Trump-Mamdani Voters
Jul. 25th, 2025 03:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ndrosenThe Washington Post had an article a few days ago about Trump-Mamdani voters, New Yorkers who voted for Trump, and now plan to vote for Mamdani as mayor, or did in the Democratic primary. The article didn’t look at the situation quite this way, but I think the phenomenon illustrates the horseshoe model of politics, in which the extremes are close to each other. Trump and Mamdani may denounce each other, but they have in common that they reject classical liberalism. Both promise to do great things for their supporters, and more or less pretend that the costs don’t exist, or do not matter. One has done considerable harm, and the other bids fair to do so, at least if he is able to implement his program.
It is too bad that from 2016 on, we have not had a Republican leader who opposed the Democrats by supporting limited government, fiscal responsibility, and respect for the rule of law. Instead, we have had a fascist. It is also too bad that New York City lacks a major politician who tells it like it is about the harmful effects of rent control, the shenanigans going on in the Big Apple’s public schools, and more.
It is too bad that from 2016 on, we have not had a Republican leader who opposed the Democrats by supporting limited government, fiscal responsibility, and respect for the rule of law. Instead, we have had a fascist. It is also too bad that New York City lacks a major politician who tells it like it is about the harmful effects of rent control, the shenanigans going on in the Big Apple’s public schools, and more.
