Newsmax columnist George J. Marlin continued his raging about New York in general and New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani in particular, focusing on the latter in a March 26 column:
After winning several political primaries and elections, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have become increasingly strident in promoting their leftist ideology.
For example, in New York City, the DSA is pressing their favorite son, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and state and city legislators, to seek approval of an array of tax increases on middle class families. The proposals include:
—Raising state and city taxes on people making over $300 thousand annually.
Marlin didn’t explain how, exactly, people making more than $300,000 annually are “middle class.” He went on to rant:
Meanwhile, back in New York City, the DSA’s favorite couple, Mayor Zohran and Mrs. Mamdani, have been thumbing their noses at the Jewish community.
They hosted a dinner in March at Gracie Mansion for the anti-Israel activist, Mahmoud Khalil. Responding to the public blowback after photos of the feast appeared in newspapers, Mamdani said, “As the mayor of
New York City, I believe it is my responsibility to fight for the safety and for the rights of each and every New Yorker.
“The only charge that was levied against [Khalil] was the exercising of his first amendment rights.”
In other words, anti-Jewish hate speech is okay.
Marlin offered no examples of how Khalil supposedly engaged in “anti-Jewish hate speech,” or how his advocacy of Palestinian rights is not “first amendment rights.”
Marlin further ranted against Mamdani in his May 1 column:
Ideologues, the renowned political philosopher, Hannah Arendt wrote, “function in a world of no sense.”
As for their ideological thinking, she concluded, it “proceeds with a consistency that exists no way in the realm of reality.”
That definition aptly applies to New York’s glib mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who has been hit over the head with reality since he was sworn into office on Jan. 1 of this year.
The New York Times agrees.
On Mamdani’s 100th day in office, the left-wing newspaper conceded, “As New York’s first modern mayor to wholly embrace democratic socialism, Mr. Mandani has little actual power to impose that ideology on city government.”
In other words, he is floundering.
Marlin repeated his claim that rich people are really middle class:
To address the $5 billion shortfall in his bloated budget proposal, Mamdani wants to raise income taxes on the so-called rich and corporations. If implemented, top earners will be paying the highest combined Federal, state and local taxes in the nation.
But, Mamdani has had to face the reality that many on the city council don’t buy his tax and spend policies. The council led by the tough- minded speaker, Julie Menin, made it clear that the mayor’s plan to raise property taxes was dead on arrival.
Marlin went on to take a shot at New York Gov. Kathy Hochul:
Gov. Hochul, who is up for reelection, is also in no rush to approve tax increases.
But to placate the mayor, she announced support of a “pied-à-terre” tax on non-residents who own a second home in the city worth more than $5 million. The tax is projected to haul in $500 million annually.
This tax is a safe one for the governor because those who will pay it can’t vote.
Marlin didn’t explain how people who own expensive second houses in New York City are not residents or why they cannot be. He went on to huff:
As for Mamdani, instead of quietly thanking the governor for throwing him a fiscal bone, he went on an ideological rampage. On a video with eerie background music, Mamdani boasted on April 15, income tax filing day, “Well today, we’re taxing the rich.”
He went on to joyously single out one of his prey, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, who owns a $238 million, 24,000 square foot apartment.
Actually, Griffin owns three apartments in New York City, not just that massive one (and who he actually lives in Miami), and the hedge fund chief’s net worth is $48 billion.