We are just under a week away from Thanksgiving, and while here in the northern part of the country, it is getting a bit cooler, the political temperature is heating up. Thankfully, that keeps those of us who live where it actually gets cold, and are observers of the political shenanigans going on in the United States of America, warm by default.
As most of you already know, the new hero of the communist/socialist eye is a fella by the name of Zohran Mamdani, who was just elected as New York City Mayor and has yet to take office. He met with President Trump on Friday at the White House, and it was not as much of a cluster, you know, as the mainstream media had hoped for.
My colleague Jennifer Oliver O'Connell wrote about this historic meeting yesterday, and I suggest you take a look at it (see Art of the Deal: Trump Meets With NYC Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani, Says: 'He's Gonna Change').
Here in the Midwest, we occasionally need to pay attention to what is happening on the "other left coast" to get an idea of what may come our way one day soon. Which is where Michigan state Representative David Martin (R-Davison) had some thoughts that I agreed with, and I thought I would explore them here with you all.
From his piece in the Detroit News called, The American Dream still outshines socialism, which it does.
Representative Martin starts on point with...
Socialism is enjoying a strange resurgence in American politics. New York City’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, calls himself a “democratic socialist.” A recent Gallup survey shows that 39% of Americans, including 66% of Democrats and 51% of independents, now say they approve of socialism.
He's just being nice here. Nobody approves of free stuff if they think, down the line, somebody that they know (or they themselves) is going to have to pay for it.
READ MORE: Comrade Mamdani's Chinese Help
Socialists Reportedly Pushing Mamdani to Make NYC a BDS Battleground
The whole idea is that the people who get free things believe that no one they know have to pay the tab. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but that is the general idea behind it. They 100 percent don't believe they'll ever be held accountable, and as long as someone in their very close circle isn't stuck with the bill, either, they do not really care. If that ever changes, all hell will break loose.
Martin continues...
All of us want to be rewarded for our own efforts. We want the dignity that comes from charting our own path, taking risks, creating value and providing for our families. Under socialism, the connection between effort and reward is weakened or erased altogether. When that happens, initiative withers and opportunities shrink.
This point was understood long ago by Frédéric Bastiat, the 19th-century French economist who wrote that “life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.” Bastiat recognized that the role of government is to protect our natural rights rather than control them.
Frédéric Bastiat is a name I have only come across before, but now I want to take some time to read his book, The Law, and dig deeper, and possibly learn something. That he is French, and so am I, could not hurt.
While some may be shocked that the 47th president of the United States sat down with anybody who has the term "socialist" after his name is understandable. Yet, unfortunately, that is the current climate we live in, and to Trump's credit, he realizes this and correctly chose to meet with the future mayor of New York City.
Trump, in a private meeting that he and Mamdani had, was able to size him up, and I'm sure the president took a read of the man to see who was going to be leading his former city.
Maybe, if we are lucky, POTUS had the chance to relay to the soon-to-be mayor a lil nugget that Representative Martin from my home state ended his editorial with...
Capitalism, grounded in liberty and personal responsibility, remains the greatest engine of opportunity the world has ever known. It is still the best path forward for our children, our communities and our country.
Capitalism is STILL the best path forward for the United States of America, and the future mayor of New York just met with one of capitalism's biggest proponents. Let's hope it works.
If not, then New York City will be roasting more than turkey next Thanksgiving.
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