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The Mayor of New York Encounters Something Known as Reality
A friend who teaches economics points out this headline in today’s New York Times:
De Blasio Encounters Rising Friction Over Liberal Expectations
“It is amazing.” my friend writes, “what having to balance a budget in the face of pension and wage demands from the teachers union, the police union, etc., will do to temper one’s liberal dreams.”
It is indeed.
Note the last line of the article, which quotes Mitchell Moss, who teaches urban studies at New York University. Words worth savoring — particularly for the Ricochetti who live in the five boroughs:
Published in General“Inequality is not something that a mayor of New York can solve, but public safety is,” he said. “You can never make the liberals happy. Because when you ask them what they want, the answer is always: M-O-R-E.”
More, indeed. For nothing is ever enough. I look forward to seeing De Blasio twist slowly, slowly in the wind.
Repeat what Mitchell Moss says in the NYT article to a Manhattan elite, and the response is likely to be, “Who are you, Barry Goldwater?”
These are the alternate reality believers, witness the first Communications Director for the current President.
The Mao acolyte.
Why, Paul, do you mean to say that we conservatives may from time to time indulge ourselves in a touch of Schadenfreude?
Liberals will start dealing with reality when they’re held to account by the media and academia. I’m not holding my breath.
Um, no. The crazy, lip-smacking cat lady who lives down the street in the condemned homestead but refuses to leave, maybe.
That’s the only possible role for that disturbed woman. She’s giving a commencement speech?
I would argue that by taking care of public safety he would substantially reduce inequality. If people live in a city where they can live without exposure to crime, drugs, gangs, etc., then they have a much better chance of getting a good education, and finding jobs. Spending money on public safety may be the best thing you can do to help the poor.
Your ideas about public safety may not be the same as the mayor’s. His ideas seem to be lowering the speed limit in NYC and keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.
I’m sure you’re right about this. But, his ideas in this area (gun control and the like) if implemented will also come into contact with reality and found just as wanting as his fiscal policies.
Yeah, I expect very low compliance with his lower speed limits, too. But the city will take in more ticket money, which I’m sure is just a happy unforeseen side effect and not intentional.
I posted a video of anti-gun liberals shooting guns at a range for the first time. The experience left a clear impact on them. I wonder if we need some kind of a similar video that shows liberals trying to fill out a Schedule 1040 and see what effect it leaves on their views of taxes and regulations. Admittedly, it will be hard to make it entertaining.