Zohran Mamdani - Democratic Socialist Mayor of NYC

[frank ryan]

It could be a number of factors, including property cost, insurance cost, chasing higher margin locations. Lower income areas cost more to insure, and the food deserts are all over the area, but especially in low-income zones. New York has been studying this issue for a while: https://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/pdf/going_to_market.pdf

Little kids lives are shortened and complicated because of food deserts . Capitalism doesn't see enough reward to address the issue. Governments should help with stuff like this

[LVAllen]

I agree with what you are saying. However, I think it’s reasonable to ask why a private grocery store can’t operate at a profit in the area when they seem to be doing fine in other areas. Is it unjust government regulation? Is crime too high?

It could be a number of factors, including property cost, insurance cost, chasing higher margin locations. Lower income areas cost more to insure, and the food deserts are all over the area, but especially in low-income zones. New York has been studying this issue for a while: https://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/pdf/going_to_market.pdf

[Moliere]

Byu's mission is not to make money, or even to break even in tuition vs expenses. Despite the use of the term University in its name, BYU's goal is not to produce scholars. Because its mission is unrelated to the revenue it produces, a situation in which the Church spends money every year to keep BYU open isn't a metric to judge the mission's success.

In a COMPARABLE manner, the mission of a government-run grocery store is not to make a profit. It is to provide food in an area where private grocery stores may not be doing so. You may think that is an unwise investment, and that's okay. But just pointing to a store and complaining that the city needs to keep spending to keep it open ignores what the city is actually spending money towards. Why do you think a service needs to balance its books?

I agree with what you are saying. However, I think it’s reasonable to ask why a private grocery store can’t operate at a profit in the area when they seem to be doing fine in other areas. Is it unjust government regulation? Is crime too high?

[LVAllen]

Byu's mission is not to make money, or even to break even in tuition vs expenses. Despite the use of the term University in its name, BYU's goal is not to produce scholars. Because its mission is unrelated to the revenue it produces, a situation in which the Church spends money every year to keep BYU open isn't a metric to judge the mission's success.

In a COMPARABLE manner, the mission of a government-run grocery store is not to make a profit. It is to provide food in an area where private grocery stores may not be doing so. You may think that is a unwise investment, and that's okay. But just pointing to a store and complaining that the city needs to keep spending to keep it open ignores what the city is actually spending money towards. Why do you think a service needs to balance its books?

[dabrockster]

I think you are assuming the government-run stores' purpose is to make money where private stores have either abandoned the area or failed. I don't think they view that as the store's purpose at all. If it loses money, that's simply a subsidy they are willing to make to ensure that people in poor areas have access to some food. The gross revenue simply offsets the subsidy they are willing to pay in the first place. It's kind of like their concept of free public college. The government doesn't need to make any money off it, and if it loses money, that's okay, because it's an investment in people. As a business, sure, it's probably a dog. As a government-sponsored provider of food, it has a different mission. See also BYU's mission and tuition rates.

Not even comparable to BYU’s mission nor our welfare program. And while it is not built to be a revenue generating store, it should be one wheee it can bama CE its books annually rather than take a loss each year.

This is just the one in Kansas City. It may still be open but is still draining money from the city to even stay open.

Year	Public funding
2014–2018	~$17 million (capital investment)
2024	~$750,000
2025	~$1.36 million (emergency funding, rent relief, and legal settlement)
2026	~$500,000 authorized for reopening support

It’s worth noting that these later annual amounts were not intended to cover all operating costs. The grocery operator also incurred substantial losses. For example, the nonprofit operating the store reported spending more than $4 million of its own funds, and the store lost approximately $885,000 in one year and $1.3 million in another.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article311717987.html

[dabrockster]

So I head Mamdani held a press conference to tell us how shitty America was and run by Oligarchs who buy elections and Monopolies running rampant in America.. Wait. Isn’t this a Trump rallying cry and one called as total bullshit by the left. Now you got the communist (Democrat Socialist ) letting us know how shitty our county is.

Sitting at George Washington’s desk no less. Happy 250th!!

[LVAllen]

If DSAs continue to focus on economic and affordability issues, instead of social justice issues, they may continue to win in very blue areas. Mamdani has tried to keep the focus on affordability, which the GOP, MAGA and Dems have largely ignored. The problem with DSAs is that their platform won't ultimately help with any affordability issues. Government run grocery stores and rent freezes are losers economically. I mean, if economists from all walks of life agree on one thing, it's that rent freezes are never the answer to any issue.

This seems to be a natural response to MAGA, though. I wouldn't be surprised if a DSA gave it a good run in the Dem primary like what Bernie did back in 2016.

I think you are assuming the government-run stores' purpose is to make money where private stores have either abandoned the area or failed. I don't think they view that as the store's purpose at all. If it loses money, that's simply a subsidy they are willing to make to ensure that people in poor areas have access to some food. The gross revenue simply offsets the subsidy they are willing to pay in the first place. It's kind of like their concept of free public college. The government doesn't need to make any money off it, and if it loses money, that's okay, because it's an investment in people. As a business, sure, it's probably a dog. As a government-sponsored provider of food, it has a different mission. See also BYU's mission and tuition rates.

[frank ryan]

If DSAs continue to focus on economic and affordability issues, instead of social justice issues, they may continue to win in very blue areas. Mamdani has tried to keep the focus on affordability, which the GOP, MAGA and Dems have largely ignored. The problem with DSAs is that their platform won't ultimately help with any affordability issues. Government run grocery stores and rent freezes are losers economically. I mean, if economists from all walks of life agree on one thing, it's that rent freezes are never the answer to any issue.

This seems to be a natural response to MAGA, though. I wouldn't be surprised if a DSA gave it a good run in the Dem primary like what Bernie did back in 2016.

That is what they are doing 100 percent. DSA types loathe Biden and Schumer almost as much as they do Trump.

They've had no luck until now.

[frank ryan]

You might want to tell Bernie that he's not a Democratic Socialist because he calls himself just that.

Moli, I mean he isn't a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. That's is why I typed DSA.

[Moliere]

For perspective Bernie isn't DSA

You might want to tell Bernie that he's not a Democratic Socialist because he calls himself just that.

[Moliere]

Quite the primary season for DSA members nationwide. Seems to be a lot of momentum behind them. I'm told that they are anomalies to deep blue districts and didn't have any real support in the greater party. But this kind of seems awfully familiar to the MAGA takeover. It wasn't representative until the dam broke. I guess we'll see.

If DSAs continue to focus on economic and affordability issues, instead of social justice issues, they may continue to win in very blue areas. Mamdani has tried to keep the focus on affordability, which the GOP, MAGA and Dems have largely ignored. The problem with DSAs is that their platform won't ultimately help with any affordability issues. Government run grocery stores and rent freezes are losers economically. I mean, if economists from all walks of life agree on one thing, it's that rent freezes are never the answer to any issue.

This seems to be a natural response to MAGA, though. I wouldn't be surprised if a DSA gave it a good run in the Dem primary like what Bernie did back in 2016.

[wally]

DSA is the latest example of democrats shooting themselves in the foot. Ugh...

I have this hypothesis that there are some young people whose entire political outlook is to destroy the establishment and they are willing to go to either Right or Left extremes to do it, whichever can do it first.

I also enjoy the "which extreme is more dangerous" discussion that always follows a public success of either the hard right or left. That is always fun!

[Jeff Lebowski]

DSA is the latest example of democrats shooting themselves in the foot. Ugh...

[frank ryan]

Quite the primary season for DSA members nationwide. Seems to be a lot of momentum behind them. I'm told that they are anomalies to deep blue districts and didn't have any real support in the greater party. But this kind of seems awfully familiar to the MAGA takeover. It wasn't representative until the dam broke. I guess we'll see.

Yes, this is relatively new. These are actual "leftists" and "hard left."

For perspective Bernie isn't DSA


I suspect some of these folks have support of our foreigner adversaries.

[USUC]

Quite the primary season for DSA members nationwide. Seems to be a lot of momentum behind them. I'm told that they are anomalies to deep blue districts and didn't have any real support in the greater party. But this kind of seems awfully familiar to the MAGA takeover. It wasn't representative until the dam broke. I guess we'll see.