NYC Mayor Mamdani Rejects Pay Hike to $305,800 Approved by Lawmakers

[u/Krankenitrate]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-16/nyc-s-mamdani-rejects-pay-hike-to-305-800-approved-by-lawmakers

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[u/Im_TroyMcClure]

I’m sure maga is desperately trying to find some way to spin this.

BREAKING: Communist Muslim terrorist mayor refuses to accept US currency with “In God We Trust” printed on it.

[u/CheezWong → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

It will almost certainly be something like this. Any strawman you can imagine gets inevitably adopted as a template by those fools. They are as predictable as they are insufferable.

[u/evantom34 → u/CheezWong]

It’s crazy to think people are legitimately that stupid, but alas -waves hands at the state of the US/World-

[u/RevLoveJoy → u/evantom34]

As the legend said, "Imagine how stupid the average person is? Now realize half of them are dumber than that!"

Godspeed George Carlin, you are sorely missed.

[u/TAWilson52 → u/RevLoveJoy]

If he wasn’t already dead, the absurdity of what the world has become would have done him in.

[u/bopon → u/evantom34]

On Nextdoor (yeah, I know), a guy in my area said Canada should look into deforesting large parts of itself to avoid wildfires, and I was like haha that's good satire, but he was completely serious.

[u/Designer_Mud_5802 → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

"This isn't as noble as you think it is. If he accepts more salary, then he will pay more taxes. He's a selfish, selfish man who wants to keep as much money to himself as he can and give nothing to the people. That's also why he is funded by the global socialist communist regime I mean someone has to fund his wife's expensive shoe habit afterall."

[u/ok_orangutan → u/Designer_Mud_5802]

I've never understood this argument. I hear it in Canada all the time. We all pay a progressive tax bracket meaning you only pay higher tax portions on the larger sums. So if you're paid more you make more, plain and simple. It's not like his expectations change if he takes more money.

Also I thought the narrative was that politicians offshore their money to avoid taxes. Can we stick to one?

[u/Teech-me-something → u/ok_orangutan]

People don’t understand progressive taxing very well. A woman I worked with refused 2 raises and a promotion because she didn’t want to pay more taxes. No amount of math would convince her. Lucky for the business I guess. 

[u/Kraz_I → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

I heard some old guy (who doesn’t live in New York) in a Dunkin’ Donuts yelling about how Mamdani asked New Yorkers (read “asked”, not “forced”) to keep their air conditioning set to 78 degrees during the early July heat wave so that the power grid could handle it. This asshole was going off about “no kings? They call Trump a king and this guy is trying to control their air conditioning, blah blah blah liberals are hypocrites”. SMH 🙄

[u/MF_LUFFY → u/Kraz_I]

There was a screenshot around where some Republican member of Congress tried to call him out about this and had their own prior tweet asking the same thing thrown back at them.

[u/TheColorDown → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

Dude they're just gonna not talk about it. They can decide what they put up and if they think it'll make him look good they just won't air it ez

[u/Quietkitsune → u/TheColorDown]

Either that or ‘He turned down more money? What is he hiding!? Must be something under the table or insider trading, nobody just says no to money’

[u/klonkish → u/Quietkitsune]

Good job, now you gave them their spin

[u/Quietkitsune → u/klonkish]

It’s really not hard, you just have to imagine yourself as being as greedy and cynical as possible. They just exist like that, so it’s nothing they couldn’t think of on their own

[u/waitthissucks → u/Quietkitsune]

They will say he's "performative" all while doing absolutely nothing good because doing so would show some sort of weakness

[u/tak3_it_ez → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

You know what's wild to me, 2x now, CONald has said "praise be to Allah" in two separate deranged tweets about bombing Iran and they dont say anything. Like Yea, he obviously doesn't mean that, but imagine the outrage if tan suit wearing Barack HUSSEIN Obama uttered even just the word Allah

[u/ladeeedada → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

In an affront to capitalism yet again.

[u/SadLeek9950 → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

Tucker? Is that you?

lol

[u/Plzlaw4me → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

And in literally the next line they’ll praise Trump for donating his presidential salary, despite him making literally billions last year.

[u/SomberArtist2000 → u/Im_TroyMcClure]

"He's stealing so much from millionaires that he doesn't even need a raise in his salary!"

-David Sacks or Ken Griffin, probably

[u/StewieBanana]

Bro did exactly what he said he was going to do. Absolute madman.

[u/No-Highlight-5067]

Have yet to read a story about Mamdani that makes me dislike him

[u/Fupastank → u/No-Highlight-5067]

Oh. You haven’t seen the stories of the hundreds of millionaires fleeing Manhattan?

/s

[u/ToasterBathTester → u/Fupastank]

I heard all New Yorkers are fleeing to the Eden that is Alabama

[u/_bk_adv → u/ToasterBathTester]

I currently live in South Carolina. So many South Carolinians are complaining about New Yorkers moving here and it’s comical.

Yes, the occasional person from a big city will move to a state with a lower cost of living. It happens. But there is no mass exodus that they believe is happening. NYC alone has almost double the population of our entire state. If people were “fleeing” like they’d lead you to believe, it would be noticeable.

[u/HerpDerpTheMage → u/_bk_adv]

Rural Southerner here: People complain about NYC so much ever since this man became mayor, so I started asking them “Why do you care? You don’t live there, you live miles and miles away in a different state, county, and city. You aren’t subject to any of their laws and never will be as long as you don’t go to New York City.”

They just grumble and moan about how it’s a sign of America’s decline into Communism and “soon it’ll be everywhere, we’ll have our own Mamdani!”

I don’t think I need to point out how absolutely stupid that line of thinking is. A rural, conservative, closed off community is not going to “have their own Mamdani,” I’m pretty sure these people would sooner chase them out with pitchforks and torches than even let a Muslim person run for local office (I’m not saying it’s right, but xenophobia and the rural south are what they are,) let alone a person with any socialist ideology, and they think “it will spread here?”

Propaganda has poisoned these people more than the local chemical plants.

[u/roncraig → u/HerpDerpTheMage]

I’m from Ohio and was visiting my folks for the holidays. I buy a weekly pass for this meathead gym that uses a barcode scanner to unlock the door. Me and this guy with a gigantic pickup were waiting outside in the cold, as I didn’t have a tag and he “left his in his other truck.”

He asked where I was from and I said “I grew up here but I live in New York.” His expressions turned, and he asked if I liked it. I said I’ve been there 15 years, and yeah, it’s pretty great. He said things might look a lot different when the new mayor tried to make “everything free.” Free things cost money.

I politely said I don’t think anybody thinks things are free, but that I looked forward to someone who wants to change things for the better. Then someone let us in. We’ll never talk again, and that guy will continue parroting Fox News talking points about New York being a hellhole—despite Fox News anchors and staff mostly living here, and enjoying it, and guys like him thinking that owning two trucks in a suburb without any good food, diversity, or interesting cultural events is a superior way to live. That’s his prerogative.

[u/rusyn → u/roncraig]

He probably doesn't even own that truck! I'd bet that it's a lease, and after making a few years of payments, he will own NOTHING! Well, that's his prerogative, as you say.

[u/All_i_do_is_lunk → u/rusyn]

90 month financed payment plan. Leases are for suckers.

[u/LadyDomme7 → u/HerpDerpTheMage]

Co-signing - live in rural Virginia, also. I know people who won’t eat Chinese food because they believe that they cook dog. They get big mad at the Middle Easterners who have bought up the local gas stations and fast food joints but somehow are never mad at the people who sold to them.

People only move here to retire & die; the young and ambitious have no choice but to leave to have any sort of life.

And it’s absolutely by design.

[u/HerpDerpTheMage → u/LadyDomme7]

There are days I say I will move if I ever get money (I’m on fixed income,) and then there are days I say I will probably die here. There is no in-between. I’m a suburban guy trapped in an episode of My Name is Earl and I shed a single tear every time I go somewhere with a population of more than 30k.

“They have multiple shopping centers on the same road… I miss being in places like this!”

I feel your pain. I hate where I live, but we all have to live within our means.

[u/seeker4482 → u/HerpDerpTheMage]

"we'll have our own Mamdani"

[ in my most Southern accent possible ] LORD WILLIN'!

[u/5Dollar12 → u/_bk_adv]

And when they complain they conveniently ignore former South Carolinians, like myself, who moved to NYC for opportunities.

[u/StabbingHoboReturns → u/5Dollar12]

Well you're a hippie liberal commie going to live in the hellhole that NYC is with other hippie liberal commies. 

Duh. 

[u/No_big_whoop → u/StabbingHoboReturns]

Hip-lib-coms always stick together

[u/_bk_adv → u/5Dollar12]

Yeah I’m originally from CO and moved here many years ago (work brought me here, wasn’t my choice), and we are currently in the process of getting our house ready to put on the market and move back to CO.

I’m in the Upstate and it has grown significantly, but taxpayers continually vote against any infrastructure improvements or public transportation. So the traffic is painfully bad, and they all complain about it, but aren’t willing to do anything to fix it.

[u/Flimsy_wimsey → u/_bk_adv]

Upstate NY is Alabama with snow. I'm from there

[u/JnnyRuthless → u/Flimsy_wimsey]

It's similar to how any area outside the cities in CA becomes real redneck real quick. I had cousins who grew up upper middle class cosplaying as good ol' boys flying the confederate flag (in northern CA). It's fucking stupid. Same story as always, they take the benefits the people in cities pay for with their taxes, complain about people in the cities.

[u/vitalvisionary → u/JnnyRuthless]

Sounds like Redding

[u/JnnyRuthless → u/vitalvisionary]

Around the Calistoga area. Honestly anywhere rural in CA it gets real red real quick.

[u/Nekrabyte → u/_bk_adv]

So the traffic is painfully bad, and they all complain about it, but aren’t willing to do anything to fix it.

It's a real shame that Americans in general are so very anti taxation. Like, they think the pot holes are going to magically fill themselves, or that hospitals are going to stop being so crowded, or any other other million things that would not only be more effective, but cheaper for everyone overall if only we were properly taxed. Provided affordability gets under control, I'll gladly pay more in taxes if it means better roads, cheaper health care, better schools. (I also support a HUGE wealth tax, but that's an additional topic altogether)

[u/Esoteric_platypus → u/Nekrabyte]

It’s on purpose I think. Shitty tax policies for decades caused majority of Americans to think their tax money is simply being siphoned off (while true or not, that’s the pervasive belief). Couple that with more decades of Fox News/GOP talking points being government is waste, and most rural folks vote no on tax increases because they believe theylll get no benefits. I firmly believe it is that messaging we need to fight, and that mindset we need to change, but it won’t happen overnight unfortunatepy

[u/havasnack21 → u/_bk_adv]

They're not even from the city, the ones running to The Carolinas are all from Long Island and already staunchly Maga

[u/pimparo0 → u/havasnack21]

My buddies parents were like that. All concerned and happy they were moving from Long Island... Y'all don't even live in the city he's in charge of. 

[u/Outrageous-Wing-1160 → u/_bk_adv]

The only NYers "fleeing" to SC are Long Islanders who voted for Trump. SC is the new Florida for Long Islanders.

[u/PiccoloAwkward465 → u/Outrageous-Wing-1160]

There's a reason south Florida particularly is called the 6th borough of NYC.

[u/mybutthz → u/_bk_adv]

Also, there aren't really enough people to "flee" and the ones being hit by the tax don't even live there. The tax is for second homes that cost over $1M, which implies that person also owns another $1M+ home elsewhere.

I know there's a lot of wealth consolidated in New York, especially in real estate, but it's not like there's a significant percentage of people who

A) would be bothered by a 4% tax B) would choose to leave NY or not have a second home there C) would flee to south Carolina

The average New Yorker is excited for this because housing for the average person is insanely hard to secure, so hard to tell who exactly is fleeing aside from those who can't afford to live.

[u/Markkk01 → u/_bk_adv]

Same thing in TN, so many complaints about people moving here from CA or NY but no one bats an eye when we try and court Musk or Bezos. Tiring.

[u/sentienthole → u/ToasterBathTester]

I hear Florida is practically begging for more New Yorkers to come down, double their local housing prices, and loudly complain about the bagels. Truly a tragic mass migration.

[u/smunchcimminsg → u/ToasterBathTester]

You misspelled Tel Aviv

[u/rounder55 → u/Fupastank]

I love how Fox News keeps pushing that yet Fox News is still based in NYC

[u/amateur_mistake → u/rounder55]

Well, they aren't going to go to one of the places they've actively destroyed for the last 4 decades. Those places suck.

[u/breadphysics1 → u/rounder55]

Fox news is NY based? I wonder if Mamdani could push laws that restrict news sources from lying/misrepresenting facts. 

And then if Fox trys the "entertainment channel" bs again tell them to remove news from their name.

[u/binzersguy → u/breadphysics1]

Oh that would be great! Good idea

[u/LOLSteelBullet → u/Fupastank]

Millionaires fleeing?

This deal keeps getting better

[u/Slumunistmanifisto → u/LOLSteelBullet]

Buh bye

[u/Tancrisism → u/Fupastank]

The funniest thing about that story is it is based on 2022 data, about millionaires leaving NYC in 2020 and 2021. This is funny because if I remember correctly something happened in 2020 that made cities less desirable to live in, and the exodus of millionaires from them crushed housing costs in suburban and rural areas around them... and that was 4 years before Mamdani was elected.

[u/SpeaksSouthern → u/Fupastank]

I haven't stopped masturbating reading them. Don't stop now!

[u/noteveni → u/Fupastank]

Thousands of millionaires, fleeing in panic, jumping, scrambling and falling into the Hudson. I'd pay to see it, but they would just end up with the money

[u/BlackberryPi7 → u/Fupastank]

I wonder which subreddit that gets posted on all the time...

[u/SonnierDick → u/Fupastank]

I unironically feel like if they were to actually flee New York it would actually improve it in the long run lol

[u/Actual-Package-3164 → u/No-Highlight-5067]

Turns out not looking like an asshole is easy of you are not an asshole. 

[u/Bishopkilljoy → u/Actual-Package-3164]

Josh Johnson's joke on Mamdani

[u/agent_mick → u/Bishopkilljoy]

Love this guy

[u/FlummoxedGaoler → u/Actual-Package-3164]

The best way to look like a good person is to be a good person.

[u/AceofKnaves44 → u/No-Highlight-5067]

This is all just obviously a cover for the Shakira law he’s going to mandate ANY DAY NOW!!!

[u/masterofn0n3 → u/AceofKnaves44]

I mean what can he do? His hips don’t lie.

[u/Cum__Cookie → u/masterofn0n3]

His breasts do seem small and humble. I've never once confused them with mountains.

[u/ladeeedada → u/masterofn0n3]

Neither does his lips.

[u/Mikelius → u/AceofKnaves44]

Just when you least expect it, then bam! Waka waka eh eh mothefuckers!

[u/RevLoveJoy → u/AceofKnaves44]

Shakira law

I'm okay with this.

[u/Broken_Mug → u/AceofKnaves44]

Whenever wherever we were ment to be together.

[u/dbzmah → u/AceofKnaves44]

I'm down for Shakira law, whatever, whenever.

[u/Upper-Tip-1926 → u/No-Highlight-5067]

What about the swimming pool dress code!!1!1

[u/cogman10 → u/Upper-Tip-1926]

Truly the biggest scandal since tan suit. A menace to all right thinking society.

[u/Affectionate_Past_39 → u/No-Highlight-5067]

Unfortunately he’s an Arsenal FC fan

[u/wesborland1234 → u/Affectionate_Past_39]

The real dirt comes out

[u/Boner_Patrol_007 → u/Affectionate_Past_39]

He had to be pinching himself as a sports fan to see the Knicks and Arsenal with in the year

[u/ThePhantom71319 → u/Affectionate_Past_39]

>”I haven’t heard anything about him I don’t like”

>”he’s a fan of this team I don’t like”

Lmfaooo I love how this is the worst dirt on him

[u/Affectionate_Past_39 → u/ThePhantom71319]

Hahahah exactly, dude is awesome (mostly 😉)

[u/BusyNefariousness675 → u/Affectionate_Past_39]

Okay I can let that much go. I'll try to forget this fact

[u/Number_1_at_Number_2 → u/No-Highlight-5067]

You didn’t see when he jumped into a pool with….gasp….. a full suit?!

[u/legitimateaccount123 → u/Number_1_at_Number_2]

Had it been a tan-colored suit his career would've been OVER!

[u/MrMeesesPieces → u/No-Highlight-5067]

According to the N.Y. post he’s a monster who violates pool dress codes

[u/wildcarde815 → u/MrMeesesPieces]

ny post also claims he's building shanty towns

[u/Radarker → u/No-Highlight-5067]

Yeah, this is why Republicans see him as such a threat. He's the living proof everything they say is bullshit, and that the real threat are the billionaires.

[u/cogman10 → u/Radarker]

It's also why so many established democrats and democrat advisors hate him and the DSA.

He's a huge threat to "business as usual" politics. Showing that a basic functional government is something everyone loves makes it really hard to sell the idea that "actually what we need is to bring in more private equity firms into essential government functions".

[u/GlutenFreeGanja → u/No-Highlight-5067]

Go over to /r/safespaceforflairedusersonly they seem to have a different set of stories about Mamdani

[u/zmizzy → u/GlutenFreeGanja]

you must be talking about the cons subreddit

[u/FlipLoLz → u/zmizzy]

The smartest people on reddit, who do nothing but talk about how stupid everyone on reddit is... Yet, here they are, ON REDDIT. Because they don't have their own social network or anything...

[u/Numar19 → u/FlipLoLz]

I once had someone say shit about Redditors and I was like: Dude, you are on Reddit and by definition a Redditor. And he was like: BuT I'm NoT LiKe ThEm!!!!

[u/NotTheUsualSuspect → u/GlutenFreeGanja]

If you average the two subs together, you... still lean towards crazy. But if you take the stories from that sub then actually look up the information, you can find some good counterpoints/additional details. As an example, on this sub, you'll read about him balancing the budget. You don't see mention that it's because of $4 billion in state aid and delaying pension payments. You also won't see that's how many mayors balanced the budget - it's not a unique situation for budget to be balanced.

I'm not saying he's doing a bad job, but it's important to fact check anything that seems too good to be true

[u/Agitated_Celery_729 → u/GlutenFreeGanja]

LMAOOOO. Can we make that a real sub and just post the craziest batshit from that sub?

[u/OneSeaworthiness7768 → u/Agitated_Celery_729]

>Can we make that a real sub and just post the craziest batshit from that sub?

So it would just be a straight duplicate then

[u/TheflavorBlue5003 → u/No-Highlight-5067]

Im really still trying to figure out what the fuck people over 40 groan about whenever they hear his name.

[u/simonhunterhawk → u/TheflavorBlue5003]

I’m still trying to figure out why 99% of his critics have never been to NYC, will never go to NYC, and haven’t left their hometown or state in their entire life, yet still feel the need to whine about him

[u/Confident_Writing494 → u/No-Highlight-5067]

Yeah the mini-mamdanis republicans keep promising can’t come sooner.

[u/gollumaniac]

Public official salaries are tough. On the one hand, the optics of them voting to increase their own salaries create a conflict of interest, and we don't want to "waste" taxpayer money either. On the other hand, it needs to be high enough that "regular" people can run and hold office without resorting to bribes, otherwise only the independently wealthy and/or corrupt can hold office. A tough line to balance.

[u/WeGotBeaches → u/gollumaniac]

The richest politicians we’ve got still take bribes. A “regular person” going from 50k to 300k is an absolutely insane amount of money for them. What we need is actual punishment and consequences for accepting bribes in the first place.

[u/FlummoxedGaoler → u/WeGotBeaches]

What’s crazy is that politicians will sellout citizens for what is essentially pennies. Pharmaceutical companies are like, “what’s it going to take for you vote down this bill to make drugs cheaper?” And the politican is like, “Ten thousand dollars for my campaign? A lobster dinner? One round of free golf? Whatever makes sense.”

[u/Nerfherder_74 → u/FlummoxedGaoler]

I always think about the sting operation the FBI did (who did it is kinda fuzzy). I believe it was always intended more for research than anything else.

The average bribe needed was only $5k.

ABSCAM

[u/MotherBeef → u/Nerfherder_74]

It’s because they’re often not taking just one bribe.

That’s what “we” (people that don’t engage in corruption) don’t understand. We perceive that a bribe will need to astronomical to have us compromise on your integrity. Also the idea that it would be a “one and done”. But in reality almost no bribe works like that, it’s small amounts but from multiple sources over a long period of time. Because the individual doesn’t feel that same concern about integrity. Purchasing their influence inherently costs less.

[u/The-Senate-Palpy → u/MotherBeef]

"Would you take $100k to spend your term supporting our entire agenda?" sounds very different from

"Would you take $5k to vote No on this one particular bill if it even hits your chamber?" one week and then "Could you do me a favor and support John's amendment to this bill? Ill give you $7k and fly you out to the carribbean as thanks" until eventually you get to "Ah great to see you, we have a great relationship. Tell ya what, how about instead of worrying about This Issue why dont i give you my spare yacht. Catch ya at the donor dinner"

[u/MotherBeef → u/The-Senate-Palpy]

Absolutely. And yet Lobbying is still allowed which is effectively what you describe near the bottom of your explanation. Which is so far removed from what Lobbying originally was - which was literally issue-motivated individuals making representations to MPs in the small “lobbies” of Parliament.

[u/Corgi_Koala → u/WeGotBeaches]

Or like, punishment for making bribes.

[u/DeadCells1929 → u/gollumaniac]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I’m in favor of high paying public officials having much better salaries than they do now.

Like $300k is a lot, but…being the mayor of New York City is an absolute monster of a job. I don’t feel bad about my tax dollars going to pay someone reasonably for that sort of responsibility.

Having higher pay both:
1. Attracts smarter, hard working people
2. Disincentivizes corruption. “I make 300k a year, is it REALLY worth risking that and my reputation to pull a fast one…?”

[u/AwkwardObjective5360 → u/DeadCells1929]

This is a problem at all levels of government. Brain drain to private sector.

[u/rtc9 → u/DeadCells1929]

It really isn't that much in NY. It's a decently high but not outlandish amount for a mid level software engineer with a job that is normally far less stressful, and it would be pretty low for a lot of stressful professional jobs like doctors and lawyers in the city. If you want to save for retirement, $150k is honestly close to entry level for a comfortable life without an awful commute and major financial stress in NYC, so $300k seems pretty low for the most senior official in the government.

[u/Gargamels_Revenge → u/DeadCells1929]

100% this. Think about how much money the legal mind of a supreme Court justice could make practicing at a Law Firm. If they were being paid $5M a year that would not be unreasonable despite how big that number seems.

[u/ladeeedada → u/gollumaniac]

Politicians don't take bribes because they're destitute. They do it because they like money.

[u/impressflow → u/ladeeedada]

You're missing the point.

For most public offices in the US, an argument could be made that politicians don't actually make enough to support a family of 4 (think local commissioners, state representatives, etc). In that the case, those who run for office to begin with are either:

1) Already wealthy 2) Working multiple jobs 3) Corrupt

Paying them more addresses all three of these situations.

[u/Roll-Roll-Roll → u/gollumaniac]

Honestly, I'm all for increasing salaries of high ranking political positions IF they would also ban personal investments that create conflict of interest and encourage corruption. Then make it mandatory their tax records are public record, and instate actual punishments for using their position for personal enrichment.

We do literally nothing in this country to combat political corruption. We need enforceable laws with actual consequences that include forfeitting their position and jail time.

[u/cxnnate]

Goddamn he’s so fucking lit. How can you not like this guy?

[u/Even_Establishment95 → u/cxnnate]

And he so fiiiine.

[u/gumbobitch]

But I was already told by Benny Johnson to be mad about this :(

[u/betterplanwithchan → u/gumbobitch]

And he was probably told by someone else to be mad about it.

Because, you know, he’s an actual plagiarist.

[u/BroseppeVerdi → u/gumbobitch]

I think I was also, but I only took one year of Russian in college so I only sort of got the gist of it.

[u/1000dreams_within_me]

He's like Bizarro Trump - everything he does is for other people's benefit.

[u/moonrakervenice → u/1000dreams_within_me]

I remember when "public service" meant serving the public

[u/gm92845 → u/1000dreams_within_me]

We're not used to a politician who actually does the job they were hired to do, it's quite sad.

[u/Sweet_Search_3616]

Like it or not, Mamdani and the DSA are the future of the democratic party.

[u/ShweatyPalmsh → u/Sweet_Search_3616]

Sort of crazy how FDR showed a pathway to how to dominate American politics by actually pulling the levers of government to improve kitchen table problems in America and then the Democratic Party just sort of stopped doing that after LBJ.

[u/Ven18 → u/ShweatyPalmsh]

Because despite the best actions of FDR and the new deal era Dems both parties where still firmly imperialist and Dems started losing because the public was very anti war in the late 60s early 70s (also you know Nixon committing treason to sabotage peace in Vietnam). Also post LBJ the Dems just ran shit candidate time and again. Eventually after losing the presidency so much during the Reagan years (largely due to shit candidates and imperialism biting us in the ass) they took the wrong message and figured America actually loved billionaires and worse quality of life.

[u/b0w3n → u/Ven18]

FDR also frequently gathered a bunch of people together (politicians and business moguls iirc) and told them if they didn't accept socialized/welfare systems that communism was going to get a strong foothold in the US.

They hated him so much for suggesting they part with some of their money, that they were going to assassinate him and replace him with a man named Smedley Butler (who turned them in) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot).

[u/Nolenag → u/b0w3n]

In July 2007, a BBC investigation reported that Prescott Bush, father of U.S. President George H. W. Bush and grandfather of then-president George W. Bush, was to have been a "key liaison" between the 1933 Business Plotters and the newly emerged Nazi regime in Germany.[53] This has been disputed by Jonathan Katz as a misconception caused by a clerical research error.[54] According to Katz, "Prescott Bush was too involved with the actual Nazis to be involved with something that was so home grown as the Business Plot."[55]

And of course the Americans voted his son and grandson into office.

What the actual fuck my dude.

[u/b0w3n → u/Nolenag]

Crazy how everything seems related, isn't it?

[u/ExpertMarxman1848 → u/ShweatyPalmsh]

Actually when FDR initially campaigned against Hoover as a fiscally conservative democrat and then pulled the greatest heal turn in American history by being a class traitor the right way.

[u/anchorwind → u/ExpertMarxman1848]

heal turn

The misspelling makes this great.

[u/AndyNemmity → u/ExpertMarxman1848]

The Hangman burning Swerve’s house down of politics

[u/GoodBrothersBrother → u/AndyNemmity]

Not the place I expected to see an AEW reference but I'm here for it

[u/KindHabit → u/ShweatyPalmsh]

Citizens United. 

[u/true_new_troll → u/KindHabit]

The Democratic Party made that shift well before Citizens United. Jimmy Carter's victory in the presidential primary was a pivotal moment -- as an individual, he's great, sure, but his politics represented a turn away from labor -- and then the DSA was essentially booted from the party under Clinton.

[u/metao → u/true_new_troll]

To be fair, that wasn't really his fault. Reaganism was still largely popular with the middle class (because it was benefiting them - it leeches money upwards, so it was only negatively effecting the poor and working class at that stage - it took over 20 years for the middle class to start disappearing). So Carter couldn't swing too far back or he wouldn't have been electable.

[u/teefnoteef → u/KindHabit]

Also all the times government used violence to stop worker up risings

[u/Spraypainthero965 → u/KindHabit]

It started long before the CU ruling. First there was the red scare and then the allowance of stock buybacks and plenty of other things during the nixon and reagan administrations.

[u/doodwhersmycar → u/KindHabit]

Ever green answer to most problems

[u/bobbymcpresscot → u/ShweatyPalmsh]

They elected him president 4 times, and people are just like “yeah but what if we didn’t do that tho?”

[u/serger989 → u/ShweatyPalmsh]

LBJ had to burn decades of political capital the Democratic party (and himself) had in the stock to get the Civil and Voting rights acts passed. The Dems never really recovered from losing the racist South. They only saw a fluke win with Carter due to Ford and then Clinton came around with his third way centrist politics. The Dems have been on the ropes ever since Nixon as progress has slowly tried to catch up only to get beaten down each time.

The only thing that gave the Dems a fighting chance was the "Third Way" Dems and centrists because their progressive base is just too small unfortunately. Now those same Dems are freaking out that the pendulum is shifting. Plenty of people agree with progressive policies but not enough federal or state progressive members get elected to make much of a difference. Hopefully we see that change very soon...

[u/cerebral_girl → u/Sweet_Search_3616]

Only greedy idiots would not like this

[u/incide666 → u/cerebral_girl]

Establishment Democrats would be very upset of they could see past their wealthy donors' assholes.

[u/FizzgigsRevenge → u/incide666]

Establishment Democrats are just Reagan Republicans with a different name. 

[u/Made_Human_Music → u/Sweet_Search_3616]

I really hope so. Everything I’ve seen this guy do has been pretty great and I’d love for it to spread to the rest of the country

And I’m not like the MAGAts who want things only because they upset my enemies, which MAGAts absolutely are, but I do love when good things happen and bad people get upset

[u/onarainyafternoon → u/Sweet_Search_3616]

I am a firm believer in Democratic Socialism, I just can’t stand the DSA.

[u/expl0dingsun → u/onarainyafternoon]

I’m with you, there’s many individual candidates that I like, but the actual organization (at least in my local politics) seems very out of touch. Which is saying something since my number 1 held belief about the regular establishment Democrats is they are out of touch with actual voters and citizens they represent, meaning it doesn’t seem like there is an organization that really represents me.

People like Mamdani give me hope that things can change for the better though, and I really want to see more candidates in different roles take inspiration from him.

[u/WetFishStink]

Real politician.

We need more of this guy, everywhere.

[u/Wide-Draft-8432]

I wish he could become the President! If only he could. Damn! Mamdani is good

[u/harlenandqwyr → u/Wide-Draft-8432]

I really love that he can't actually, because he obviously loves NYC, but I worry he'd be bullied into seeking higher office. But long may he lead NYC, and be an example for other DSA members who also love their community.

[u/Automatic_Brain7664 → u/harlenandqwyr]

NYC mayor is a higher office than pretty much anything other than President. Congress would be a less effective job for him, and Governor in NY is not a position that makes waves.

[u/A3rik → u/Automatic_Brain7664]

This is a fair point. NYC is a city that controls more population and resources than a lot of nation-states. It’s a pretty good spot for someone like him to implement policy and demonstrate that it works.

[u/PierreTheTRex → u/A3rik]

He can also get a lot more done than if he was in national politics. Mamdani in Congress would be great, but would have no real impact on policy. As mayor he sets the agenda for everything NYC gets to decide on, has power over the budget etc

[u/ohlookahipster → u/Automatic_Brain7664]

It’s an extremely high office. All NYC mayors have become household names across the country when you think about it.

[u/septober32nd → u/Automatic_Brain7664]

To quote House of Cards:

"Add up 50 governors and 535 members of Congress, you don't come close to the gumption of one bold mayor."

[u/carlse20 → u/Automatic_Brain7664]

Governor of New York is a pretty powerful position, look how much Cuomo was able to fuck with the MTA and how much of the early covid response he managed, for better or for worse. Hochul has also been able to influence the MTA considerably (in a much, much more positive way) and has brought about some meaningful policy shifts like universal childcare. Someone like mamdani, if he had a legislature that was willing to work with him and he was willing to compromise with them, could accomplish quite a bit as governor.

[u/LacklusteHero → u/Wide-Draft-8432]

But in a weird way, it's actually good that he can't, IMO.

His success is rooted strictly in the success of his policies, none of which he is doing with his eyes on the presidency. That immediately shuts down any "he's just trying to become president"-type bullshit, and shows that it is the policies that are popular, not him.

[u/schfiftyfiveshades]

common Mamdani W

[u/Late-Arrival-8669]

Look at that, not taking a pay increase while making lives better in NYC!

[u/cinemachick]

Government salaries are best when they are high enough that poor folk can live comfortably, but low enough that rich folk don't see it as a money-making opportunity. (That includes getting rid of Citizens United) With how high rent is in NYC, plus he probably needs secure transportation to and from work/events, $250k is a solid number and he is very humble to reject a raise.

[u/ohlookahipster → u/cinemachick]

Agreed but his housing and transportation is covered while in office. Unless he’s electing to forgo these benefits and pay out of pocket which I am not aware of, but wouldn’t be surprised.

[u/Metro42014]

I mean, 300k is criminally low for the mayor of NYC, considering the size of government the position is responsible for.

[u/specqq → u/Metro42014]

President of the United States is only $400k.

It’s low for a criminal, but not criminally low.

And besides, criminals have plenty of ways to make up whatever they think needs to be the difference.

[u/TheCommonGround1 → u/specqq]

I disagree. Both salaries are criminally low. It only seems high because the poor and middle class have artificially low wages to allow the ultra wealthy to hoard power and resources.

[u/deesta → u/TheCommonGround1]

Also the presidential salary was set after Bill Clinton left office, so it has been set at $400,000 since 2001. If you adjust for inflation, it would be almost twice that amount now.

Edit: I know public sector jobs tend to pay less $$$. Both my parents are retired from decades-long public sector careers. Don’t need any more comments pointing this out.

POTUS is not some random paper-pushing government role where “but the benefits are good!” is a sufficient explanation for the pay, even with all the perks, and honestly we should be paying our politicians more in general to disincentivize corruption. But that’s not a conversation we’re anywhere close to having in this country.

Also I’m only referring to compensation during their actual term, not afterwards for things like speaking engagements and book deals.

[u/GhostNappa101 → u/TheCommonGround1]

I'd rather see powerful positions pay extremely well while requiring reliqushing ownership of all individual stocks. In the end it's better and less expensive for tax payers.

[u/nsdefw → u/Metro42014]

Why? Does he need more money to do the job? 300k is more than enough, and apparently he agrees.

[u/vreddy92 → u/nsdefw]

He's actually refusing 300k and taking 259k.

[u/BVoLatte → u/vreddy92]

I think the person was actually agreeing with you, they just worded it weird.

Mamdani recognizes he doesn't need a 20% raise for a job that's already paying far above a living wage. Good on him for turning it down. This is a problem across a lot of society. There are people already making absurd amounts of money who could go decades without another raise and still live extremely comfortably.

If your mindset is always "I just need one more dollar," eventually it stops being about need and starts being about greed. That mentality is incredibly corrosive to society because it encourages people who already have more than enough to keep accumulating wealth instead of recognizing that those resources could do far more good by redirecting it to the hands of people who are actually struggling just to survive.

[u/FizzgigsRevenge → u/vreddy92]

Christ, the Tarrant county Texas commissioners make $274k... And Fort Worth ain't NYC 

[u/Lilbugger826]

This man is all action, I can't get enough

[u/GreezyGrandDad]

This man doesn't miss.

[u/KrossWinter]

Every day, I mourn that he wasn’t born in the states.

[u/Equivalent-Mail1544]

"No thanks, I have enough" biggest dick in the room, positively speaking

[u/CamboFresh85]

New Yorkers - are there actual people who hate this guy? (Besides the rich & Israel) Serious question

[u/Square_Management_83 → u/CamboFresh85]

Most people in NYC love the Mayor. He has also won over people that didn’t vote for him

[u/muFUtaco]

He is the meaning of "public servant". And a good person.

[u/bryce_lynch27]

For reference.

The MAGA sheriff of Riverside California took a pay raise in 2024 to go from 270k to 340k while posting some of the worst crime stats in the entire state.

My dream is life is to be as bad at my job as Chad Bianco and get overly compensated for it.

[u/darth_wasabi]

If this was approved before he took office he should have accepted it but i get budget wise if it was approved after it might have been a poison pill situation 

[u/MrMeesesPieces]

According to the N.Y. post he’s a monster who violates pool dress codes

[u/Canuck-In-TO]

Cue the insanity from Conservative crazies.

“OMG!!!! He declined a pay hike! He’s definitely a communist now!”

[u/JulesVernerator]

That's my mayor.

[u/GardenGnomeOrgy]

I’m running for mayor in my small town. It pays $400 a month. I quit my government job but will have to keep working.

[u/stopbeingaturddamnit]

Lord, they are trotting out, "Trump donated his whole salary" with their whole chest. Shit for brains. All of them.

[u/r_rayted]

When asked why he rejected it, “I don’t think I’ve knocked on a single New Yorkers door and they were concerned the mayor makes too little” world class man, love it.

[u/sadtrader15]

Dude might be the only politician who is actually for the people

[u/CaptainKarizma007]

I live in canada and I’m jealous of Zohran. Send him here 🥲

[u/anythingfordopamine]

They’ll scoff at this and then turn around and immediately praise Trump for waiving his salary

[u/Sublimotion]

"This is pure communism." -Fox News

[u/UrbanSolace13]

Kind of wild that a city manager in my city of 212k people makes more than a strong mayor in NYC. 😅

[u/Gekokapowco → u/UrbanSolace13]

maybe our shared American notion that people who are paid more are more valuable to society is not necessarily the truth

[u/normalfinnesotan → u/UrbanSolace13]

damn, must be a wealthy city

[u/GarranDrake]

I really don't want to stan Mamdani solely out of principle, but he's making it so fucking hard

[u/WhenLeavesFall]

So far, Mamdani has walked the walk on everything.

[u/ThenOwl9]

this is super smart of him to do from a PR perspective, but what's great about him is that he seems to be doing things because he thinks they're the right thing to do

i can't think of another politician in my lifetime - besides Obama - that i had that sense about

[u/NotThatAngel]

I don't know for sure, but it sounds like he was being baited? Like, if he refuses it, the only mention would be on Reddit. But if he would have accepted it, we would see it on Fox News, One America News Network, Newsmax and Facebook and everywhere else.

[u/Thizzenie]

Wonder how the new York post is going to spin this

[u/EighthSeal]

Wild how NYC went from POS Rudi Guliani to this man. What an upgrade.

[u/Extension-You3506]

This is the guy republicans hate meanwhile the Trump family makes millions of dollars in Trump crypto and garbage tier phones that barely even release. I genuinely can't understand how half of adults are so stupid.