On Calling Mamdani a “Communist”

It’s become a reflex in American politics: slap the “communist” label on anyone advocating for change, and suddenly the conversation stops. Take Assembly member Zohran Mamdani—critics call him a communist, but how do his actual policies stack up against that label?

Let’s look at the record.

1. Public Transit Subsidies

Mamdani wants to subsidize public transportation for New Yorkers. Is that radical? Not by global standards. Cities across Europe—Luxembourg, Tallinn, Dunkirk—offer free or heavily subsidized transit, and last I checked, Luxembourg is not exactly flying the red flag. In fact, public transit subsidies are a standard tool for creating more equitable, liveable cities. It’s not a “communist” thing—it’s just good policy.

2. Rent Freezes for Low-Income Housing

With New York City rent among the highest in the world, Mamdani’s proposal to freeze rent increases for low-income housing is pragmatic, not revolutionary. We already have rent stabilization and control laws on the books. What’s so radical about pausing rent hikes for the most vulnerable? It’s a targeted intervention, not the abolition of private property.

3. Price-Controlled Supermarkets

What about the idea of price-controlled supermarkets—one per borough—as a pilot program? The proposal would spend less than NYC already spends on food subsidies, simply testing whether publicly-run, price-controlled markets could help New Yorkers afford basics. Is running a pilot program really the first step toward collectivization, or is it just responsible experimentation with public resources?

Let’s Talk Substance, Not Slogans

If you disagree with Mamdani, let’s have that debate. But let’s be clear: subsidized transit, rent freezes for low-income housing, and experiments in public grocery stores are not communism. They are policy responses to real, pressing problems facing New Yorkers today.

If we keep reducing every public-minded policy to “communism,” we miss the point—and the chance to build a city that works better for everyone.

Let’s be real: whenever someone proposes real solutions to urgent problems—like housing, food, or transit—you can count on a certain crowd to start yelling “communist!” But who does this actually help?

It’s not a coincidence that this kind of name-calling has become more common since Trump’s rise. The “communist” label isn’t about honest debate; it’s about distracting us from the real issues. It’s about making people scared of ordinary, common-sense policies that actually work in cities around the world—so we never get around to asking why we’re still paying so much for rent, groceries, and the subway.

Why talk about sky-high rents, food insecurity, or broken transit when you can just play to the cheap seats with culture war buzzwords? That’s not just lazy politics—it’s a deliberate strategy to keep us from noticing who actually benefits from the status quo.

If you’re against someone like Mamdani, it should be because you’ve got a better plan for New Yorkers—not because you bought into the same old fear tactics. Don’t let the noise distract you from the real issues that affect us all