mandani over these issues seem to be hiding their real objection- he’s Muslim.

Wow. Just wow. I didn't totally agree with you but I respected your perspective. Then you dropped the Muslim bit. Please. That is such a cop out. I'm Jewish. But I honestly care almost zero about the Israel stuff or anything else. Because that is largely beyond his jurisdisction as mayor and I don't think he is truly anti-Semitic. I think he could have been handling it better but that is not my issue.

When you use low class comments like that to basically try to put a stop to a conversation, you are not engaging in adult discourse. So I won't bother with the rest. Because it isn't worth discussing. Grow up.

Apparently I hit a nerve. So it’s ok for everyone to call Mamdani anti semitic- it’s been said over and over and over- but no one can say that they see anti Islamic sentiment? Got it. Rules for there but not for me.

Everyone? Really? Please stop generalizing. There are definitely some who did. And his refusal to condemn an anti-Semitic term somewhat justifies that. But many (if not most people) dislike him for reasons that have nothing to do with this. To prove my point, I will say that I am sure there are anti-Islamic people, which is very unfortunate. But there are not nearly as many as you are portraying. But you can continue obsessing over it and ignorantly generalizing.

My guess is it's a very small percentage. Most of his detractors likely oppose him because he's a democratic socialist, he wants to give everyone free stuff without any plan to pay for it, he's soft on crime, and he has very little experience (both governing and life experience.

Obama was inexperienced. M has plans to pay for things and his ideas are not nearly as ‘radical’ as people are claiming. Not one of them.

It’s Islamaphobia

I am a non-Muslim with several very close friends who are Muslim - they attended my wedding and I would give them the shirt off my back, and vice versa. I don't like Mamdani. He is like Trump in that he plays to people's most base instincts and people suspend logic and critical thinking skills in supporting him. Note that I would take Mamdani any day of the week over Trump - Trump is truly evil. I do not think Mamdani is at all evil. I just don't think he is qualified.

I know people in OMB, law department, etc. They understand what makes the city run. They are scared.

I have "simplistic know-it-all snarky jerk-ophobia." You seem to be one. I don't like you.

Interesting that you went for a personal attack. Like the other poster.

Many Muslim New Yorkers have had to deal- for years- with pretty much every NY politician bowing to Israel, visiting Israel etc. Yet we never went to ask them how they feel about having to vote for a pro Israel politician, etc. We didn’t spend a significant chunk of mayoral debates asking about the candidates views on Palestine and how they plan to support the Muslim community, and attacking them for even the slightest verbal misstep. Why did Mamdani take a few hours to post in celebration of the hostage release?? Why didn’t he disavow the words ‘globalize the intifada’ faster???

Have we ever given the many pro Israel politicians in NY grief for the many many times they have said things and taken actions (visiting Israel? Why??) that the Muslim/ pro Palestine community probably found hurtful?

It is an incredible double standard.

What people in ‘law department’ do you know? What roles? Why are the scared specifically? I know people who don’t like Mamdani - they are all Jewish NY’ers fwiw- but no one has said they’re ‘scared’. Not one.

You are whining about how Muslims are treated in NY yet are trafficking in rude, incorrect generalizations about Jews. Really?

There are a bunch of people posting here but I am one of the more frequent and again, I am a Jew for whom all of the drama about Mamdani's relationship with Jews is overplayed. That is low on my list of issues with him. But in your simplistic world of generalizations, all Jews are evil anti-Muslim people who are only focused on that.

Have you ever read the city's financials? Do you know the byzantine legal system to run this city? It is not for the faint of heart. It is sad that all of these people have fallen in love with him for making promises that he can't keep because either a) he is not empowered to make the changes, and/or b) even if he was, getting them through the system and getting them paid for (oh yeah, money doesn't grow on all of those tress in Brooklyn) is really hard - taxing the rich will not solve all problems. And I am not opposed to slightly increasing taxes on the rich, contrary to your belief that all of us Jews and/or upper middle class/rich people only care about money and refuse to pay our share. I want better social services. I want to help people. I want to improve education for all New Yorkers. I'm willing to help pay for it. But his ways of doing so, at least the very, very few he has enumerated, won't get it done.

Not sure why we are wasting our time here. You live in your little whiny bubble where you blame everything on the rich white folk, particularly the Jews. And I'm not going to change that. I'm so curious where in NYC you even live, but I'm not going to go there as it will just make this thread even worse. Congratulations. Your guy is going to win. As much as I don't like him, it could be worse. I pray for him to show wisdom and reason. I appreciate that he seems to be making an effort to reach out to others. I do not think he deserves the wrath that Trump is going to bring on him. See - everything is not binary.

Wow you get testy when you’re wrong. Your post is far too long and defensive and full of leaps of logic, misleading statements and personal attacks (apparently you assume that I’m anti semitic based on very little, I’m not white and that I’m not wealthy and also that I’m not Jewish) to respond to in full. You also apparently think I’m not allowed to call out my experience ... as ex, that many of my Jewish friends and acquaintance don’t like Mandani? Somehow that’s anti semitic for me to say? But yet no one can say they think there’s Islamophobia anywhere? Got it.

You are also repeating the same talking points from before. Broken record.

The city’s financials? Are you saying Mamdani isn’t smart enough? Really? And yes, I have some knowledge of NYC OMB. A family member was an analyst.

If you (1) go to Bronx Science and (2) put your race as black, then Bowdoin is indicative that you aren’t smart. So long as you can spell your name and add 2+2 correctly you should be at Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok take the free buses. The mayor does not control the MTA. It is governed by a Board and while the mayor gets to appoint some the governor appoints the majority of the MTA board. The mayor cannot simply wave his hand and make buses free.

I like some aspects of mandami. He is certainly charming and has energy. But the pie in the sky ideas like buses just put me off. And I am a public school parent and he has like zero plans except to get rid of a small GT program that helps keep the middle class from fleeing to the burbs.

Free buses have been piloted in the past. The idea is to make transport/access to NYC a little easier for the working people we NEED in NYC. It’s a first step as we work on affordable housing. why can’t a police officer, teacher or other civil service worker afford to live where they work? For some of these workers, the transportation costs alone are prohibitively expensive. That is not ‘pie in the sky’, it’s practical.

I’m a public school parent too. I have no problem with limiting g&t entry points at k/pre K. Testing a 4 year old is ridiculous, and all elementary schools should offer a solid education. I myself am the product of another great Ps system where gifted differentiators did not arise until 4th grade, and were by teacher rec - not one test which anyone who is honest, they know these tests are gamed by many parents

You are missing the point. Sure there have been bus pilots. But the mayor of NYC is not in charge of the MTA - which has a board that he doesn’t control. And since they just raised fares I don’t see them being all that inclined to give money away with free buses. This is not whether it’s a good idea or not (I agree fares should be lower) - but rather that it is not something the mayor controls.

Apparently you don’t understand NYC very well. Fares were raised over two years ago.

The MTA is controlled by a board with mayoral appointees and governor appointees- Hochul has already said she’d work with Mamdani.

Yes and no. They were last raised in 2023. But they recently announced that they are going up again in January. I think that is what the other poster is referring to.

Hochul is a pragmatist. I have very mixed feelings about her. But Mamdani winning is basically a done deal. So unlike Trump who sees the world in a divisive, confrontational way where you are either with him or against him, she is trying her best to be constructive and work with someone different than her - go into it with a positive attitude and see what happens.

+1 - and yes that is what I was referring to.

Worth pointing out that this Mandami defender again resorted to a personal attack instead of facts. Accusing me of not living in nyc long and the comment re my child.

Still waiting on what his education plans are to help all students.